=Life of the Early Settlers.= In order that this great result might be accomplished, that the Kansas of to-day might be, a generation of men and women had to conquer these vast prairies that were swept by blizzards, parched by drouths, scorched by hot winds, and scourged by grasshoppers. A few of the pioneers gave up and returned to their old homes, but most of them were of the sturdy type and remained, always believing that the day of better things was to come. Though they had little money and few of the comforts and conveniences of life, and though they were often filled with homesickness for the friends and scenes they had left behind, they stayed and worked and hoped. Volumes could be filled with stories of the hardships and sorrows of those brave people; stories of mothers who died from overwork or exposure or lack of care, of children who sickened from want of proper food, of homes swept away by prairie fires, and of homesteads mortgaged and lost. =The Pleasures of Pioneer Life.= But this is only one side. Pioneer life was not all dark. Most of the people were strong and healthy, and the out-door life with plenty of exercise and simple food kept them so. Although there was privation and hard work there was also much pleasure. Ask any old settler whether the people had good times in those days, and you will hear tales of spelling schools and of singing schools, of literary societies at which debating was an important feature, and of the country dance with its old-time music on the fiddle. These affairs were attended by young and old from miles around; a trip of from ten to fifteen or even twenty miles was not unusual. Buggies were scarce, and most of the settlers went on horseback, or in farm wagons that did not always have spring seats. Quilting and husking bees, house-warmings, and camp meetings were other events of the early days. Since there were no telephones and since it was often days from one mail to another, pioneer families counted it a pleasure to “visit around” and exchange the news. Those were the days of real hospitality; the “latch-string hung out at every door,” and all were welcome to enter. No house was too small nor no food supply too scanty for the entertainment of friends or wayfarers. Those were the days, too, when the children often waited for “second table” or stood up to eat because there were not enough chairs for all; when the boys wore high-topped boots, the girls wore sunbonnets, and a calico dress was good enough for almost any occasion. =Buffalo Hunting.= In the earlier years the buffalo hunt was one of the pleasures of the pioneers. In the fall parties of men with their teams and hunting outfits would set out for the buffalo range to secure a supply of meat for the winter. They were usually successful in finding not only buffaloes, but antelopes, wild turkeys, and occasionally elk or deer.