Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07
THE RAMBLER JOURNEYS ALONG THE BROAD
AND CALM NEABSCO, A POTOMAC TRIBUTARY

. pillar world. Perhaps death came to
him on that old road while he was
thinking of the distinction he had at
tanned, of the wealth he had amassed.
of the good he had done to other
caterpillars and of the wide sphere
he filled in caterpillar society. Per-
hsps he felt that the land of cater
pillars would he sorely stricken and
that caterpillar society would almost
cease to function with his taking off.
leaves not far from where the Ram
bier sat and smoked a mass meeting
of caterpillars was in session. where
members of the tribe were speaking
the praises and telling the virtues
and merit and the charity of the
ton of all the evil deeds he may
have done to other caterpillars. Per-
haps they were subscribing large
sums in caterpillar money that there
should be built among the green moss
and dry leaves a memorial which
the caterplllar's estimate of time
might be thirty or sixty days.
The Rambler knocked the ashes
out Of his pipe and said almost aloud
Poor old caterpillar. The tragedy
Of thy taking OF is multiplied a mil
common to caterpillars. beetles. but
terfiies. June bugs and men. The
greatest men go the way you have
gone and leave no greater ripple in
the world of men than you have left
in the world of caterpillars! The
passing of a great man bears about
the same relation to the earth as
your passing does to the long and
lonely road on which you fell" AND:
saying. Farewell. poor caterpillar!
the Rambler lit his pipe, picked up
his camera. which seems to grow
l,ao
In proper time he left the region Of
creek and woods behind and came out
into the hard road. Turning to the
right, he came to place called the
convict camp. a place of no happy
recollections 1t was a camp where
lived a colony of state convicts who
had been employed in making that
hard road. No convicts are there now.
and the Rambler sends out the hope
that all those who were there are
free.
Near the road and within the con-
Wet camp is a gravestone that has
been there as long as the Oldest man
can remember, and there is little
doubt that it has been there nearly
two centuries and quarter IL Is d
feavy slab of sandstone about six rect
long At the top of it is a rude and
weathered carving of an angels head
and wings. 1t bears this inscription:
'Heare Ives We bodey of William r..
Herbs, who died May is. 1898, aged
65 yeares. BY birth a Britaine. GOOD
Soldier. good husband. kinde
Neighboure" All remembrance, and
all record that such a man lived
where this gravestone lies has passed
away.
Near this place the Rambler fell in
with Bud" Seager. who guided MN
through woods and pines. as a near
cut to the famous old Me-chant-Con-
rad-Dawson house of Round Top.
Living there today are b. D. Sullivan
and members Of his family. b. u.
Sullivan came from Fredericksburg.
His father. Joseph Sullivan, and his
livan. were Stafford county people
B. D. Sullivan married Miss Lillian
May Posey of Prince William,
daughter Of George William Posey
and his wife. who was born Nancy A.
Fox Near the house, which com
fnands splendid view is a 1amiIy
burying ground. in which the Rambler
jotted down these epitaphs
In memory Of our beloved mother. Mary f:
Merchant, who died November 30 1878. aged
Of OH the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty
seven years: and died in the full and certain
hope OF q blissfnl immortality.
January, Is. 1914: died April is. 1879: He
and, with n strong reliance on Christ. he left
this world Of sorrow for better and happier
home.
In memory Of william A. Merchant. who de-
parted this life March "A. 1879. aged twenty
one years.
chant, born August IL. 1873; died April g.
1879.
Sacred to the memory Of Catherine v. Ston-
nell, who departed this life November Z. $780,
aged forty years.
In memory Of Richard stonnell. jr.. Of
Prince William county: born November g.
1921 died February Z, 1887. A dutiful SON. de-
voted husband. affectionste father. true friend
and good citizen.