The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-05
SOUTH
 BRITAIN BRIEFS
BY BILL GARRIGUs

Ine Grove FOultry EHrm IS bklS only place in the valley where fresh eggs can be purchased at this time. Something has happened to all the old hens, and the outlets are not ready to lay yet. Perhaps we had too many Thanksgivings, Lots of natives got all tangled up when folks came ili from New York and wanted to celebrate Q week ahead of time according to the national proclamation, others were confused by the proclamation broadcast by the Methodist Church setting Nov- smber 26th as the day we celebrate. Turkeys and chickens never did get the trio of feast days straight ened out, the nervious strain on the birds was terrific, and the egg pro- duction suffered accordingly. Almost everyb- y here managed to put of the big dinner until the 30th but the confusion took lot of edge of the observance.
 Miss Marian MacCartney has nailed up the front gate, wedged all windows tight, tucked away the house. plants, and closed her Main Street estate until next spring. If this exodus continues, Jos Evarts, Bill Schlieke, and the postmaster will be about the only people left in town.
 David J. Osbornes hired help have finally started to cut corn on the lot west of the Purchase Hill road. The crop is faded and badly bleached out, but 1t may make fair bedding.
 The weekend rains have swoll- en the POmpefaug and Housa tonic Rivers, although the spillway at Stevenson Dam Is still as dry as a Sunday School picnic. A New Yorker who recently setteled be- side the Pomeraug questioned the contractor when the water-pump motor was suspended from the cellar ceiling, above the flood line, but he saw the wisdom of this ex- pedience when the river rose today.
 Myron Pierce is under contract to teach Ernie Beardsley equitation. Ernie favors the long stirrup and centerfire rig, but Myron rides them with or without. Just as soon as Ernie becomes proficient, the boys plan trip into the foothills after wild calves.
 Cattlemen don't have things all their own way in this area. At the Grove Farm, Q herd of sheep and 8 flock of fancy cats share the spotlight with the bovine aristocrats in the vale.
 A boy Scout patrol hiked through the town on Sunday looking for Christmas trees, scanning the hill- sides for bittersweet berries, and keeping an alert eye on the traffic.
 Business could hardly be better hereabouts. Not since the Bund ran afoul of the law for perform ing secular labor on the Sabbath, have we seen so much activity on Sunday. The trapshop worked un-
 til four o'clock on rush orders. Rumors has 1t that the contractor was busy on the road from Flat Hill to Squeak Street, and several
 truckloads of materials roared through the village enroute to the new training school. We hope everybody got plenty of overtime and that ths business will hold up until after the turn of the year.
 Mudhole season approaches but the chances for profit hauling out the city motorists decreases with each extra mile of improved road built. Prices for hauling service vary with the location. Often, a city man pays five or ten dollars to be lowed to firm ground, but some- times a wise chap gets away with the payment of an unlucky two dollar bill and deck of cigarettes. There has been some talk Of form ing farmers association to regu- late prices and control competition. If this is accomplished, fees should be moderate in the early evening and higher after midnight. The most profitable mudhole is sup-