
          434.

It has been in one family since before the Revolution. The
wall at one end has sunk and immense cracks in one of the side <s>one</s> walls
extending through the entire height <s>was</s> has been the result.  The building
is now in charge of a German couple, who rent out a portion
to several clubs.  The woman was alone but she gladly
took us though the home and gave us what information she
could.  In front of the house was a beautiful holly tree,
fully 35 ft. in height; at the base the outstretching limbs made
a circle at least 20 ft. in diameter.  In form, it was cone-shape
most perfect in symmetry.  Each branch, from top to bottom, was
filled to its utmost with the beautiful scarlet fruit.  Never before
have I seen a tree of its kind so beautiful. Quite close to it
was <s>any</s> another tree of the same kind but it was not so full of fruit.
Our hostess who was helping us to a few branches, told Mr. W.
that the tree with little fruit was a male. "Dasg [Das] is ein Man"
she said. "Oh, yes." she [he] said, "there are male trees and this 
must be a male because it has so little fruit."  Not far from
the house was the family burying ground.  It was enclosed by a
low stone wall.  We opened the iron gate and went inside.
On one of the monuments was the following epitaph.
        