The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-19


spent the entire day. she said, In this
way Is not this picture of the
boy as father to the man-simple In
dress, an ardent lover q nature. and
with a deep tenderness In his heart
for humble creatures and dumb ami
mails? am glad to tlink that his
mother did not see fit 10 call him IN,
and that Duty gave the OK cart right
of way as the boy and the old negro
jostled about the highways and by
ways Of Arlington. one perhaps, lis
tening 10 stories told BY the other,
couched in the quaint language OF a
dusky people, that, ike their lingo,
have gone from us forever.
Search as diligently As we may. we
find little after this concerning him
until at eighteen he entered the mill
tary academy as cadet under appoint
ment by Andrew jackson. Now, II
you will, read from oLi inimitable
Thomas Nelson Page or Lee, the
Southerner," and see how with Duty
by his side. he took the coveted prize
Of the adjutancy Of the corps. how
he graduated second in "A class of
forty-siX with not one mark or de-
merit to blur the fair page OF his
record. Read of him IN Mexico, Of
that lonely ride attended by Duty
into the dark and treacnerous noun
tains forcing a treachCruus guard at
the muzzle of his pistol to lead the
way, that he might find out for HIM
self If reports as to the movements
Of Santa Annals army were true or
false. Read how Duty's eyes ferreted
out a path, a mule trail only, across
almost impossible beds Of lava over
which he guided troops to the very
gates of Contreras 1t was such
dauntless ardor as this that made
General Scott. his COMMANDMENTS
chief say Of him; HE Is the very best
soldier ever saw in any feld." Read
how, later on, he was sent with his
corps Of engineers TO battle with the
surping waters of the Mississippi.
flashing and cutting into the very walls
Of St Louis. We are told the city
government did not approve Of Lees
way They withdrew their appropria-
ton but Lee. leaning on the strong
arm of Duty withdrew not, and in the
words of Mr.. Page, mark now his
triumph, his work still stands
mighty bulwark to a mighty city.
But alas too soon, we must hasten
on 10 the time when with hands full
TO Overlooking with the flowers Of
hope joy. domestic felicity, and fame.
I ne SlARl AZ tHt EdltH W AZ INNS Npii
ere it shut to behind him forever.
He doubtless looked with just pride
upon that stately mansion whose doors
had opened to him as the lord of
the heart of Mary Gusts. only dauRh-
i ter and sole heress OF an honored
/ house Here, as a child, she had been
+ his playmate: here, as a maiden, she
/ had listened To that sweetest story
/ ever told. from his lips; here she had
I In hrfd no
altar. and here she had become the
proud mother of his sons and daugh
ters. He looked away from those glis-
tening columns of the great port!co
i with enraptured gaze to the unsur
passed loveliness of landscape be-
I longing 10 the great estate Of Ar
lington, It's background Of forest talk
ing on the feathery foliage Of spring,
it's suniit slope shelving down to the
| broad Potomac, its waters. blue as
l the skies they mirrored. Across the
I river doomed the graceful spires and
the great white dome of the capital
| city He could see the Proud banners
under which he had served SO faith
fully Haunting to the breeze. -sand he
C0uid sFc1 on river, aITr farTT
the swarthy forms of TN@a.sfaves he
loved yet pited. It is ssfd>sof him
that IN this hour of tr.al,.thls supreme
moment OF making choice, he bowed
i his head and wept %Wept tears Of
blood for Arlington and the
reinqush ment Of It's priceless pos
sessions his soul was too great for
| that; not for the laurels waiting to
crown his brow if he saw fit TO take
marshaled under the stars and
stripes; not for those dark bones OF
contention, the slaves for he had
declared if he owned forty million of