Evening star., 1919-09-21

roads are country roads. for in the
city they are called streets even when
they are dusty or grassy and bordered
by wild shrubbery. So. there Is moth
ing unusual In the fact that . house
on hill caught the eye OF the Ram
bier as he walked along = country
road. for he walks along that kind OF
. road every Sunday. but he hit upon
that line Of writing as an easy way to
begin this narrative.
1t was . majestic house and 1t has
stood there more than twice as long
as the Oldest man who follows these
lines has lived, From it's hillsite 1t
looks out over vast stretches of green
land and woodland which formed the
estate Of which 1t was the mansion
and. for anything tho Rambler knows
to the contrary. 1T may have been the
manor house." The impression which
this old house made ON the Rambler
as he looked at 1t from the public
road was that It appeared somewhat
austere and formal But the Rambler
has seen other houses in Maryland
that were very old and dignified and
he has always found them kind and
hospitable when approached in the
way a gentleman should approach the
home Of generations of gentlemen.
Really, and you. my readers. know
this as well as do, nearly all the old
time Maryland houses which hold their
roofs SO high, look out through their
windows with such dignified express
sion and stand far back from the
main road as though to hold them
selves aloof from the vulgar world,
are very lovable old houses when you
come to know them. The Rambler has
come upon SO many Of these old
houses and has learned their ways SO
we'll that when he sets his camera up
before one he feels assurance that the
old house will not frown on him. 1t Is
often the new elegant house which the
Rambler fears to approach. Often the
people who dwell in those houses are
not to the manner born and cannot
draw that nice distinction (Which. can
didly. is q very difiicult thing) be-
tween ramblers and plain tranips.
When the Rambler sees mo tres
passing" sign on an old Maryland
place he trespasses, just the same. He
reasons that he was friend OF the
great at-grandfather and the great
grandmother Of the fellow who stuck
that sign up. and he feels that
Dent or Brent. Carroll, Middleton,
Chew. Magruder. Clagget, Blandford,
Posey, Camalier. Mudd. Snowden.
Contee, Warheld. Lysle. Duvall. Lusby
or the scion Of any Of the other old
Maryland families "das'nt" keep him
OF the place. II on one of these old
, Maryland places the Rambler comes
upon q black and tan fox hound.
. rabbit houn'. pointer or setter.
he simply begins to talk Prince
Georgeses and the dog wags his tail
and says, Come right in."
The old house on the hill looked as
though it would provide interesting
material for q ''ramble." 1t proved
to be house Of romantic and historic
associations. and was one Of tho home
seats of probably the largest land
holding family in the colony or the
state Of Maryland, and family which
had. what many Of us old-timers re-
gard as a greater distinction. 1t was
q family which stood as high as any
other family in Maryland or all the
colonies or all the states in the prac-
tice of the amenities and courtesies
and kindly things Of life and all
those traits or actions which old
fashioned people have in mind when
they speak Of good manners" good
breeding" and "aristocratic ways"
The people who lived in this old
house and in the other mansions or
manor houses Of this great estate,
though they measured their planta-
tions by square miles instead of
acres, could think in other terms
than land and tobacco. In this old
house were good, rare books in rare
and fragrant bindings. good pictures
By masters Of the brush and palette,
crystal ware, china with gold bands.
tapestries and things Of that sort as
fne as kings and queens could own.
and they used those things not be-
cause they wanted to show their
neighbors that they could AFFORD
them. but because for generations
they had been brought up that way
and liked to use them. Charming
people dwell In that old house today