LEE—General Grant has acted with magnanimity.
MRS. JACKSON—If there ever was a saint on earth, you are one. Now I must go upstairs and tell your wife so, but I reckon she knows it. Good morning. (Exit MRS. JACKSON. Enter JACK SHARPE dressed in ragged clothes, he looks all around, then goes up to Lee and salutes.)
SHARPE—General, I'm one of your soldiers, and I've come here as the representative of four of my comrades who are too ragged and dirty to venture to see you. We are all Virginians, General, from Roanoke County, and they sent me here to see you on a little business.
They've got our President in prison and now—they—talk—about—arresting—you. And, General, we can't stand—we'll never stand and see that.
Now, General, we five men have got about two hundred and fifty acres of land in Roanoke—very good land, too, it is, sir—and if you'll come up there and live, I've come to offer you our land, all of it and we five men will work as your field hands, and you'll have very little trouble in managing it with us to help you.
And, General, there are near about a hundred of us left in old Roanoke, and they could never take you there, for we could hide you in the hollows of the mountains, and the last man of us would die in your defense.
LEE—I thank you and your friends, but my place is among the people of Virginia. If ever they needed me, it is now. (He goes to the door and calls SAM. Enter SAM.)
LEE—Sam I want you to find all the clothes I can do without and give them to this soldier for his friends.
SHARPE—I thank you general, and if ever you change your mind, just let Jack Sharpe hear from you. (Exit JACK and SAM. Enter Lee's oldest son, G. W. CUSTIS LEE.)
G. W. LEE—Well, Father, hard at work entertaining visitors as usual, I suppose.