Year: 1859

OUR FIRST VISIT TO OTTAWA CENTER.


Having occasion to transact some bu-
slness with our worthy Judge of Probate,
Hon. Augustus w. Taylor some ten days
since, we concluded 10 visit his residence
10y the way Of Ottawa Center.


we left Grand Haven on board tho
steamer A'eh,gon, Capt. Gano, and our
ms, successful experiment, after getting
under way, was converting Grand Riy-
er shinplaster into specie, by paving one
to th Captain and getting the change ont
OF him. Although il was rather trying 10
the Captain, it was useful experiment
as 1t determined the fact that specie can
be got for shinplasters.


We soon reached the landing at tho
Center, and hastily climbed "Zion's hill"
all Ottawa Center lay before us. The
sight is a fine one for town, and if we
had only had our friend Benz. Smith with
us, TO point out the lofty towers and sh-
ming battlements of the expected Court
House, aud the iron bound windows of
the future County Jail, we might have
realized all the beauties Of the prospect.
AS il was, we made hasty survey and
took up our line of march for Judge Tay-
lor's We readily found his residence,
neat white cottage on the Grand River
Road, just after leaving the pine lands
and entering upon the beech and maple
loam lands which constitute the best farm
ing lands in Crockery.


The Judge was unfortunately absent,
so leaving our errand with Mrs. t. and
taking a hasty survey Of the premises, we
returned TO the Center 10 take passage on
the Oiire Branch for Grand Haven
She was due at noon, but it was past 2
when she made her appearance. The
wind was quite fresh up the river, and
the Oiiue was about MS manageable in
getting off from landing as an old plow
horse with . country lad on his back at
a militia training. AT Barnards landing,
we backed around not much less than
dozen times, before getting pointed down
the river on our course.


Below Beckervile we landed man
with three or four bags of meal, and
Capt. Eastman, after he had stepped
ashore, threw him two three cent pieces
in change. One, he readily found, but
the other eluded his search. We were
here compelled to 90 through the same
gyrations, aud probably navigated around
and about not less than half an hour be-
fore getting away; as long rs We could
see our friend at the landing he was still
anxiously seeking his three cent piece.


1t made rather comical conjunction.
The Olive, sputtering about the river as
if spell bound, or crazy, and our solitary
friend on the shore now anxiously seeking,
now poking with stick, now digging out
muskrat holes, and finally, down on all
fours, cropping for his lost three cent
piece. A superstitious person might have
cast an evil eye upon the boat in revenge
for the loss Of his money.


But at length we succeeded in getting
away, and in course of time, Capt. East
man landed us at Grand Haven. The
fare on the boats is very low, and when
we entered the spacious saloon of tho
Olive, and saw the few passengers, we
concluded that the Editor who would ask
10 be dead headed on a Grand River
steamboat this spring, would be mean
enough 10 take pennies out of the poor
box at the church door, or steal a sick
nigger's last hoe cake. We hope the
boats will get business enough TO induce
them to keep running, as they are great
convenience to the people of the river
towns. Ottawa Register.


A CAT AT SEA.-Capt. Brown, Of the
brig Elmira, from Cuba, when twenty
four hours from Cardenas, about forty
miles southeast fthe Florida Capes, saw
something upon the water with an animal
upon it. He changed the course of his
vessel, and as he approached the object il
proved to be small bale Of goods with
a cat upon it. As the vessel passed, the
cat jumped into the water, swan TO the
vessel and was taken on board. Ii had
voracious appetite, which was quickly
satiated with salt junk. The cat was