Year: 1871

ago. All the people look just as they did then. The houses, yards and fences, for a wonder re- main precisely the same. The little church on the hill, the long line of sheds and the school house, have not altered in the least. sThe brick cnurch n the village remains without fence, and the tower, slender iron rod coming out of it. still has wonderful leanings westward. Will not some enterprising churchman have mercy upon the travelling public and straighten up that crook ed wire? The Stage for New Milford continues it's regular 10 A. M. trip and back at 8 F. M. My old friend George handles the ribbons yet with the same careful hand. and is just as ready for joke now as one year ago. The meadows are as beau t1ui, and mountains enyroning the two villages are just as grand and imposing, and continue to delight my vsioI as of old The little mill stream nows on, and it's busy waters turn wheel here and wheel there with the same regularity, and am sorry to notice, without any visible increase of business.

 o, what solemn stiffness rests upon every thing, visible and invisible, in this charming val ley. Not particle of noise is heard in any di- rection, unless it may be the cheerful lowing of some kindly COW, or the squeeling of some poor, imprisoned pig. To relieve this insufferable still ness we close the book we are reading, 'sA Terri ble Temptation" ensconce ourselves in the easy chair, and watch with eager interest the passing and requesting of wagons to and from New Mil ford. and, what is specially noticeable and very exciting, the dashing teams which frequently pass our door on the way to the lake to enjoy the pleas ure of picnicing and fishing. Tongue cannot ex- press the height or the depth of this quiet, and the pen has no capacity to set down half, or in- deed any part of, the stiffness that reigns supreme here We are deprived of the pleasure ofhearing the many voices of children. Where are the children? Some thirty years ago they roamed in droVes over your hills and mountains swan your streams in happy couples, and filled yonr school houses. o, you cowardly 'sWaramaugers, where are the dear little boys and girls? It is so still here that the growing of chanticleer, the bark ing of a miserable dog, or the squalling of cat, even is downright music. This everlasting quiet makes my! very bones numb, and paralyzes my mind. If some poor. suffering dyspeptic is long ing for place to eat his dinner in quiet, invite him to visit Marbledale. If some nervous indi- yidual has been roaming OCT the wide world in quest of place where his nerves can find rest and quiet-perfect quiet, ,-I bid him come at once to Marbledale, and find more than he can ask or ex- pect. The busy world needs just such place as this: it is splendid place for the aged to rock themselves to sleep in their declining years. and be gathered at last to their fathers. thank heav- en there is such place this, and would not al. ter it one Slot or tittle.'' ...

 ... BUSINESS tO

 This locality, as you preceive, is not celebrated as place of much busin ess activity, and yet the facilities for large manufacturing operations are at hand, and only need capital and enterprise to deyelope 8 first class manufacturing town. The water power is superior, in fact almost unsurpass ed in all this region. The stream has it's origin from the lake, and am told the supply is always ample. Even last season, the dryest of many years, there was an abundance all summer. The question in my mind is, why has not this splendid power been used more extensively, the past twen- ty years? cannot think of but one real, live es- tablishment in circuit of two miles, and that is Mir. Smiths cotton factory. A quiet mill grinds away as usual to be sure, and is always useful in a community, but quiet mills never build up any place, for two men will do all the work. All the other mills on the stream are stone or marble mills, and believe they generally run themselves. It is surprising that capital has never Spotted" this locality.

 The people here are little stirred up on the subject of Railroads, and since their disappoint- ment in the lay out of the ''shepaug" are waking up to new and independent route to New Mill ford. This railroad is really needed, and when completed would undoubtedly very soon be pay ing stock Congressman 'Barnum," the presi- dent of the ''Housatonic," has been over the pro- posed route quite recently, and thinks there are no serious obstacles in the way of it's early com pletion. He furthermore afirms that he knows no good reason why the Housatonic road should not lend 8 helping hand in the enterprise, and hints quite audibly that he will use his influence with the Housatonic directors to bring this aid about. Such talk as this along the route en- courages the people to expect something liberal ffom the Housatonic company. h. deed it would be nothing out of their pockets in the end, as they would be fully identified from the receipts in running the road for five years. It It seems to me after careful, though not criti- cal examination of the route that the amount of money to build it can easily be raised, if the right sort of men along the line will give it their undi- vided attention. It strikes me that large and spirited public meeting to be addressed by several stirring speakers, would arouse the people some- what-at all events this plan would inspire the lukewarm and add a little more zeal to the al- ready jealous. have now in my mind several strong and influential men who could work won- ders in the prosecution of this enterprise if they can be induced to take hold of it with determi- nation to conquer or die. I trust the 'Wara- maugers'' will wake up in this matter, and never sleep until they can step on board of the train bound for New Milford. The town of Washington should, and doubt not will, make liberal ap- propriation, It was done for the ''Shepaug" and why not for this equally necessary road? Let this public meeting are called at once. It can do no harm to get an expression of feeling on the sub ject and then thoroughly canvass the town. A word to the wise is sufficient. e

 THE LAKE.

 The rain yesterday cheated me out of my an- nual sspicnic" and fishing excursion. This re- gretted, as the gathering was to have been quite large, and could have taken by the hand many that cannot see at any other time. rode around the Lake, however, just at evening the day before, and was, as usual, delighted beyond expression. All the houses in the immediate vicinity of the Lake are crowded with New York Summer board