The same causes that have made me a preacher, have also made me an abundant contributor to our periodical literature.

As I wish to present a living picture of these early days, I will, from time to time, furnish extracts from the contributions I have made to our religious journals: [Written for the Christian Luminary.] OCENA P.O., Atchison Co., Kansas Ter., May, 1858.
Having myself had a very full experience of the advantages and disadvantages, the trials, pleasures and perils of a pioneer life, I propose to write a series of essays on the matter of emigrating to the West.
While a grave necessity demands that many shall emigrate to the West, it is not to be denied that it is an enterprise fraught with many dangers to the moral and spiritual well-being of the emigrant.

We have here men from the four quarters of the civilized world, and have thus congregated together all the vices found in Europe and America.

The semi-barbarism of the Irish Catholicism of Tipperary and Clare is now fairly inaugurated in Leavenworth city.

All the horses of the livery stables are hired to attend an Irish funeral, and as the mourners take a "_wee bit of a dhrap_" before starting, they are lucky if they get the corpse well under ground without a fight.
By this time, having become over-joyful, they raise a shout, and with a whoop and hurrah they start for home, and the man that has the fastest horse gets into the city first.