The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-01-04
SOUTH
BRITAIN
BRIEFS
BY BILL GARRlGUs

Harry Laughtenslager has re-
turned to Vermont to be on hand
for the maple sugar season.
Alcng The lower reaches Of
Battle Axe Brook and on the
plain at tho foot Of Squaw Rock,
agriculture IL still managed In the
good old way. Farmers there be-
lieve that corn should be left out
until Indian Summer weather
hardens the grain. The Lone Ran.
ger completed his harvest just
ahead Of our first heavy snow
storm.
Wayne Tarbox has recently re-
turned from q skiing trip In New
Hampshire. With ski slopes ga
lore In this area, II seems shame
to waste the gas 10 motor to the
Granite State.
John Schelke Of Little York, ~
reported considering o contract
for o Job as an electric razor
demonstration. Men always grew
tough boards Ut Little York and
Johns h especially rugged.
A New Yorker on lower Main
street, Is experimenting with o
three wheeled automobile. Per
haps he heard about the thrifty
Yankee who took the light out his
electric refrigerator to save cur
rent.
Somebody In Lltchileld has
written o book about tobacco.
Once upon o time, almost every
body In South Britain, from
Magic Water Road 10 the fields
ON Transylvanla Flats raised the
weed. A church deacon once
dumped his entire crop Into the
Pomperaug during On unguarded
moment OF intense religion but
most people kept these for home
use or sold II to the buyers from
New Milford. Before II burned,
the tobacco shop here was the
busiest place In the village. EN-.
ploying 20 hands during sorting
season. South Britain tobacco
was fragrant and wholesome. II
made men forget their troubles
and kept the moths under CON.
troll.
Another exotic industry In the
valley OF the Pomperaug was the
breeding OF silk worms. People
planted mulberry trees, clipped
the leaves and fed them TO the
worms, the worms became over
weight, rolled themselves UP In
coccoons TO hibernate, and the
growers unwound the coccoons
and spun thread. The ladies OF
yesteryear never had rayon stock
ings or underwear, but the very
wealthy folks sometimes wore pure
silk, Connecticut-grown and spun
The recent big FIRE In the grain
store ut SouthfOrd recalls other
fires In this community. One fire
was repeatedly the outcome Of o
quarrel over local option. South.
bury had q licensed tavern or twOj
south Britain had none. Heated
debate ut every town meeting
raised the ire Of certain factions
and developed such friction that
o fire was set and o building In
Britain destroyed.
One local man, repeatedly aware
OF the danger Of strong drink, was
seen sampiing O batch Of Clee
Wildman'S cider brandy. Folks
protested. One pacifier called on
o friend Of the drinker, saying,
Jack shouldn't be tryin' 10 use
strong drink. He ain't strong
enough" The happy lads pal re-
piled, II know, but Jacks got o
right 10 test his strength and md
out for himself. That was the
way with the old settlers. Always
liberal, always ready 70 give O
fellow O break, for O price.
Some years back, when the
Ladies' Aid discovered that their
secrets were drifting around the
village ssid being discussed by
male folks, they rot . trap for o
LEGAL gentleman. Every time the
club met, this chap would ease
around 20 the hatchway door ana
tiptoe into the cellar where he
could hear ali the gossip. That
was before the days Of double
flooring and controlled acoustics.
The club women took steps, made
that mans wife premise 10 quit
5aklag apple. pies for . month.
The listener had married the best
apple pie maker I'm the township,
20 II wasn't long before he came
In under q flag 0f truce and
agreed 10 disclose no more secrets.
As one local character puts II.
THE more . see Of men, the more