The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-10
LlTCHFIELD BEAUTY
Old Resident Describes the Un- usual Style of That Lovely
 Town.
TROUBLES oF- sHEPAuG
How the Lovely Valley Contributes Trlbulation to the Women of
 Htchfeld.

body knows the roads about Litch- field are models of curviinear and un- beauty, The spirit of beauty which fills Litchield fills the minds, hearts and charts of her early road masters. Utility was disregarded or sacrificed. But utility and beauty were so blendid and unified that art praised while industry rejoiced. There are hills about Lltchfield, hills of su- perb dimensions, which must be sur as you leave or approach. the delectable village; but the roads lead mp and over them with such gen tie and charming curves that the only sensation Is of yacht-riding over waves in mid-ocean; while from each eleva- ton new and more ravishing views of Litchfeld delight the eye. When the roads descend into the valleys, stray through secluded groves, curve about gentle plains. or follow the devious courses of runaway brooks. you are reminded of the New Haven green on May-day when the best and dearest of the citys fairest, with disheveled hair and floating garments, are led In mazes about the city's classic fountain by the choir prophets Of choragic danse
 People who have been privileged to build their homes along Litchfeld roadways seem to have been blessed to appreciate the variety of opportuni- ty offered Wherever a slight eleva- ton or a commanding turn, presented | site for a lordly villa, there stands lordly villa Wherever the road | winds away into seclusion there Is hidden the secluded cottage. On hill | top, where widespreading views are enjoyed, there edlfices tower in har- mony with the elevation On the low lands mansions are low and spread out | as they should he. Apparently from the beginning the spirit of landscape | architecture has been indigenous 10 Litchheld and to its suburbs. Alas and lack day. all this Is being ruined. What hard hearted malign. ugly spir- it of economic materlalism Is at the bottom of the present movement no- body knows; or If anybody knows, his lips are sealed by secret power. Litch- field Is invaded by hundreds of for do, with pickax. plough and shovel everything they can do to destroy the beauty of every approach to Litch- field They are not responsible. poor things; for to judge from their feat ures and their talk they come from a country where beauty is loved and honored. If they knew what they are about they would desert to a man. The parties higher up" are the par ties to be pilloried. How are they to be reached Ia the question, Every lit tie hillock of few feet in height Is being leveled and every cuuve of beauty. no matter how large Its di- ametar. Is being strengthened. without any attention to the levels of the foun- dations of houses. the extent of their lawns or the incline of their approach es. Every site for mile out West street has already been hurt, some IT, remediably damaged Mansions with stately lawns leading down to the roadway at just the right angle for the distance are finding brought up to their doorways embankments high enough and broad enough for steam railroads, or they may find that their only communication with the outside
 world is a deep and far away gully. West street with it's gentle undula- tions and its Hogarthian curves stretching out towards Bantam Lake
 was a joy to be pointed out to every new conner. Now West street is as straight as the tail of pointer dog and as graceless as rattan in the
 hands of an old, ugly and irate school
 marm. Just beyond where West
 street turns to the left and becomes q
 country road Is a bill, Not one of
 Litchfields large and majestic hills,
 but a small, cosey pretty, comfortable l hill; just the hill to attract people who
 like their houses a little up in the
 air It has attracted them; the hill is
 covered with their charming resi-
 dences. What will these earth-remod-
 elers do when. they get there? They
 are already very near All the forces
 in the state combined caprot reduce
 that simple little hill to level plain.
 With what scorn its maker and up-
 holder will survey their efforts. But
 they can deprive 1t if its beauty; they
 can destroy the approaches to It's
 houses. And this is what they will
 set about doing within week.
 If the state were sincerely concern
 ed in giving the outside world better approaches to Litchfeld there are
 many things that might be done.
 In the very first place the Consoli-
 dated should be forced to take the
 kinks out of the Shepaug road or to
 reduce the speed of trains to corre-
 spond to the kinks. There cant be an
 other road of its length in New Eng
 land that has so many and such sharp curves. The road was built years and
 years ago and was not intended for a
 speed of over twenty-five miles an
 hour The distance from Litchfield tc
 Hawleyville is thirty-two miles and a 5 quarter, The running time of the morn. ing express is one hour and seven min. l utes. As this time includes stops, the , speed Is over thirty miles an hour. As l a result you have to hold yourself fast , in your seat you have the unpleasant \ consciousness of travelling close to the ) danger limit and you are lucky not tc have forced upon you the spectacle oi i seasick, or hystercal, woman and chil. dren. Dear old Lltchfield ladies who are obliged to take the trip devote day, to prayer and fasting and. then prepare
 as for crossing the English channel
 The English travellers are better off
 for the channel Is often quiet; the She
 paug, never. Remonstrances and pray
 CTS are yearly offered to the shrine O.
 10 the shrines of Baal and Ashtaroth : If the doctrine of the courts of Mas
 sa nl1l Gnt1s nn1lld ta rnrnnd 1a1,ar. fnt