It was on May 27, 1869, that the Osage Indians made a treaty, selling their lands to the Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad Company, to the amount of 8,000,000 acres. The settlers, many of whom had located on these lands prior to this sale, held great meetings at Osage Mission, Parsons, and other points, and commenced agitation. On the 19th of January, 1874, the Attorney-General of the United States issued an order to the United States District Attorney of Kansas to bring suit to test the validity of patents issued to railroad companies for any part of the Osage ceded lands. The case was argued in the United States Circuit Court at Leavenworth, in June, 1874, and in August decided for the settlers by Judges Miller and Dillon. In April, 1876, the United States Supreme Court decided the case for the settlers. After seven years or more of waiting and anxiety, the settlers indulged in great rejoicing.

SUMMARY.

1. The cattle trade becomes a factor of Kansas commerce. 2. John J. Ingalls re-elected United States Senator in 1879. 3. Prohibition amendment adopted in 1880.

4. The railroad system is greatly extended.

5. The counties of Rice, Barber, Ford, Ness and Comanche were organized in 1872.

6. The American Pomological Society awards the highest medal to Kansas fruit.

7. Edward Everett Hale attends the celebration, at Lawrence, of 25th anniversary of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

8. The first ten years of Kansas history a prophecy of future greatness.

9. John P. St. John re-elected Governor in 1880.

10. The Osage ceded lands opened for settlement in March, 1880.

CHAPTER XXV.

AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

254. Death of Famous Men.-On the 27th of July, 1881, General James G. Blunt died in Washington City. He was the only Kansas officer who attained the rank of Major-General in the war for the Union. He was born in Prior to the com

Maine, and was in his early life a sailor. ing of the great war he was a country doctor in Kansas. He was a bold and hardy soldier, and distinguished himself at the battle of Prairie Grove, where he reinforced General Herron at the critical time, and fought an overwhelming force till darkness shut down on a field on which lay 4,000 dead and wounded men. In the campaign against General Sterling Price, in October, 1864, he fought, with a little force of cavalry, the Eleventh and Fifteenth Kansas, and the First Colorado, an advancing army of 28,000 men, and held on for three days till reinforcements came, and the border was saved.

General Robert B. Mitchell died in Washington City on the 26th of January, 1882. He commanded the Second Kansas at Wilson's creek, and was wounded there. Within a month, Martin F. Conway, First Representative in Con gress of the State of Kansas, died, also in Washington. General George W. Deitzler, of the First Kansas, at Wilson's creek, died at Tucson, Ariz., in January, 1884. Colonel Charles R. Jennison died in Leavenworth, June, 1884.

Thus passed away, within a brief time, five Kansans of the brave days, and but one at home.

255. Quarter Centennial.-Kansas, a quarter of a century after, was not forgetful, but remindful. The Quarter Centennial of the admission was observed at Topeka, January 29, 1886, by an "all day" meeting of three sessions, presided over respectively by Governor John A. Martin, Charles Robinson, First Governor of Kansas, and Colonel D. R. Anthony, President of the State Historical Society.

256. Reunion at Kansas City.-There was a reunion at Kansas City, Kan., July 29, 1882, of the surviving members of the Wyandotte Constitutional Convention. At this first meeting of the constitution builders since their adjournment in 1859, it was discovered that but twentynine were living, but nineteen still residents of Kansas, and but ten were present. The proceedings were of the highest interest, and a permanent association was formed.

257. Election of 1882.-In November, 1882, occurred the election of George W. Glick as Governor, D. W. Finney, Lieutenant Governor; James Smith, Secretary of State; W. A. Johnston, Attorney-General; David J. Brewer, Associate Justice; H. C. Speer, Superin

tendent of Public Instruction; Samuel Governor George W. Glick. T. Howe was elected as Treasurer, and E. P. McCabe, Auditor. The entire congressional delegation was reelected, and E. N. Morrill, B. W. Perkins, Lewis Hanback and S. R. Peters were elected members at large.

The Legislature of 1883 re-elected Preston B. Plumb United States Senator, and elected T. Dwight Thacher for a second term as State Printer.

258. Kansas Aids the Suffering.-Kansas having,

in her earlier and dryer days, freely received, has in her more prosperous years freely given. A destructive flood prevailing in the Ohio valley in the spring of 1884, a train of thirty-one cars, loaded with corn by Sedgwick county farmers, was dispatched from Wichita. The cars were decked with flags and banners gay, and contained T. Dwight Thacher. 12,400 bushels, which brought $8,500 at Cincinnati. The Sedgwick county train was followed by the Butler county train, thirty cars of 400 bushels each, which sold for $8,000. A G. A. R. Post at Fort Scott shipped a load of corn to Richmond, Va., in aid of a Confederate Home. This was well done, but Kansas did not miss a little corn more or less. The corn crop of 1885, which was not a remarkable corn year, was estimated to be worth more money than the entire gold and silver product of Colorado, California and Nevada.

259. Kansas Day.-It became evident with the growth of the State that the feeling of State pride pervaded its older and younger population. The observance of the 29th of January as "Kansas Day" became, in the early 80's, a custom in the schools of the State. In 1882 the observances in the public schools of Wichita and Junction City were matters of State remark, and since that time the "Kansas Day" celebration has become well nigh universal.

On "Kansas Day" elaborate programmes are prepared, essays are read on various periods in the history of Kansas; Kansas songs are sung, Kansas poems recited, the favorites being the "songs of freedom," with which, in the early and doubtful days, Whittier, Lowell, Bryant and others were inspired, and the verses, ranging from "grave to gay,' descriptive of the Kansas earth and sky and life, which have been evoked from Kansas writers. On these festive occasions the walls are decorated with the national colors; the motto of the State in evergreen letters, and everywhere the sunflower.

260. Kansas Sunflower.-Without any statutory provision or formal adoption as the "State flower," there came about through the "vox populi" the selection of the sunflower as the emblem, and the "Sunflower State" as the familiar and household name of Kansas. The sunflower is a pioneer in Kansas, coming with the first breaking of the soil by the passing wheel or other disturbing agency. The "flower" sprang up on either side of the ,Santa Fe trail for 800 miles. The sunflower comes wherever in Kansas man comes to sow or reap, and marks. the time and place, and if the claim is aban-. doned, the sunflower grows within the roofless walls of sod. The sunflower is the badge worn by Kansans on great occasions at home and abroad.

261. Election of 1884.-In 1884 John A. Martin was chosen Governor; A. P. Riddle, Lieutenant-Governor; E. B. Allen, Secretary of State; E. P. McCabe, Auditor;