, 1889-11-06
TALES OF THE POTOMAC.
FOLK LORE THAT HAS INVESTED
THE RIVER WITH MYSTERIES.

A Ghostly Drummer Boy-The Pin Cu.b-
lon Stone and = Farmers ReckIes-ne.s
Concerning Misrepresentation. and Belief
That Are Traditional.
Folk lore Is a study which has its at
fractions for almost every one, but there
are few. at least In Washington. who
have devoted as much time to 1t, or
whose investigations into the realms of
quaint sayings and queer superstitions
nave been attended with more interest
ing results than those of Mr.. William a.
Babcock, who has contributed many val
liable articles on thefolk lore of America
to leading journals both in England and
this country. In a recent article he tells
Of a legend which has a host of believers
along the banks Of the Potomac, in the
vicinity Of Little Falls. which is only
about three miles above Georgetown
The story run that in the early days of
Washington, during one of the first Brit
ish expeditions against the colonists,
a number of soldiers, one of them a
drummer boy, attempted to cross the
river at a point about a quarter of a
mile south OF the falls. Just before the
Maryland shore was reached the boat was
overturned and the drummer drowned
and ever since persons rowing over the
spot where he went down can hear the
muffled notes of the drum and his spirit
plays the dead march. The place is gen.
orally given a wide berth by those who
know the story.
THE PIN HI o
Another story which comes from along
the banks of the Potomac is thai of the
pin cushion stone which marks the cross
roads just before Mount Vernon is
reached. In the old days when that his
torical spot was alive with the happy
voices of the plantation darkies, a man
killed his wife in a quarrel over a pin
cushion, and as the murdered woman
fell over the stone it has since been called
the pin cushion stone, and is said to be
possessed of an evil spirit.
A venturesome farmer, to show his
contempt for the stone and its traditions,
once took it home with him and placed
it in his barn. That very night the barn
caught fire and was burned to the
ground, n as he met with a succession
of disasters, his experiment tended only
to increase the popular belief in the
stone, and it was subsequently taken
back to its original resting place.
In travelling about the country in the
vicinity of Washington one is struck by
the changes wrought by time even in the
names of places. On the banks of the
Anacostia river is one of the most
charming spots in the n~eighborhood Of
Washington, and is a favorite resort for
p~icnickers from the city. 1t is known
as Lincoln Banks, and one would nat
urally suppose the spot had been named
in honor of President Lincoln; but that
such is not the case is vouched for by
many persons who remember when 1t
was Lickin Bank, and even this was not
its original name. 1t seems it was first
known by old trappers, who designated
it as h Lick in the Bank" and it has
gradually grown into its present cogno-
men of Lincoln Bank.
Further up in Maryland is a village
now known as Forrestville, but which in
past years was known as Long Old
Fields. Civilization flowed in two streams
up the valleys of the Patuxent n Po-
tomac. The former was the greater,
having the richer roofing and broader
base. Its outpost was on the crest of
the rough ridge which separates them,
and which was and is to this day q will
derness. Here long fields were cleared
along the road at an early day. and in
time grew into old long fields. The travel
from valley to valley halted here as at a
half way house, and does so now. For
generations it has been known as Old
Long Fields, and it was only recently
that its name has been changed by the
p~ostofice department.
ORIGIN OF SOME -Rsr1r1
As far as can be- learned the greater
number of traditions and superstitions
which are familiar in America had their
origin in England and upon the CONT
nent. but there are many which seem to
have ORIGINATED AMONG the sIav In onta-