We met Faye at our gate, just starting out to look for us. He said
that when the storm first came up he was frightened about me, but when
the broad adobe house began to rock he came to the conclusion that I
was about as safe out on the plains as I would be in a house,
particularly as I was on a good horse, and with two splendid horsemen
who would take the very best care of me. My plait of hair was one mass
of dirt and was cut and torn, and is still in a deplorable condition,
and my face looks as though I had just recovered from smallpox. As it
was Monday, the washing of almost every family was out on lines, about
every article of which has gone to regions unknown. The few pieces
that were Caught by the high fences were torn to shreds.

FORT LYON, COLORADO TERRITORY,
January, 1872.

OUR little party was a grand success, but I am still wondering how it
came about that Mrs. Barker and I gave it together, for, although we
are all in the same company and next-door neighbors, we have seen very
little of each other. She is very quiet, and seldom goes out, even for
a walk. It was an easy matter to arrange things so the two houses
could, in a way, be connected, as they are under the same long roof,
and the porches divided by a railing only, that was removed for the
one evening. The dancing was in our house, and the supper was served
at the Barkers'. And that supper was a marvel of culinary art, I
assure you, even if it was a fraud in one or two things, We were
complimented quite graciously by some of the older housekeepers, who
pride themselves upon knowing how to make more delicious little dishes
out of nothing than anyone else. But this time it was North and South
combined, for you will remember that Mrs. Barker is from Virginia.