New-York daily tribune., 1856-07-30
fFuuscts from Private Letters by Lsdy.l

LAWRENt JuuC low.
My DEAR FRIENDS: wish could give you
an adequate idea of my surroundings and my feel
ipgs az / sit down once more to address you.
Whichever way I turn my eye the soft, witching
beauty Of the fertile, unduatng prairie greets me
like q morning song OF JOY and gladness, the iall
grass moving in its pride, ard the lovely flowers
blooming nov In all their Summer glory, while the
floating clouds cast their ever varying and fitting
shadows On the high bluffs and mounds, and roll
them along, like the mighty waves of the ocean,
over the far-spread level of the plain The chirp
Of the cricket is loud and home-like, reminding
ne Of distant friends and happy scenes that have
glsddened my heart in the past. For many days
have only read in its tones dirge of sorrow,
wall for the early dead, the loved and bright, and
beautiful departed. Was it a sad prophecy of
what our own hearts must experience, or
10 it the more cheerful and hopeful sound
it pOurs forth now-the triumph Of faith
ard hope over fear and doubt. On q
rude couch Of rough walnut boards covered
with coarse mattress of prairie hay, and the few
plain articles of bedding we could obtain here, lies
our darling little Mary, pale and emacated. She
was attacked about three weeks ago with the
same fever that prevailed in Lawrence last Sum-
mer, which carried off in its rayages some loved
ones from nearly every family circle. She came
down rlowly, and for more than q week carried
her every cay to the pool in the ravine for bath,
which she seemed to enjoy greatly but then came
the raging crisis; she was delirious; tossed about
continually in restless agony Her cry at first was,
Mama, don't let the KickapOos shoot me;" and
sbe constantly imagined the Border Ruffians were
coming to kill her papa, or that their horses were
on the bed, crushing her down. She has had
sad, restless night, but this morning she has sunk
into the most quiet slumber she has had for long
time, aid We hope che will begin to mend. am
watching her aDxiously, with one little, thin hand
in mine, as sit by her bedside, trying to write
you between spells Of wetting her head. have
five men to cook for, and must keep the everlast
ing ball of domestic drudeery moving in the midst of
war and bloO6shed around, and sickness and death
in my own house. Z. ploughed up and planted to
corn fifteen acres of prairie the gopher or prairie
rat eat IL all up in the hill and he has been Obliged
to replaLt il; now he with his men are very busy
trying TO get out some rails to fence il n and il is
so lot, and the air SO feess in the timber section,
and on the bottom lands, that il is almost imposs-
bic for even five men to accomplish what in favor
able weather, would be the work of one man.
They get along go slowly aud suffer so much that
Z. has concluded to buy wire for fencing and use
only one rail spread along the top, and while he
must 60 of for this then wait to GET out and draw
al the posts from the Wakcrusa, our corn Is con.
stanily exposed to the depredatons of herds of
cattle which have already tramped up and totally
destroyed our garden. But notwithstanding ali
the disturbances and annoy ances, E. still contin.
ues to drive ahead his business and improvements,
while many of our neiehbors have left their work
Some are prsoners in the Pro-Slsyery camp;
others are driven from their homes, their lives
huLted down like wild beasts, and our fair prairie
ia still defaced with the martial TIRE I'D of armed men
the clanbipg OF the hoofs, and swords, and sabres
Of the United States Troops, and the smoking
reeking, devastatons OF the Border-R Ruffan hordes
It'll lurbiDg about Us ready for daily plaDde, aud