The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-24
Little Stories Reue0I Secret Of Lees
 Greatness

General Lee vas very punctual in all social and business eneasementS He vas always ready on fthe minute for family prayers and at meal time When president of washingfon snd Lee uni versity he hahitnaIly intended an reli- gious services at the sanpea. and it was said, watches could have ben reSu- lated by the time he entered the door When superintendent at West Point he was never late at the post ehapea on Sunday morning writes R. E. F. in the Kansas City Sta4 z He would jck- ingiy rally his wife and daughters for being dilatory about szsrtinx or for getting something at the Last mcment- When he could wait no longer he would
 Say, ~wen am off and march away to church by himself
 General Lee was presented with bottle of rare eampazne at the begin ming of the Civl war and he carried it throughout the war That act has been called the finest temperance sermon ever preached
 Lee was loving and companicaable father, although one who was hrm on proper occasions and who commanded implicit obedience His love cf children extended to others besides hle own While in St Louis enEsged m the i'm provement of navigation on the Mis- sissippi river, he said. in I letter to Mrs Lee, -I saw q number of little girls all dressed up i'm their white frocks and pantalcts. their hair plaited and tied up with ribbons, running and chasing each other in all direetions- I counted twenty-three nearly all the same size. I do not think the eldest exceeded seven or eight years old 1t was the prettiest sight I have seen in the west"
 Lee was a lover of nature In letter he said, -In the woods feel sympathy with the trees and birv;s- Tn whcse conn pany I take Ereat delight" While the army of Northern Virginia was sta toned in Culpeper county he wrote The country here looks very green and pretty, notwithstanding the ravages of war. What beautiful world. God in his loving kindness to his creatures. has given usi What shame that men en- dowed with reason and knowledge of right should mar his sifts." @
 Lee was very handsome imam, as his portraits show. The portrait painted by R. S. Weir at West Point shows Lee in the undress uniform of colonel of en- gineers It is considered fine likeness although Lees son. Robert Lee. IT, says. sTo me the expression of strength peculiar te his face IS wantins. e<pe- cially the lines of the mouth My father could never bear to have his picture taken. and there are no kkenesses of him that really give his sweet expres- sion 1t was such q serious business with him that he never could look pleasant
 X lady of General Lees acquaintance said of him, Everybody and every thing loves him-his family. his friends, his servants, his horse and his dog" Os Lees horses the best known was Traveller, a magnificent gray with q black mane and tail TrSVeler was d proud charger and carried tine general through the fire of the wilderness, Epottsylvania, Cold Harbor and across the James in the last year of the Cieil war. Travellers ~companlomS in toil, ns Lee called the other horses he used in the war, were RichEa0pd- Brown Roan. Ajax and Quiet Lucy Long" the latter being used when the general kas suffering with an accident to his hands. At West Point Lee rode a chestnut mare, Grace Darling. which had carried him in the Mexican war and had several bullet wounds as badges of honor Lee was a remark ably fine horseman and most consider ate of his mounts
 Of dogs and cats General Lee had many. A favOrite dog was q black and tan terrier, named Spec. which was reared in the family and accompanied the Lees everywhere they went, even te church. Spec is often referred to by Lee in his letters home Spec was the son of Dart, handsome little dog of high breeding. which Lee found struggling in the waters of the Narrows- between Fort Hampton and Staten Island The dog had fallen 0verhozrd, evidently. from some passing vessel Lee rescued her and she became a great pet with his children
 Of cats, the Lee family whiIe at Lexington, Va, had two, Mrs Smith and Gus, of whom mention Is made by