The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-10
Kansas.

we are often amused at the Writings oi
some of those adventurous spirits, pub
llshed in the eastern papers, who thought
nc pretty thing to leave their homes in
the eastern States, and come out to Kan.
sas. The inlaginations of such persons
were excited with strange ideas of new
country. They come, and if their cour-
age holds out until they reach this city,
(as it is well known many persons left
the party they were connected with, on
| their way out, and took a journey back
! TO the place from whence they came,
without ever having seen this Territory,
they begin TO make complaints, denounc-
ing in unmeasured terms the agents OF
the Emigrant Aid Company, and every
one else that had ever represented this
country in a favorable light, and given
encouragement to the people in the
eastern States to emigrate to Kansas
They make wry faces as they sit down to
the tables of the settlers and partake OF
good. substantial food-perhaps hard
bread and nolasses rather coarse fare,
to be sure, but it is the best We can
get at times, and every sensible person is
satisfied with it; and then to be compel
led to spread their blankets uponthe hard
ground, and lie upon them to get little
sleep, is too much for delicate persons to
endure. Resolving at once not to suffer
such inconvenience, they turn about with
countenances manifesting both sorrow
and anger, for home. When they get
back, their friends laugh at them and
they must denounce the country and
everything else connected with Kansas,
as an excuse for their speedy return. A
soiourn of few hours enables them to
write all about the Territory. They
pretend to know how much the settlers
will suffer from cold, how long it will be
before farms can be put under cultiva-
ton, how many will have the fever and
ague, and how many will die before COM
Portable houses can be erected, DC
They philosophise upon the folly of en-
deavoring to make Kansas the garden of
the world, and the foolishness of those
persons who appear perfectly satisfied
with the count Y, and represent it in a
favorable light and SO it, goes. A great
many conflicting opinions are given about
the Territory of Kansas and its future
prospects. Hardly two persons who have
returned to the East, and written for the
papers, agree in their statements about
the people here, the accommodations, &c.
We do not wish to impress upon the
mind of any person who has never been
west, and made settlement In new
country, that life on the prairie is any
better than it really is. We wish all to
understand that accommodations here
are different from those in New England.
No splendid mansions have been built
vet; no houses of brick and very few
ofwood or stone more than one story high,
and with more than two rooms, and those
| rather small. Housewives in New Eng
land would consider it almost an impos-
sibility for them to do their work and live
in such small apartments as people do
here in Lawrence but when they get
out on to these prairies, with no lumber
with which to build large houses, they
must content themselves with cabins o.
diminutive size, with no floors exceni
the earth, and into these put their furni.
ture and families, whether large or small
and make the best of it until they can dc
better. 1t is astonishing to see how well
people can get along with small house,
and very large family to put into it, il
circumstances compel them to do so.-
We will enter, if you please, Mr.. Editor,
a log cabin not .fue miles from your Office
AS we approach it, We see some half a
dozen children running about the house,
with dirty faces and tattered clothing
and as we draw near, they suddenly stop,
and look at us, surprised to see two
strangers coming towards them, and run
into the house. We cross the lawn and
stand before the door. The good woman
asks us very politely to walk in and find
a seat. We enter, and take a seat upon
the bed. A lot of children are playing
upon the ground with, perhaps, two OF
three dogs. The good woman is stand
ing over the fireplace boiling some din
ner. The room is fourteen feet long by
twelve feet wide; two beds occupy one
end of the cabin, or one third ofthe room
and under the beds several boxes, barrels,
and cooking utensils are seen. Perhaps
rough table will adorn the apartment,
on one side of the fireplace a few empty
boxes for seats; one corner is used for
wood small space before the fire fol
the cook; and the remainder Of the room
is occupied by the children. We will
count them: one, two, three, and SO on
we count ten little heads, and three dogs,
playing, quarreling, and crying, all al
one time. The mother trys to be socia-
bic, and she talks to us little. We CAM
expect her to talk much, for she has
more than she can do to keep the chill
dren from making too much noise. The
inside of the cabin is well blackened with
smoke; no window the light comes il
at the door. You doubtless wonder
where so many persons can be put a
night for sleep. The bed is wide, and
perhaps six in a bed is the usual rate o.
stowage AS we sit there looking at the
/ little ones, the lord of the mansion comes
in, sociably asking several questions
about the weather; and, after talking
awhile, he takes down black pipe, and
very deliberately commences smoking
The tobacco smoke is disagreeable, and
we conclude to leave and taking oul
hats, and promising to call again, We
leave the habitation of the settler and hi.
family, with the impression that happi
ness is the lot of all, whether living il
palaces or novels.
In this city there are few house.
built of sods and sticks, which are tht
warmest places We can find on cold
windy day. The mode of building
these sod cabins is very simple and cheap
First select a spot where good sod car
be obtained easily; then with an ak Gu
the turf into blocks two feet square ther
take spade, put it under the surfac,
about five inches, lift it up, and place i
as you would stone in building ston.
fenses. When the wallsare high enough
Law on the rafters in the usual form theI