Evening star., 1919-02-16

427, 40 and S9S, and the elevation
hers r rse ysge no of ton Fa Is rosa ss2
which is esa feet. Yet at the juno
ton OF the old road and car line
you get the impression of being on
north the land slopes upward on the
right hand. This land in the fore
gound Is covered with dry tufted
grasses. gray and brown, and above
wind thousands Of tan wisps of
sedge whose summer green has been
blanched to bright gold by winter.
A faint trace Of road leads through
this sedge and disappears in the
trees, from eight to twelve feet high
and of wide and branching habit.
Their green is not vivid at this sea
son, but Is tinged with yellow. Far
taller. and little farther back they
grow SO close together that the trunks
are tall and thin, and only the tops
of the trees are green, because they
alone can warm and brighten them
selves in sunshine.
On the left hand is bare field,
which slopes gently upward to long
crest, and on the highest part of
that crest is huge heap of stones
which a man might take to be an old
fertihcation or an ancient burial
ground. A giant cedar dead and
PROSTATE, lies across this rock heap,
and three young dark cedars, chill
dren of the dead giant tree. are grow
ing there. The explanation of all this
is simple. One may see these rock
piles in the middle of fair and fertile
fields In many parts OF Maryland and
Virginia. Long ago, perhaps many
generations ago, men in clearing
these fields piled up the stones. And
then trees grew among them.
North along the nameless road the
Rambler walked. The rough way
climbs slight acclivity, goes over
the ridge and then begins long and
slow descent into moist timber land
through which a stream runs, its water
splashing and foaming among i'm
peding rocks. On the right this part
of the road is bordered by dim, thick
pines. On the left, between 1t and the
cleared land, is a tangled margin of
greenbriar and blackberry bushes, with
here and there the long rosy stems of
raspberry bushes. Out of this tangle
n few roadside trees stand up, first
tulip poplar, next a black walnut
and then an oak, as though they were
outposts of the woodland lying just
beyond.
From the road a lane leads to a
gray frame house on the left, and
which, from it's elevation, looks down
upon the road. The Rambler stopped
there. A cordial wood fire was burn
ing in the sitting room stove and the
place was pungent with the pleasant
odor of burning oak. The south VIM
dow Of the sitting room was as full
as 1t could be OF green plants, mostly
geranium cuttings, potted in cans and
other receptacles. There were other
touches Of home life which indicated
the presence Of a woman.
~
The man the Rambler met there was
Andrew Easton. who settled a few
years ago in this part of Montgomery
county. long covered by the farms of
the offutt, Bradley, Saunders and Bur-
riss families. He came from the
Gaithersburg neighborhood, his father
being John l.. Easton. John had
large family. His children were Mary
Elizabeth, who married Daniel Hazen
of Howard county; Martha, single,
lives at Lay Hill Marshall, who mar
ried Martha Johnson, and who live
near Redland, which used to be called
Shiloh; John, who is dead and sleeps
at Hollands Corner above Lay Hill,
ried Eliza Musgrove. daughter of
James l.. Musgrove of Virginia: Emily,
who married Louis Lisha, and who, a
widow. lives In washington: Harriet,
who married Charles Van Horne OF
Washington; James, who was twice
married, and lives at Lay Hill. and
Amanda, who Is dead. and rests in the
purying ground Of Lay Hill NJ. E.
In sight from the door Of the Eas-
ton homo lie big stone house not far
away. II is now the home of Lewis
Burriss and before he came TO live
there IL was the home OF George
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