178 
KANSAS. 
again. 5 ’ He was hastening away, when I said to him, “You 
must let me know somehow what is doing.” 
“Yes, I will send you word, if I cannot come myself.” 
As through the still night-air these words were borne to me, the 
young, city-bred youth, whose heart beats warmly for freedom — 
freedom for all, was far down the lull-side. Home friends were 
continually writing him, “ Why don’t you leave that God-forsaken 
country, and come home?” With the earliest settlers he em¬ 
barked in the holy cause of saving Kansas to freedom, and with 
those principles deeply implanted in his nature, in the full vigor 
and strength of early manhood, with hope mounting high, he has 
buckled on the armor of a righteous self-defence, and with the 
watchword of victory he is ever ready for active service. I 
smile often at his enthusiasm of manner as he says, “ I used often 
to go to the theatre at home, life was so dull; but here we have 
a new scene in the drama every day.” I sympathize in the feel¬ 
ing, and have half a mind that all of us, living where we actually 
realize the truth, “Ye know’ not what a day may bring forth,” 
would find New England paths dull and tame. Like him, there 
are many other young men, who, with unchecked aspirations and 
unblasted hopes, have in the trials of the hour put on the sober¬ 
ness, the prudence of life at its noon. Side by side with furrowed 
brows, and dark locks silvered o’er by time’s fingers, they have 
prepared for the onset. Our people have grown strong in them¬ 
selves under difficulties. Young men of education and talent, who 
sought their home here, have put forth new powers. Stripped of 
all the artificial accompaniment of old towns, driven by the cir¬ 
cumstances of the times to exertions almost superhuman, the hap¬ 
py brightening up of unused faculties, and the quickening of 
relaxed energies, have followed; whereas, amid the hum-drum 
paths of the old homes, surrounded by their gloss, gilding, and 
effeminacy, they would have passed along life’s even w 7 ays, attain¬ 
ing only middling ranks in their professions. 
The women, too, of Kansas have shared in this quickening of 
the perceptive and reflective faculties — the effect of their sur¬ 
roundings. Some, who would have floated gayly down life’s smooth¬ 
er tides, amid the glitter, the false show of society, bound down 
