We ferried the Missouri River near Jefferson City, and crossed the Kansas River in the woods, where Kansas City, Kansas, now stands.

There was little of Kansas City then, except a few warehouses where freight was landed for Independence, which was the starting point of the Santa Fe trail.
Claims were being taken so rapidly that we remained to hold ours, while father returned to Illinois to preach.

Two families in one room made it rather crowded, but we had a comfortable cabin.

It contained a twelve-paned window--the only one in the settlement; cabins usually had no windows, or very small ones.

Mr.May's folks had oiled paper over a narrow opening, which they closed with a board shutter.
I asked their little girl why they did not have a larger window, and she said the Indians might get in.