The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-16
SOUTH
BRITAIN
BRIEFS
By BILL GARRIGUs

A sleepy farmstead where the
lights blink out before nine. Spirals
Of honest blue woodsmoke from old
ctimneys. A rushing river and tow
ering hills TO the westward. :. :.
that's Steve Rants Place on the
rowdy shepaugI Steve lives just over
the hill from Paradise, but O bit OF
Paradise slipped over the rim TO
become o. part 70 Steve's Place. II
anybody told Steve he lived In O re-
gion Of great beauty and romance,
he would scott OF the Idea, but he
doesl
Joe Rant came 10 the village the
other day, bringing news from the
shepaug side. Joe ambled In,
quiet. Like, and made O purchase
or two ut the Fost ONCE. We
talked 10 Joe and got the news.
Four OF Steve's children were vale
dictorians at Roxbury High school,
80 they recognize news when " hap.
pens. Joe Is strong for books and
keeps an open mind, but he cannot
quite understand why something
isn't done about the roads In the
Shepaug Valley. He says that even
the New Haven road fixed UP the
washoutS following the hurricane,
after folks from Washington, Litch-
field, and Roxbury went 10 the gov
eminent about II, and he says that
trains are running on the old road,
on time. II the railroad thinks
enough OF the shepaug country 10
run trains through II, the towns
should Ak up the roads and let out.
Siders drive through, too, Towns are
ready TO collect taxes, but they're
backward about the upkeep OF roads.
Joe says.
Steve had some bad luck with
cattle. First, o cOpperhesd bit one
Of the best cows and the creature
sweiIed UP, ran q fever, and almost
died. Steve used home cures and
the animal lived, but II was power.
full sick, for awhile. Then the herd
got drunk on apples. Cows dry up
when they've been on spree and
DtgVGB HUihD Nhu " BsoAb ShsvsAtD
wood 10 make q living. The wood
market isn't 30 good and II may be
o short Christmas down there by
the river, but Joe says the hunting
WAS fair and everybody got sort Of
fattened-up on game before the
cold weather came. The cellar II
full Of potatoes and cabbage, any
way. When winter shuts the She
paug country of from the rest Of
the world, perhaps Q deed will get
curious and furnish little venison
for the family, or maybe o city
man will buy some food from
Honest Joe Rant. Anyway, rs only
o little while until spring, and
trout run heavy In the ehepaug,
cowssiips come up through the
streamSide muck 70 furnish
greens, and the new calves can
usually be sold 10 o butcher. Sxve
Rants Place II next door to
Heaven, come spring.
Copperheads have caused no seri.
Gus trouble In the Pomerpaug Valley
for many years. When Deacon Bill
lived over In the brick house, before
they closed the road to Pootatuck.
Deacon Bills son got bit by 0
chunky copperhead adder and was O
mighty sick boy. The lad recovered
and became O businessman, but II "
hadn't been for copioty doses Of
good old cider brandy, that youngster
would have died. The Deacon always
claimed that II was the cider brandy
that made the boy sick, and not
the snake bite, but most people say
II was the snake.
Joe Evarts saw one rather feeble
ccpperhead on the equaw Rock
road, last summer. The snake was
20 old that II didn't even try 70
get away, % Joe dispatched II with
stone and made the squaw Rock
Country safe for pedestrians.
Only 0 few people remember the
Bull Moose Campaign In this valley
but II was lively while II lasted. That
year the progressiyes built o new
milk block. As long as II lasted, tina
block was known as The Bull Moosl
Milk Block, and II was the gather
ing-place and the altar for all poll.
ticians for miles around.