t stalled in the ruts made by the first wagons.

We made the trip in four weeks, fording all rivers and streams on the
way. At La Crosse we hired both ferries and took all day to cross.
During the difficult journey we averaged about twenty-two miles, some
of us walking all the time driving the large drove of cattle. No Indian
villages were passed although we met a number of friendly redskins. At
night we slept in the wagons and cooked our meals as all emigrants did.
We brought a large store of provisions and on Saturdays would set a
small stove up in the open and do our weekly bread baking. We passed
through eighteen miles of heavy timber beyond what is now Kasota, coming
out from the forest about three miles this side onto a very nice road.

We finally arrived at the homestead. We set our stove up in the yard by
a tree and lived in the shanty until our new log house was completed.
The shanty was covered with seven loads of hay to make it warm inside
and a quilt was hung over the door. Here we lived for two months,
suffering at times from rain penetrating. At one time a heavy cloud
burst nearly drowned us out.

The first winter in our new home was a severe one. For three weeks the
cold was very intense, and what was known as three "dog moons" at night
and three "dog suns" during the day heralded the cold weather, the moon
and sun being circled with these halos for the entire three weeks.
Provisions began to run low. The prices were very high and Mr. Jones
went to St. Paul to lay in a stock of provisions. Among other things he
brought home sixty barrels of flour and eight barrels of salt. The
superfine flour was $16 a barrel and the second grade $13. The
provisions were brought by boat to Kasota, where they were stranded in
the sand and were brought the rest of the way by team. There was also a
barrel of sugar and one of apples. Sugar in those days sold at the rate
of six pounds for $1.00.

The families used this flour until they raised their own wheat and after
that they used graham flour. The Jones' planted five acres to wheat the
following spring.

Mrs. Clark Keysor.

After my husband had enlisted and went to Fort Snelling, I was quite
timid about staying alone and got a neighbor girl to stay with me. The
third night I thought I might as well stay alone. That night a rap came
at the door. A neighbor was there and wanted to know if Mr. Keysor had a
gun. He said the Indians had broken out and they wanted to get