[Illustration:  My father stabbed]

My uncle of course at once discharged the ruffian from his employ.  The man afterwards became a noted desperado, and was quite conspicuous in the Kansas war.

My father’s indiscreet speech at Rively’s brought upon our family all of the misfortunes and difficulties which from that time on befell us.  As soon as he was able to attend to his business again, the Missourians began to harass him in every possible way, and kept it up with hardly a moment’s cessation.  Kickapoo City, as it was called, a small town that had sprung into existence seven miles up the river from Fort Leavenworth, became the hot-bed of the pro-slavery doctrine and the headquarters of its advocates.  Here was really the beginning of the Kansas troubles.  My father, who had shed the first blood in the cause of the freedom of Kansas, was notified, upon his return to his trading post, to leave the territory, and he was threatened with death by hanging or shooting, if he dared to remain.

[Illustration:  My father’s escape]

One night a body of armed men, mounted on horses, rode up to our house and surrounded it.  Knowing what they had come for, and seeing that there would be but little chance for him in an encounter with them, father determined to make his escape by a little stratagem.  Hastily disguising himself in mother’s bonnet and shawl, he boldly walked out of the house and proceeded towards the corn-field.  The darkness proved a great protection, as the horsemen, between whom he passed, were unable to detect him in his disguise; supposing him to be a woman, they neither halted him nor followed him, and he passed safely on into the corn-field, where he concealed himself.

The horsemen soon dismounted and inquired for father; mother very truthfully told them that he was away.  They were not satisfied with her statement, however, and they at once made a thorough search of the house.  They raved and swore when they could not find him, and threatened him with death whenever they should catch him.  I am sure if they had captured him that night, they would have killed him.  They carried off nearly everything of value in the house and about the premises; then going to the pasture, they drove off all the horses; my pony Prince afterward succeeding in breaking away from them and came back home.  Father lay secreted in the corn-field for three days, as there were men in the vicinity who were watching for him all the time; he finally made his escape, and reached Fort Leavenworth in safety, whither the pro-slavery men did not dare to follow him.

While he was staying at Fort Leavenworth, he heard that Jim Lane, Captain Cleveland and Captain Chandler were on their way from Indiana to Kansas with a body of Free State men, between two and three hundred strong.  They were to cross the Missouri river near Doniphan, between Leavenworth and Nebraska City; their destination being Lawrence.  Father determined to join them, and took passage on a steamboat which was going up the river.  Having reached the place of crossing, he made himself known to the leaders of the party, by whom he was most cordially received.