The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-01-20

age, it was his. Nor was he fortuned
with heritage alone His environment,
as nearly as may be, was ideal. His
father was statesman and soldier;
bred, lovely and accomplished daugh-
ter of the South, and through one or
the other of them, he was related to
almost every family of distinction in
Virginia.
His home was one of the Oldest
and handsomest of the celebrated
plantations of the South, and, as al
ready stated, but a little distance
from the first home of Washington.
This proximity to and intimate asso-
citation with a place so insperably
linked with the name and memory of
Washington, had marked effect on
the young Lee. 1t stimulated his i'm
agination and fired and directed his
ambition. Small thought had this
young admirer Of the great father of
his country, that on the unrol1ing
scroll Of fame his name was to appear
even brighter and fairer than that
Of his lifelong hero.
The boy Robert early exhibited
those qualities and characteristics
which, under the maturity Of years,
wisely tempered by equable judgfent
and steadfast adherence to the truth
and goodness of things, were to make
of him the ideal exponent Of the high
est American manhood.
His frInness of purpose, loyalty to
principle and jnexorable sense of duty
alone would have made him great,
but added to these was purity of life,
almost a maiden gentleness, a tender
ness of heart without it's frequent ac
compartment of lack of courage, a.
| loftiness of purpose, a calm, serene
dignity that invariably commanded re-
spect, and a seeking after4high ideals.
His father, whom he adored with
.ao-e than the usual filias affection,
said of him, Robert was always
good"
His invalid mother. for whom he
citing games in order to go driving
| with and solicitiously care for, his
mother, at whose bedside he spent
many fatiguing days, nursing, com
forting, cheering, said of him, He is
both a son and daughter to me-
/ His teacher, whose respect and ad-
miration he had won, said of him,
He is a splendid young man.
And thus it was, admired, respect
ed and loved he grew into young
manhood.
In his blood, coming from many
generations was the call of the mill
tary life and he had never contemplat-
ed any other course than the profes
sion of arms.
At eighteen he was appointed by
Andrew Jackson to West Point
where, after four years of study and
devotion to duty, he graduated sec
ond in his class of forty-six, having
won high honors and secured the re
spect and affection of his professors
and fellow students, and with the re
markable record of never having re
ceived single demerit.
Il Of Lee the engineer, planning an6
executing the difficult task of forcing
the Mississippi in a safe channel a
st. Louis, disadvantaged as he wa:
by the unappreciative attitude of tht
: citizens of that city; of Lee the youns
soldier controlling the restive ant
treacherous Indians on the western
: plains; of Lee, ccv rapidly becoming
: famous as guide and soldier unde
} the blistering sun of Mexico and con
, tributing so largely to the success o
, the United States in the war wit
that country that General Scott sait
, of him. "He performed the braves
and most difficult feat of the war, W.
) have little time to dwell.
A dark cloud of unrest and impend
ling tragedy had arisen over the land
The united nation of Washington ha'
drifted apart in its interests and it
[ constitutional ideas. The comman
: had been given by the north-'''Tho1
: shalt and the South resenting tn
infringement and abridgment of he