U. S. CAMP —DISPERSION OF THE LEGISLATURE. 307 
The other room was occupied by the owner of the place, a Penn¬ 
sylvanian and a free-state man; and for a week only had this 
cabin been rented to a pro-slavery family. Neither of these fam¬ 
ilies had been consulted in this arrangement of the camp ; but a 
brother of the pro-slavery man, living in Lecompton, had expressed 
his approval. When the pro-slavery man came home at night, he 
made loud threats of “ driving off the free-state man, and holding 
his claim.” 
Towards evening a padlock was tried upon the door, and at 
dark we were ordered to sleep in the log cabin, the family being 
driven from their home. It was the intention of Capt. W. to 
lock the door; but Messrs. J. and D. talked to him so rousingly, 
telling him, “if they were to be hung, he had better begin then, 
as it would be better than suffocation,” that he failed to carry 
his plans into execution. So seven men and two women had to 
stay in one little room without a window. The mattresses lay so 
close upon the floor that ours was slid partly under the bedstead, 
upon which Mrs. J. sat up to fan herself until near morning, when 
she retreated to the tents for a short nap. Had the want of air, 
and the oppression been less, sleep would have been prevented by 
the continual noise during the night. Fifteen “ law-and-order ” 
men, from Lecompton, came in at different times in the night to 
offer their services in case of a rescue; and that Capt. W. took 
them to his tent and “ treated ” them, has never been denied. 
All night “ Halt! ” “ Who goes there ? ” “A friend.” “ Ser¬ 
geant of the guard ! ” Advance ! ” resounded. 
July 3d. — Yesterday and to-day the heat has been oppressive. 
Some of the prisoners suggest that it. is greater on account of 
our proximity to Lecompton. They say “ they can smell the brim¬ 
stone and see the smoke.” A part of our things were not brought 
from the other camp, as promised, and, without any shade, we 
have to cook and eat, suffering much from the heat. If we did 
not laugh and make merry, the wrinkles in our faces would become 
indelibly fixed. While we, as all dwellers in Kansas, feel a terri¬ 
ble hatred to tyranny, which those living in quiet homes can never 
appreciate, we are still quick to catch the stray sunbeams on our 
pathway, and to our courage add cheerfulness. Judge S., with 
