The Washington herald., 1907-01-27
LEE AFTER THE WAR
RecOlIectiOns of His Career as College President.

Once he gave me an important letter.
which he asked me 10 answer with care
did my best When ] returned it. De
read IL carefully. then took up his pencil
and said. Professor this is very good
but il viii be better if we strike out a few
adjectives and adverbsi" then, handing ir
back, he said. Now, If you viii kindly
copy it l found that he had struck ou5
every useless word. leaving the letter. of
course. better than it was before. This
incident I never forgot; as "A teacher OF
English / have quoted il again and again
10 nay classes. and / recognize f. now as
the best lesson in composition have ever
received. In this connection I may t.
mark that Gen. Lees own writings.
whether official or private. are models Of
clear and correct form. He was a master
OF style. in both thought and expression.
Dealings with Students.
OF his dealings with students. by which
be won their love as well as their rever-
ence, many interesting anecdotes are re-
lated. ! mention only one Of two. which
came under my personal knowledge.
! have said that by weekly reports me
kept in close touch with all the classes
Especially no single unexcuscd absence
was ever overlooked. The delinquent was
at once summoned 10 Gen. Lees Office
aiV&ys a most dreaded 0rdeal-and hts re-
cepuon varied from grave 10 gav.r ac-
eoTding 10 circumstances. ] give an fr-
stance OF each, A young fellow who's.
general record was none too good was
summoned 10 answer for absence. He
stated ms excuse, and then. hesltatiugIv
he added another and another.
stop, Dir. -,' said Gen Lee. "One
good reason should be sufficient 20 sat
lsiy All honest mind, with an emphasis
on the word honest that spoke volumes.
Another, an excellent student now u
distinguished lawyer in Tennessee. was
once beguiled into an uuexcused absence
The dreaded summons came. With his
heart in his boots he entered Gen. Lees
Office. The general met him smiling.
Sir. n, ] am glad % see you are better
But general, ] have not been sick"
Then 1 am glad 10 see YOU have better
news from home" But. general I have
had no bad news All" said the zen
eral i took il for granted that nothing
less than sickness or distressing news
from home could have kept you from vglIr
duty Mr. N. told me. i'm relating trfs
incident, that he then felt as if he v-israf
the earth 10 open and swallow him. To
lazy fellow, he once said. How is v1r-
motherE j am sure you must be- devoted
10 her you are so careful OF the health
OF re- SON. and to another who was in
rebellion against authority. You cannot
be true man until you learn 10 obey"
His Religious Character.
OF Gen Lees religious character 7 do
not feel myself worthy 20 speak. That
he was deeply, sincerely religious with
a perfect, trusting faith in God and in
Christ; that by this be was guided and
upborne in every act and every trial; that
this he sought, UnobtrusiveIy yet earn
estly 70 impress upon his family. his
community, his college, as lie had done
upon his army-tlis is manifest from all
the course Of his life. as from his writ
lngs. His last afternoon was spent I'm q
Vest-y mycUug-at which I also was pres
ent-in the attempt % relieve his be-
loved rector formerly his trusted com
panion 10 arms. and his last conscious
act was, on that same evening. o a.
tempt 10 ask blessing upon the even
Ing meal, when God called him. and ne
sank, unconscious. in his chair or she
following days Of anxious sorrow. Of ;ls
shock of his death. and OF the grief with
which We laid him iu his coffin and FOL-
lowed him 60 his grave, 7 have no heart
TO speak There he rests. beneath tna
chapel which he himself built 20 she glory
of God, his tomb fifty crowned by that
recumbent statue, symbol of the eternal
rest.