WAKARUSA WAR — INCIDENTS. 
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While we were at dinner, two other men, evidently in authority, 
rode out on the point of the hill, to take a survey of the town. 
They rode very slowly past the house, examining the whole prem¬ 
ises, and looking backwards, until they reached the summit of the 
hill beyond. It looked like a silent threat, coming at the hour, 
too, when they supposed we would have company to dine, and the 
leaders of the defence. 
Just before noon one of the “ staff’ 5 (just appointed) came up, 
and, upon my opening the door, he said, “ Good-morning, Mrs. R.; 
the doctor sent me after his horse; ” and, as he vaulted into his sad¬ 
dle, with a ringing laugh he said, “ Excuse me, Mrs. It., I meant 
the general.” 
So I suppose that the quiet doctor, who has always been re¬ 
marked for the meekness of his bearing, is metamorphosed into a 
general. He was appointed last evening. To the never-failing 
question, “ Is there anything new ? ” he tells me, “ The men are 
anxious to form companies of riflemen, and go down to Franklin;” 
that “ with one round the Missourians would fly like frightened 
hares.” “ The people are getting impatient, and nothing but giv¬ 
ing up their position, of acting strictly upon the defensive, keeps 
them from driving them out of the borders.” 
Soldiers are on drill all the afternoon. A cavalry company is 
also formed. There are about four hundred armed men in Law¬ 
rence now, and if there is a fight there will be terrible slaughter 
among the Missourians. This they know, and they are still waiting 
for reinforcements. What an unheard of sheriff’s posse this will 
be! The companies have been firing at a mark set on the hill 
near us, and the rifle-balls went far beyond. 
5th. — More than a week has passed since an attack was threat¬ 
ened, and not one blow has been struck yet. I was awakened 
early this morning — about four o’clock — by a loud knocking at 
the door. It was quickly opened. Mr. P. and our Scotch friend — 
whose name has also the same initial letter — have had narrow es¬ 
capes from the enemy, and an escape less fearful from a grave in 
the Kansas. They were dripping wet, and so chilled with the water 
and the keen air, that the stove heat did little good, and they 
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