Evening star., 1915-12-19

which for considerably more
than two hundred years, has
been the county seat, or the
court town, of Prince Georges county,
Maryland-a county that was organized
in 1695-is little place in which any
one who rambles. asks questions, looks
around and makes pictures may find
numerous interesting subjects.
In the main. Upper Marlboro has led
a quiet existence through the centuries
since it took its name and became
place Of habitation, but it has also had
its moments of excitement. The village
gives indications that it will continue
on its very quiet course for many years
to come Perhaps two more centuries
may pass without any revolutionary
change in the hamlet. A good many
persons consider the old town quiet to
the point or dullness, but nearly every
body has some more or less immature
opinions which they must humor and
which usually they feel they must ex-
press in loud tone Of voice. And it
very often happens that these opinions
are as dull as any town can be.
Many Washington people. especially
those who travel in automobiles. have
q passing acquaintance-sort of a pass
ing-through acQuaintance-with Upper
Marlboro, but to the Rambler the aver
age man in an automobile seems more
interested in his speedometer. in the
number of miles he can run in an hour
without being arrested, the length of
road he can cover on a gallon of gaso-
line and in the best or the worst place to
get something to eat. than in hunting
up relics and reminders of the past
Several roads lead from Washington
to Upper Marlboro, which is only ten
miles east and south of the east corner
OF the District of Columbia, but it is
quite safe to say that most Washing
tonians going to Marlboro by motor
travel over the Bowen road and pass
into the recently improved Washington
and Marlboro road: which was an old
toll pike In this way they pass
approaching Marlboro. skirt for several
miles little stream called Federal
Spring branch.
This road enters Marlboro at the
northwest corner of the village and
then turns south The main street of
the village runs nearly east and west,
and that Is the street on which the
courthouse. the hotels. most of the
lawyers offices. the shops and the
bank face. At the southeast corner,
unless the Ramblers sense of direction
has become confused, of the main
street ana the ROAD from washington
stands little brick structure, old.
seedy and much out of repair. 1t is
occupied by the village tinsmith. 1t is
only one story high, and even that
ed single roof. and this roof projects
about four feet beyond the front wall,
its outer edge being supported by
three rough cedar posts. This roof
summer. and several generations of
men have lounged there, many of them
in chairs tilted back against the brick
wall. Probably tons Of tobacco have
problems of county. state and nation
discussed. If the counsel given under
that detected and projecting roof could
: be followed. everybody in the world
would be prosperous. virtuous and con-
tent. and there would be no such things
as mortgages, cut worms, potato bugs
or other malevolent things which clog
the course Of civilization At the
nary height is fanked by two small
windows. glazed with little square
panes. Each of two other sides of the
building is pierced with little win
dow. The chimney. which rises several
feet above the roof, is not SO tall as it
used to be. Part Of it has fallen of.
This little structure is one of the
show places of Marlboro and its as
sociations are of interest to all Mary
land people and to a large percentage
of other Americans. This little Woe
begone building was once the law office
of Reverdy Johnson. man of dis
tinguished ability, whose influence was
potent in various lines of thought and
action.
The building is pointed out by Marl-
boro people as the law Office of Rev
erdy Johnson" and from this some
persons might get the impression that
il was the only law office which Rev
erdy johnson had. 1t was the great
mans law Office soon after his admis-
sion to the bar. There is a little story
OF how this great lawyer came to en-
ter upon the practice of law in Marl-
boro because his was not a Prince
Georges county family. One thing to
be borne in mind is that Marlboro was
a town of relatively greater importance
then than now and was tire metropolis
OF one of the large. closely peopled,
Iong-settled and prosperous counties
of Maryland
Reyerdy Johnson was born at An