Only once did I hear him speak regretfully of the past. It was one night when sitting by him on the porch in the moonlight, he said to me, his thoughts turning to his early childhood: "It was not my mother's wish that I should receive a military education, and I ought to have taken her advice, for," he said very sadly, "my education did not fit me for this civil life." In this no one could agree with him, for it seemed to all that he adorned and satisfactorily filled every position in life, civil or military. There was something in his manner which naturally pleased every one without his making an effort; at the same time a dignity and reserve which commanded respect and precluded anything like undue familiarity. All desirable qualities seemed united in him to render him popular. It was wonderful to observe--in the evenings when his parlors were overflowing with people young and old, from every conceivable place--how by a word, a smile, a shake of the hand he managed to give _all_ pleasure and satisfaction, each going away charmed with him. The applause of men excited in him no vanity; for those around soon learned that the slightest allusion or compliment, in his presence, to his valor or renown, instead of pleasing, rather offended him. Without vanity, he was equally without selfishness. One day, observing several quaint articles of furniture about his house, and asking Mrs. Lee where they came from, she told me that an old lady in New York city--of whom neither herself nor the General had ever before heard--concluded to break up housekeeping. Having no family and not wishing to sell or remove her furniture to a boarding house, she determined to give it to "the _greatest living man_," and that man was General Lee. She wrote a letter asking his acceptance of the present, requesting that, if his house was already furnished and he had no room, he would use the articles about his College. The boxes arrived. But--such was his reluctance at receiving gifts--weeks passed and he neither had them opened or brought to his house from the express office. Finally, as their house was quite bare of furniture, Mrs. Lee begged him to allow her to have them opened, and he consented. First there was among the contents a beautiful carpet large enough for two rooms, at which she was delighted, as they had none. But the General, seeing it, quickly said: "That is the very thing for the floor of the new chapel! It must be put there." Next were two sofas and a set of chairs. "The very things we want," again exclaimed the General, "for the platform of the new chapel!" Then they unpacked a side-board. "This will do _very well_," said the General, "to be placed in the basement of the chapel to hold the College papers!"