UNVEILING OF LEE MONUMENT
At Richmond, Va., Friday, May 29, 1890.
THE LIFE
OF
Gen. Robert E. Lee,
FOR CHILDREN,
In Easy Words.
ILLUSTRATED.
MRS. MARY L. WILLIAMSON.
Harrisonburg, Virginia
SPRINKLE PUBLICATIONS
1989
Copyright, 1895,
BY
Mrs. MARY L. WILLIAMSON.
Sprinkle Publications
P. O. Box 1094
Harrisonburg, Va. 22801
PREFACE.
In preparing the “Life of Lee for Children,” for usein the Public Schools, I beg leave to place before teachersgood reasons for employing it as a supplementary reader.
First, I urge the need of interesting our children inhistory at an early age. From observation I find that theminds of children who study history early expand morerapidly than those who are restricted to the limits ofstories in readers. While teaching pupils to read, whynot fix in their minds the names and deeds of our greatmen, thereby laying the foundation of historical knowledgeand instilling true patriotism into their youthfulsouls?
Secondly, in looking over the lives of our Americanheroes we find not one which presents such a picture ofmoral grandeur as that of Lee. Place this picture beforethe little ones and you cannot fail to make them lookupward to noble ideals.
This little book is intended as auxiliary to thirdreaders. I have used the diacritical marks of Webster,also his syllabication. In compiling this work I referredchiefly to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee’s “Life of Lee,” andRev. J. William Jones’ “Personal Reminiscences ofR. E. Lee.”Mary L. Williamson.
New Market, Va.,
September 28, 1898.
The Sword of Robert Lee.
Words by Moina. Music by Armand.
Forth from its scabbard, pure and bright,
Flashed the sword of Lee!
Far in the front of the deadly fight,
High o’er the brave, in the cause of right,
Its stainless sheen, like a beacon light,
Led us to victory.
Out of its scabbard, where full long
It slumbered peacefully—
Roused from its rest by the battle-song,
Shielding the feeble, smiting the strong,
Guarding the right, and avenging the wrong—
Gleamed the sword of Lee!
Forth from its scabbard, high in air,
Beneath Virginia’s sky,
And they who saw it gleaming there,
And knew who bore it, knelt to swear
That where that sword led they would dare
To follow and to die.
Out of its scabbard! Never hand
Waved sword from stain as free,
Nor purer sword led braver band,
Nor brav