nt instances in the otherwise unhappy experience
of our separation occasioned by the war. These were the furloughs which
brought him home, one while he was stationed at Fort Snelling lasting
for a few days, and later when he was sent home for two or three months
as a recruiting officer for his regiment.

Does the luxurious life men and women of today enjoy, develop character,
consideration for others, generosity and sympathy towards the less
fortunate neighbor as did the trying pioneer days? If not, where lies
the blame? What is the cure?

Judge Loren W. Collins--1852.

In 1853 my father visited Eden Prairie. On arriving they found a lynch
court in session. A man named Gorman who had squatted upon a very
desirable piece of land had gotten into an altercation with a squatter
by the name of Samuel Mitchell. These men were Irishmen, Gorman a
Catholic and Mitchell a Protestant. Gorman had filled Mitchell's left
arm full of shot, and the court gave its judgment that Gorman must get
out of the country with his family, within twenty-four hours. He had
staked out the claim, had built a log house and had ready for crop about
two acres of land. My father had $100.00 in gold with him, probably more
money than any other man in the community possessed at that time.
Gorman sold out to him for the $100.00 and father took possession.

There were then a dozen or fifteen settlers in that vicinity, among them
the Goulds, the Mitchells, Mr. Abbott and Mr. Gates. There came about
that time, Mr. Staring, who lived immediately east of us.

During that summer some fifteen acres were broken up and the two acres
which had been previously made ready for seed by Mr. Gorman, were
planted to corn and potatoes. Father hired a yoke of oxen to use during
the summer and kept one cow.

Father returned to Massachusetts and in the winter we came to Buffalo by
rail. In early May we embarked on the steamer "Nominee," which was then
the fastest boat on the river. At the head of the flagstaff was a new
broom which indicated that the boat had beaten every other vessel then
running on the river north of Galena. The Captain was Russell Blakeley
who for many years commanded the best boats belonging to the Packet
Company.

We reached St. Paul about ten o'clock on May seventh and I remember very
well that the thing which attracted my attention more than any other was
the newly trimmed cupola of the Territorial Capitol building. There were
at least fifteen