The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-13
Bcemus Visits and Docs" Serena, sc.

Beemus Visits and Docs" Serena, sc.
On Wednesday last, arining ourself with deadly
weapons note book and pencil we boarded n
freight train on the Fox river road, determined
to swoop down upon the placid village of Serena.
We took with Us 4 grand piano from the Acadc-
my of Music 20 deliver to Mr.. Sed. Hupp, proper
~ labeled, while We were marked hogs
properly labeled, too as the atiab!e agent seemed
to think rs he handed Us back our change and
the ticket which we had purcAased for alas.
since farmers oranges have become excited, our
free pass has ceased to work
In the raboose of the train, the 1870 up
freight we found bible, book which we had
frequently heard spoken Of, and began to read it,
and the subject being new to US was quite inter
estin". In this car were u number Of ladies and
gentlemen from Ottawa, going to Millbrook to
witness wedding. Among those whom we
knew OF this party were Mr.. and Mrs. Howard,
OF the Clifton, Mr.. and Mrs. Phelps, Mr., Law.
renee, Of Ophir and ladies, W. II. Carey, stag"
N. B-Stag is Kamshatkian for old bachelor, y
besides some ladies and gentlemen whom We did
not know, and who doubtless are duly proud Of
the fact. The party to be married were Mr.,
Frank Weaver and Miss Flora lIallcck.
We obtained q promise from Mr.. Howard to
bring us a quarter section or so of wedding cake
or a" hunk" or morscl of it. He said he would,
and We believed him. We had no doubt of his
doing II we made note of it thusly: Don't
forget TO eat wedding cake this cvcning-How.
ard Is to bring it, Evening came and the we'd
ding party returned, and so did that proprietor
Of the Clifton. Shall We call him gormandizing
enicurcan aristocrat-aS il wcre2 We are out Of
words to express our ind'ehAiiou. We asked
for that cake and he merely smiled and then
shrugged his shoulders, and then scratched his
ear, and then looked guilty. You may remember
how your tahby cat looked as she came licking
her ctcps and tanning herself with her taIl and
smiling as only a cat can smile, from the empty
bird cage on the table, where only moment or
50 ago your little "Dicky' was piping his
sweetest notes and hopping in ecstacy from
perch to perch in his little prison in the bright
sunshine. This man looked like the cat we have
described. He had gnawed up our cake. We
turned away from him in lofty scorn.
SERENA.
About twelve miles from Ottawa, on the west
side of Fox river, is the thriving village Of Scrc-
ma. Whether named in honor Of the heather
goddess Serena, or the moon, which the word
originally meant. or because Of everything about
that section being generally Scrcae, or because
the proprietor of the ground could think Of no
other name We know not, save that Serena is 4
pretty name, and that the town is on level piece
Of territory, and in the midst of a most beautiful
and extremely rich farming region
The town is not quite three wears old, the place
whcreon it stands having as recently as that been
a bowling wilderness" SO 10 speak; that is, there,
was but one house there, and, as the Irishman
would gay, that was barn. Woods, corn and
vegetables grew all around formiles; these made
the wilderness, and the bowling was done by
farmers dogs in theneig observation-disclosures "howl-
ing wilderness is correct. Now the town is not
w!lderness-it is settled up considerably There
are % houses, great and small, in the city and
its business is considerable. More grain has
been shipped rom this point than from any
other point along the C., L. ~ q. road during the
present season. Ihc principal grain buyers are
y. T. Armstrong and Mr.. lloag. :. W. IIupp
buys pork and sells coal, and is widc.awakc,
up and doing business man. The principal store
is thatOr
Wa>ON & ~,uLANPu-,u.
Til, T., the very heart Of The city. Here the
city council the town supervisor, the commits
sioucr- Of highways. the school trustees and
every one Of dignity and consequence come to
meet one another and d. business. Here all the
news THAT amy one can hear oi Is to be found. 1t
is a good store, to9 none better. Ottawa would
have hard work to show larger or better stock
Of anything, whether it me drcs, goods dry
goods groceries, crorkcry, boots, shoes or cloth
ing. The stock Of the latter i, particularly large
and we were surprised 20 find that these goods
are sold at as near first cost a., any merchant at
Ottawa dare attempt and hope TO keep his head
aboy, watcr-tinancially speaking.
We lind in Serena three general stores, one
drug store two biacksmiths, three doctors, Of
whom Dr. Brown is the leading Esau,apiap. lie
is a good physician and has the confidence Of the
community, and We respect him, no;with-tmd-
Ing the fact that he is cold toward u,, for In our
stupid, laundering way hayn- mistaken his
office for butcher shop. We rutraot, Doctor!
But there is butcher shop in town, though not
run by Brown; also billiard halt run on TEN.
perancc principles; a shoemaker shop; lumber
yard, of which A. T. Armstrong !. proprietor, as
he is Also Of planning mill, turning lathe, a
feed grinder, hay press, some houses and lots
as he OWNS the town plat and contiguous terri
tory round about lIis mill is contradictions
Quoted is polite for ruby steam engine.
Screna's postmaster is Mr.. r. Poolor. Tho city
has debating society, ayiSorous gossip society: