Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-07
(ROM the old Georgetown road
Cedar lane strikes of to the
west and leads through q fair


leaves the old Georgetown road Is an
old fashioned wooden gate which
guards the entrance to the trace of
q road which winds through q large
tract of heavy woodland. Inside the
gate 10 . sign which forbids trespass
under pains and penalty OF the law,
and all that. As the Rambler recalls
It, tho sign Is nailed to an oak tree,
but the species Of tree bearing the
Sign To not a matter that Is essential
to the progress of this story. though
the Rambler usually insists on mem
tioning the kind of trees he sees on
his walks. for in his vanity he likes
to assure his readers that he knows
the difference between pine and
an oak He finds that this is an
amount OF knowledge In natural his
tory, or country life, or dendrology
which many city people have not ac-
quired.
Crawling through the Stats of the
old gate and giving merely glance
at the sign that trespass would be
harshly dealth with, etc. he passed
on. He knew that such signs are post
ed not as q warning to earnest ana
resolute ramblers. but as warning to
dissolute and irresponsible knaves
who commit waste, start fires, XIII or
disturb birds and otherwise conduct
themselves In an unseemly manner.
At the east edge of the woods the
road came to an end and field of
wide extent grown with tall, thick
corn impeded progress, but way,
partly through the corn and partly
around 1t, was found, though the walk
ing was difficult though interesting
by tangles of smartweed or persicaria,
morning glory vines, bind weed,
blackberry bushes, tall cowtail weeds
and other rank, wild things that
hang on the edges of cultivated fields
and invade them unless the farmer in
patient, persistent and skillful.
After passing the cornfield another
stretch of woodland was encountered,
and from q bit of rising ground the
Rockville pike to the east was WISH
BILE. A lane leading south was fol-
lowed. and at the end OF 1t the
Rambler came to fine. big brick
house In q glorious grove of trees.
That house faces the Rockville pike,
which h about 200 yards to the east,
and from the pike to the house is a
curving lane bordered by old and
majestic naples. The house Is about
three-quarters OF mile north of
Edgemoor, and the proper way to
reach 1t 10 to travel along the Rock
vile pike and turn into the maple
lane when you see the big red brick
house of to the left. or the west.
The view from this house commands
wide area OF green, rolling, peace
ful country, a section which was
taken up by American pioneers in
the latter part of the seventeenth
and the early part of the eighteenth
century under patents from the
proprietary government of Maryland
and on which within a generation
many thousands Of Washington's
beautiful suburban homes have been
set up.
The brick house in the grove now
bears the name Winona. The land
has been in the Peter family since
about 1850. but the brick house dates
only from 1880. when It was built by
DR.. Armistead Peter OF Georgetown
as q summer home for himself and his
family. These Peter lands were pat
ented as "Clagett's Purchase" and
Robert Peter. the first OF that an
Gent and honorable Scotch family to
come to the American colonies,
bought It from Walter Clagett early
In the latter half Of the eighteenth
century. Robert Peter left the land
to his daughter Margaret Dick. 1t
descended to her son. Robert Dick,
who. having no issue. bequeathed II
to James F. Peter. George Peter and
Armistead Peter. sons Of Maj. George.
Peter, q son OF Robert Peter. The
tract, which the Rambler believes to
have been something over 500 acres,
wss partftioned in 1873 between
Armfstead Peter and his wife, Martha
Custis Peter OF Georgetown, James r.
Peter and his wife. Mary Peter of Erie
county. N. Y. and George Peter and
his wife. Elisa L. Peter of Montgom-
cry county. Boon after the partition
Dr. Armistead Peter bought the share
Of his brother james.
In getting together the data for
this narrative the Rambler turuef1 .,