ILLS OF PIONEER LIFE. 
71 
They were glad to see ns coming, not with the hatchet and sounds 
of war, but bringing with us the sweet fruits of peace and civil¬ 
ization. A long day was quickly passed — the first Fourth of 
July in Kansas celebrated by its white settlers. In the evening 
a party of about one hundred was gathered, to strengthen yet 
more the bonds of social feeling, in our largest hall, which serves 
the purpose of church, school-room, and hall for all political and 
social meetings. We had refreshments of cakes and ice-creams, 
and our house full, as usual, at night. 
5 th. — A little child is dead. The family took the small-pox 
while on the Missouri river, some two months since, and this child 
has never recovered from the effects of the disease. We carried 
a friend to her home on the prairie, and called for the minister to 
attend the funeral, leaving doctor asleep and alone. We heard 
at evening that Dr. Wood (who had previously attempted to cut 
down our house, and was afterwards appointed Probate Judge by 
the Shawnee Legislature — who was continually with the enemy at 
the time of the fall invasion, and in the crowd which attacked and 
killed Barber, and, since removing to Lecompton, procured the in¬ 
dictments for treason) was very angry about the oration on the 
fourth; also young Andrews, a South Carolinian, and liquor-sel¬ 
ler. They both threatened that they would take the doctor’s life; 
but a person in this country soon gets accustomed to such asser¬ 
tions. They mean nothing when uttered by these men, and only 
prove their utter cowardice. They reported that the doctor was 
afraid to go down town, while in the simplicity of his heart he had 
been taking a most quiet nap upon the lounge, with windows and 
doors open, and alone in the house, not awaking, from the time I 
left for a two miles’ drive, until my return. 
7 th. — With a carriage-load of ladies I drove on to Dr. B.’s, 
four miles away. The last part of the way was rough and hilly, 
reminding one more of Massachusetts hills than anything I had 
seen since coming to Kansas. For a mile we made a gradual 
ascent up hills, which look so wondrously New England like, that 
we forgot we were strangers there. From the house we took a 
tramp of half a mile down to the lake, and were well rej aid for 
all our labor and fatigue of descending and climbing hills by the 
