Produced by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) In the Early Days Along the Overland Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852. BY GILBERT L. COLE, 1905. COMPILED BY MRS. A. HARDY. Press of FRANKLIN HUDSON PUBLISHING COMPANY, KANSAS CITY, MO. [Illustration: GILBERT L. COLE.] COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY GILBERT L. COLE, BEATRICE, NEB. TESTIMONIALS. A true story plainly told, of immense historical value and fascinating interest from beginning to end. DR. GEO. W. CROFTS, Beatrice, Nebraska. I have read every word of "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, with great interest and profit. The language is well chosen, the word-pictures are vivid, and the subject-matter is of historic value. The story is fascinating in the extreme, and I only wished it were longer. The story should be printed and distributed for the people in general to read. July 27, 1905. C. A. FULMER, _Superintendent of Public Schools_, Beatrice, Neb. At a single sitting, with intense interest, I have read the manuscript of "In the Early Days." It is a very entertaining narrative of adventure, a vivid portrayal of conditions and an instructive history of events as they came into the personal experience and under the observation of the writer fifty-three years ago. An exceedingly valuable contribution to the too meager literature of a time so near in years, but so distant in conditions as to make the truth about it seem stranger than fiction. REV. N. A. MARTIN, _Pastor, Centenary M. E. Church_, Beatrice, Neb. NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. _To whom it may concern_: The manuscript account of the overland trip by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole of Beatrice, Nebraska, in my opinion is a very carefully written story of great interest to the whole public, and particularly to Nebraskans. It reads like a novel, and the succession of adventures holds the interest of the reader to the end. The records of trips across the Nebraska Territory as early as this one are very incomplete, and Mr. Cole has done a real public service in putting into print so complete a record of these experiences. I predict that it will find a wide circulation among lovers of travel and of Nebraska history. Very sincerely, JAY AMOS BARRETT, _Curator and Librarian Nebraska State Historical Society_, Author of "Nebraska and the Nation"; "Civil Government of Nebraska." EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. _To whom it may concern_: It gives me great pleasure to say that the publication, "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of Beatrice, Nebraska, is a very interesting and profitable work to read. It bears upon many subjects of great historical value and no doubt will prove a very interesting book to all who read it and I take pleasure in recommending the same.