wonderful tales became so engrossing that we would forget to do our
duty--when he would declare, "No tickling, no story!" When we were a
little older, our elder sister told us one winter the ever-delightful
"Lady of the Lake." Of course, she told it in prose and arranged it
to suit our mental capacity. Our father was generally in his corner
by the fire, most probably with a foot in either the lap of myself or
youngest sister--the tickling going on briskly--and would come in at
different points of the tale and repeat line after line of the poem--
much to our disapproval--but to his great enjoyment.

In January, 1849, Captain Lee was one of a board of army officers
appointed to examine the coasts of Florida and its defenses and to
recommend locations for new fortifications. In April he was assigned
to the duty of the construction of Fort Carroll, in the Patapsco River
below Baltimore. He was there, I think, for three years, and lived
in a house on Madison Street, three doors above Biddle. I used to
go down with him to the Fort quite often. We went to the wharf in
a "bus," and there we were met by a boat with two oarsmen, who rowed
us down to Sollers Point, where I was generally left under the care
of the people who lived there, while my father went over to the Fort,
a short distance out in the river. These days were happy ones for
me. The wharves, the shipping, the river, the boat and oarsmen, and
the country dinner we had at the house at Sollers Point, all made a
strong impression on me; but above all I remember my father, his
gentle, loving care of me, his bright talk, his stories, his maxims
and teachings. I was very proud of him and of the evident respect
for and trust in him every one showed. These impressions, obtained
at that time, have never left me. He was a great favourite in
Baltimore, as he was everywhere, especially with ladies and little
children. When he and my mother went out in the evening to some