The morning times., 1896-04-12

where the latter was born. His white
washed log cabin stands in what was once
The front yard of this colonial manse, aud his
children play in the shade of the great locust
tree whose branches once brushed against
the windows of the Monroe nursery.
MARKED BY A TREE.
The tree is the only mark to Indicate
where once stood the house. The bread,
green lawn which swept from the front
door 10 Tie roadway has given place to
coTniieid. Ten years ago the foundation
walls rose three or four feet above the earth
and the deep cellar was choked with
weeds and tanElcd underground. But all
this has disappeared. The walls Lave been
RACED the cellar filled up with bricks and
earth, ana tnc Old tree, gIaried ana twisted,
stands alone TO mark the birthplace of the
man who framed the Monroe doctrine
Pastor Stewart sproGressive and he reads
thenewspape He has heard Oft the Monroe
doctrine aud he knows that the man who
once owned his farm is famous and known
by many people When the government
purchased Wakefield Stewart realized
for the first time the historical Importance
of his own place. He'owns but a few acres,
hardly more than q huudredth part of the
original plantation, but his farm contains
the site OF the old homestead. He is sorry
now that he destroyed the foundation that a
and helives withbu one hope Tor the future,
that the government will grow generous
N providing monuments for its heroes and
eventually purchase his farm for the site
of one 10 Monroe
In Stewards rickety old trap the visitor
dr;l ws up beneath the locust tree aud steps
out on 4 horse block, where once silver
buckled gallants handed out their "faire
ladyes" The house. which was burned
I.l .I.-iI n Isl =
nave been a massive building of the old
Southern type. The upper stories were
of wood. with Foundation and first floor
Of brick brought from England. Traces Of
The foundation can still he seen among the
burrows Of the ncwly-plowed ground and
for a space of Seventy-five feet square to
the north of the old locust tree the earth
j. Strewn with broken pieces of brick and
bjtSof pottery and dold-fashioned china ware,
which The pluw has turned up.
The house stood facing the south and
from The upper windows the broad fo-
Iomac could bc seen. Monroe Bay extends
10 within i half mile of where the house
stood ana in that day WAS Il gliStenng
sheet Of water several miles in extent.
The largest vessels could come to the
docks at Stavc Landing. but quarter Of
mile away. where now the smallest boats
find it difficult 20 enter. Monroe Bay is
but i remnant OF what it was in the time
Of the man whose name il bears and. like
the plantation. has dwiudled TO but Sl;ld-
ow of its former self.
Several years ago the old Monroe estate
was purchased by city capitalists, who
deSpoiled ii of the timber and then par
celed out the land 10 negro FARMERS. Their
whitewaShed shauticS dot the rich bottom
lands that once formed the house lot OF
the original plantation
, y PRINCELY DOMAIN.
IN the days Of President Monroe the plan-
taIion included 500 acres bordering on the
| Potomac and extending back into the pine
! Syamps of the interior. The house lOtalone
! contained eight V eightacres. stretching from
the front gate down TO the toll-gate on
the Frederick pike. To the left Of the
house was the garden, marked by an an
iccnr pear tree, which IS still bearing, and
TO the right and slightly in the rear were
| the servants qua rters, blacksmith shop and
other outbuildings.
IN the rear The pine trees of the never
| ending swamp crept close to the house and
shut out all but narrow strip OF north
eru sky. The entire outlook was south
| and east. where the sun was warm and
| smiling and the bay glittered at the door
of the old house aud the blue hills of
! Maryland l0omed haZy in the distance.
| The squaIor of the present negro owners
| is ia strong contrast with the spIendor and
| munificcnce which must have reigned in
! the days of its first owners, when the
| winding horns announced the approach OF
| the Frederick mail coach, and the Wash.
| inGtons, Lees, Randoiphs and the county gen
| try visited from plantation 10 plantation
| for weeks at time.
! The neighborhood OF the Monroe plan.
| talion is rich in the folklore OF the negro
| They tell Of many gruesome sights seen late
at night around the spot where he Old house
| stood. They tell them religiously, like
| most people 90 their pra yerS, and ask the
| stranger. if he doubts their word, 10 prove
| the truth of their statements by inquiry i'll
| the ncighborhood.
| IL Is said that every. spring, on a certain
| night, when The moon is right and the
| tide is fun, light rises from among the