The Newtown bee., 1892-03-25
MONROE.

MONROE.
 An agent travelling in the State of New York met one of tine miners who have been working in the bismuth mine here, who showed him magnificent amethyst, six inches long and as large as mans thumb, which he found in the mine. The miner also said the bismuth found was very fine and he thought that the mine would yield we'll.
 Miss Julia Hurd visits B. $. Hurd.
 In the Congregational church, next Sunday, Sunday school at II 45 and preaching at l o'clock. In the evening at z 30, a praise service, at which MT Lathrop will commence series of talks on the parables. At the afternoon ser vice, collection will be taken to procure Easter music.
 k. Lloyd Goldsborough of Bridgeport spent Sunday with his parents.
 Miss Matte c. Hurd is home from New York and reports an enjoyable time.
 Fred l.. Sears entertained 8 man from Ohio, who is grating in the neighbor- hood. He requires no pay until the gratis are in growing condition.
 The choir of the Congregational church expect, with other talent, to give an Easter concert on the evening of Easter Sunday. At the afternoon service, they also promise some fine singing and ser mon appropriate to the occasion will be given by MT Lathrop.
 Miss Edith F. Wheeler is in Tashua.
 Monroe is country town situated about II miles directly north of Bridge port. It is mostly on high ground and contains as good grazing ground as can be found in the county. The principal places of importance are Monroe Center, containing the Episcopal and the Congre- gational churches, East Village, with one Methodist church and Stepney, contain ing two churches, the Baptist and the Methodist. It boasts of one railroad, the Housatonic, with d station at Lower Stepney. The depot building also con- tains grocery store and post office and, like any country store, is well filled with story tellers and tobacco smoke, especial ly on rainy Summer days and Winter evenings. There used to be at this place d carriage factory and blacksmith shop kept by one Turner, but the larger towns and cities drew the business slowly to themselves and so the small trade fell to smaller account and finally to oblivion.
 At Upper Stepney, at one time, was started quite a boot and shoe trade, but that also succumbed to the onward march of progress in invention and soon died, leaving a monument in the old building which was used as grocery store till it was burned about 10 years ago. It was soon rebuilt and another grocery store started. which still continues the only one in the place.
 Monroe Center is about the size of Stepney and, besides the churches, con- tains one general store and d school house. upon whose doors are scratched and marked mute tales of 30 years of pll- grimage in barbarous, though "poWer- ful." nation, of boarding round and the early days in which it fiourished. The store, as in Stepney, contains the post office from which the mails are carried to Stepney and return thrice weekly, the postmaster being paid from the proceeds from the sale of stamps.
 East Village is situated about two miles and half northeast of Monroe Center There is no regularly establish ed post office, the mail being brought from Monroe Center by whoever happens to go there and taken by the inhabitants from the store counter, where they are piled, thus giving them the privilege of helping themselves and perhaps carrying that of the next door neighbor.
 The town records are, of course, kept by the town clerk, whose office is at his residence, wherever that may be. Here the records are stored during the term of office: at the expiration of which, they again change hands and hand writing.
 There are other places of minor iuter- est to all but the residents themselves Among them are Barn Hill, Bagburn Hill, Webb, Fools Hatch, Jockey Hoi- low, Fan Hill, Pepper Street, Tashua Elm Street, Cutters Farm, Hammertown and Carcass Lane, each named from some characteristic or reminiscence and each having it's local celebrity in the shape o1
 h, nurinsify h0nt which stories are stored up and told al Winter bees or Summer picnics.-L Writ ten several years ago by boy b years old.
 EAST VILLAGE.