The narrative of John Doy, of Lawrence, Kansas ...: Printed for the author.

WHY KANSAS IS FREE.
the carriage, and frequently attempted to open a conversa tion with me.
After a ride of seven miles we reached Weston, in the
centre of which town we were kept about half an hour on
exhibition to the crowd, who insulted us as usual, told us
we were on our way to the penitentiary to get our deserts,
and finally invited us to take a glass of grog, which we
declined.
About half way to St. Joseph we stopped at a plantation,
where were a great number of slaves of every shade of
color, and there we were allowed to get out for dinner. My
wife walked between us from the carriage to the house, to
carry our chains when needed, and when at table cut our
food for us. Several persons present were moved at the
sight, and said that if she was a sample of the wives and
mothers of Kansas the secret was out; that was the reason why Kansas was free.
Gen. Dorris, being always on the look-out for business, no
doubt seized this opportunity, as well as every other that
presented itself, to inquire if any of the neighbors were
selling out, and we had to listen to a long conversation
upon the state of the slave-market, prices of negroes, prospects of a rise, etc., etc.
At last we started again, and our advance guard took
pains to notify those on the road, so that we were stared
at from almost every house and shanty we passed. The
roads were very bad, almost impassable-a very general
feature in every slave region, and a correct indication of
the effect of the peculiar institution upon internal improvements.
About dark we reached St. Joseph, and drove to the cen
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