Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-27
LONG the Georgetown-R Rock
\ VILE pike. as along all other
old roads the Rambler knows

enough to be called landmarks"
They are interesting or uninterest-
ing, according to ones point of view.
The Rambler can usually find some
thing in each of these good gray
homes to interest him and he hopes
that he can sometimes communicate
that interest to the readers of these
humble annals. narratives. "rambles'
or whatever else you choose to call
them. The Rambler is not particular
as to what you call them, just 80 you
are not overheard by a cop or by an
agent OF the society for the preven-
ton of profanity. The main thing that
concerns the Rambler Is not what
you call them, but whether you read
them. One of the most beautiful wom-
en- In Montgomery county-and please
let the Rambler say, the most beau
tiful woman in Montgomery or any
other country-spoke to him last sun
day from the cushioned depths OF
luxurious car. She said. 1T must be
very agreeable to you to write these
sketches% That was. perhaps. de-
Hghtfully courteous way Of asking,
why in the world do you do it?'
The reason Is plain.
The Rambler does not write these
sketches to crafty any longing or
hope of fame. He does not write them
to satisfy any gnawing aspiration to
be a literary Teller. He writes them
to satisfy his appetite. A man must
eat, you know. That is. you ought to
H. a.
but not all men. must work Some are
wheelwrights or tinsmiths or black
smiths, and some are openly word
smiths. forging and hammering out
columns of words that other men
may while away an Idle hour {and
learn somethingA. on Sunday before
going dutifully to church or cheer
fully to golf. Who knows but that the
Rambler. after walking ten miles Cor
aess) In the shade and sun. and most
" ssn. would rather 60 to a poker
0ociabie or . jazz ball than Sit up
taft the night to write a narrative
ataEs this7 But the Rambler must not
STRAY too far from those houses on
the Rockville pike that are old
enough 70 be called landmarks"
About two miles north from Bethes-
"a village you pass on the left Bethes-
a. Presbyterian Church. There the
ROAD begins q gentle descent and,
crossing a small stream flowing into
Rock creek, climbs a long hill and
ho i0l.t ho
and grounds of Charles l. Corby. A
few rods beyond and on the right of
the road you may see a long, low
frame house with dorner windows. 1t
10 close to the roadside, but on a
slight and grassy elevation above the
roadbed. 1t rests in the deep shad-
ows of venerable locust trees that
grow in row across its front. That
house, like many other works of art,
does not look its age" 1t ts dis
guised. 1t has been made young
again. The beautifer, renovtor or
archaeological expert was carpen-
ter. He gave the house new and
fresh complexion of clapboards. OF
course 1t Is only veneer, but you
probably understand that old houses
are not singular and alone in putting
on veneer. That good old house start
ed out In life on the Rockville pike
~ log house. 1t lived as a log house
for a great many years. But styles in
houses change. and this old log house,
70 keep step with the procession, put
on . covering OF clapboards, or wealth
Urboards. Today it is a young looking
frame house, but its old skeleton is
bntit OF logs. That was the Turner
0aA house, and \ famous old PLACE
a3eng the pike when civil war armies
tanrcheA and countermarched and
stage and mail coaches rumbled along
che Slsny. hiliy road.
Tusasf Balls daughter. Mary Cath
srine. married Thomas H. Rabbit. and
easeir laughter. Mary Catherine Rat
lit, married Daniel Kraft. one of the
Uid mail carriers over the George
aown- Rockville Frederick pike. and
ahsy live In the ancient Turner Ball
house today. North q Few rods and
On q hillock on the left hand or west
side OF the road Is a frame house of
ordinary sise and appearance. as frame
houses go. and with heavy outside
brick chimneys at the south and north
a