Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-12

your interest il the subject is sui
ficiently active.
A few days ago the Rambler re-
ceived this letter:
The Rambler. The Washington Star.
Dear Sir: l am always interested in your
articles especially the ones about lower Fair.
fax county. There are some questions l would
like to ask you about some parts OF upper
last article was especially interesting. rs the
subject was near my birthplace. The corduroy
road was not part OF the kings highway pu,
4 very old road used by many generations and
mile southwest Of that point.
The house on the right just before You came
to that road was where l was born and where
my father and mother still live. one already
eighty four years old and the other will be
eighty four in n few weeks. They have lived
there continuously for more than ffty-fve
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
My mothers birthplace was little further on
to the left I believe she is the Oldest resident
in that neighbothood, and she says that the
kings highway passed in front of Lewis Chapel
and then turned sharply to the left and went
in a southerly direction for one mile to a cross
roads called "NegrO-Hea There it turned
to the right and went in a westerly direction
to Colchester. That last piece is abandoned
for about one mile. The present road runs di-
rect west from Lewis Chapel. connecting with
the old road about mile from that point.
There is a tradition about how 'Negro:Head''
got its name, the report going that one Of the
Mas0ns Of Virginia was killed by his slaves.
and as warning to others they were beheaded
and their heads placed on posts at the cross
roads. There Is a sunken place at this point
which is supposed to be the old posthole and
in which a large stone is always found. Per
sons passing frequently remove the stone. but
on their return another stone is in its place.
The building the right. just after passing
the corduroy road is the site of the original
my grandfather 1.-THE whose gravestone
you mentioned in last Sundays ramble.) He
established business at this place more than
home town in England. Lorton, Cumberland
county. Here the post Office Of Lorton valley
was established and where he. his son and
years. his grandsos, / believe having TT. the
honor Of being the youngest person to be ap-
pointed a postmaster. being only eighteen at
the time.
Hoping you will write more of this neigh
borhood. l am, very truly yours.
JAMES PLASkETT. 1922 9th st. NV
Last Sunday the Rambler left the
station of Lorton. crossed the wooden
bridge which spans. the deep cut
through which the railroad runs,
turned upgrade to the right. swung
to the left, and came opposite an old
and honey" frame house off to the
right. deep-set in a big garden framed
in fields of thriving corn. A long
fence separating the road and the
garden was covered with grapevines
clusters. A tall hedge of lilac bushes
guarded the lane that leads from the
road to the house. There were also
masses of golden-glow which is
form of the species we call tall cone
flower" but which the botanists call
Rudbeckia laciniata; that is. golden
glow is double flower, the incon-
spicuous disc flowers having assumed
the form of rays. 1t also grows in a
great many Washington gardens.
Rudbeckia was named in honor of
Rrofs. Rudbeck. father and son. pre-
&bcessors Of Linnaeus at Upsal.
'Taciniata" means 'laciniate" and
that means "slashed," the leaves being
cut into slender-pointed segments.
To those of you who have forgotten
your Latin the Rambler reminds you
that 'lacinia" was flap" or some
part of a piece. The old garden does
not depend for all it's color on golden
glow. for zinnias. named in honor of
j. G. linn, and dahlias named after
Dahl, the Swedish botanist, lend them
selves to the color scheme.
On the broad. cool porch of the
old house where the Rambler set
down his pack man and woman sat