Evening star., 1919-05-11

terlAn Cnu6Cn In tne CAUiu JoHH
neighborhood the Rambler con-
fessed to embarrassment last
Sunday because he was not able to
come upon any record proving the
year Of the establishment OF tho
church, and also because he could
not harmonize the conflicting state
ments which were set forth as facts
At the time Of the dedication of the
memorial marker on the site OF the
church. And his EN- Embarrassment con-
unues.
Standing a few yards west OF the
present church and within the oio
burial ground 10 a tall. wide slab Oh
Potomac bluestone set upright IN
the earth. and which IN inscribed
"Presbytertan Church 171s-Grammar
School 17S0-Placed by Janet Mont
gomery Chapter. Daughters Of tho
American Revolution 1916" So far as
the Rambler Is himself concerned. the
stone and its inscription are enough
to satisfy him. II he were not under
the obligation and necessity OF writ
ing one Of these "rambles" every
week in the year-and which he has
continued to do for quite number
Of years--he would give respectful,
perhaps q reverent glance at that
tombstone-like memorial, read its
dates and very likely take on his hat
and say: my dear Memorial, you
are quite right" He really would not
think Of questioning any statement
engraved. or craven. so deeply in a
piece Of stone as that date, 1716. Then.
perhaps, after reading the inscription
no would turn away without even
carefully writing 1t down. and GER
tainly without breaking down any
brain cells by thinking. How in thun-
deration and other words am ! to
write a two column story that will
get by the Sunday editor on the sub
ject of the date on that piece OF
stone?"
X X X X
Then after turning away he would
get into his large and powerful tour
ing car-"enter his car Is the more
usual literary forn1--and bid his
chauffeur drive on. He would probably
forget about the grim looking me
mortal, though perhaps some evening
while sitting in one Of those deep and
luxurious chairs at the Metropolitan
Club. the City Club date CONNER
cial). the Cosmos Club or the Camera
Club. or some other fashionable rest
resort. he might say in a casual way
to his millionaire friends something
like this: "Ah, I say! Doncherno. l
drove parst the site Of the First Pres
byterian Church evan erected in the
Maryland county Of Montgomery! A
jolly interesting place. doncherno!
The church was set up or set down
there in l71s--no doubt about 1t, my
dear CASTOR! That fact is solemnly
set forth in due form on gray stone"
But the Rambler is under the ne
cessity Of writing one of these ram
bleG every week and he cannot afford
to let go of this subject until he has
written az much about 1t as the Sun
day editor or the readers will stand
for. Really 1t 10 an interesting sub
tect to anybody who Is interested In
whether a certain church was estab-
lished in 17l6 or 1850. but a discour-
aging ASdtVIc dUOul tNfS mater IL
that the people W no founded the church
were not especially interested in 1t, for
they seem to have left no record, and
their grandchildren left no record
and the result is that good many of
their great-grandchildren
are guessing as to when the church
was established. Honest. now, Mr.. and
Mrs Reader, 1t was once suggested to
the Rambler that he sign his real
name to these stories, but he hasn't
the heart to do II. Everybody would
know just whom to blame Not long ago
at meeting Of the Columbia Histori-
cal Society. Allen c. Clark, the pres
ident, In the course of one Of those
papers which have established his
reputation tine hisiorian-iaureat
Of Washington and it's suburbs. spoke
these kind words:
threecharnctfr sketeh--Darid Hurnes
Marcia and John p. Van Sess-has s.-i,,v
appeared in The Sunday Star Of r-cyut dat. n
h the product Of the Rambler The d.s,ts~,,.o
Ct the sketch ID only the distinction 10 al
the ramslfs shat ID. tisene 10 nauxh, raao-
bling about them. They oSAxistenfly Shex In
tenisent Investigation pnt on paper In u:axsn,
and ElAD rant nike.