We were without purse or scrip, and were carried across the prairie, about fourteen miles, to a shanty near the railway, where Brother O. M. Duell lived.
On arriving there, we were unable to carry our small trunks into the house, and Sister Duell, seeing our feeble condition, assisted the boy to carry them in. We were very much fatigued, and as soon as we got into the house Sister Duell made us a cup of tea; which revived us, and prepared a bed for us on a one-legged bedstead in a corner of the house, having two poles running from the house logs to the leg.
In the course of the night our bedstead broke through, and we found ourselves on the floor, between the poles and the side of the house.
The following day Brother Duell took us in his wagon to Lima, about twelve miles, when he left us. He gave each of us a dollar to assist us on our journey. Brother Bidwell then carried us in his wagon to John A. Mikesell's, near Quincy, about twenty miles.
The fatigue of this day's journey was too much for our feeble health; we were prostrated, and obliged to tarry a few days in Quincy to recruit.
The brethren preached a few times in a meeting house close to the Congregational church. The members of the latter church were in the habit of commencing their meetings at different hours from the brethren, but they took a notion to disturb us, by ringing their bell furiously after we had commenced our meetings. At one time Elder John E. Page preached so loud as to drown the noise of the bell, and this brought some hundreds, who otherwise would not have come, to meeting.
I was prostrate with the chills and fever, and stayed most of the time at the house of Sisters Laura and Abigail Pitkin, who bestowed every kindness upon me they possibly could. Dr. Orlando Hovey, and Sister Staley and her daughter were also very kind in administering to me in my feeble condition.
We left Quincy September 25th, feeling much better. My sorrow was great to see so many of our brethren there sick and dying, in consequence of being driven and exposed to hunger and cold.
Brother Lyman Wight took us in a one-horse wagon to Brother Charles C. Rich's, at Burton; where we stayed through the night. Brother Wight predicted many good things, and left this blessing with us, when he bade us farewell.
The following day while Brother Rich was taking us to Brother Wilbur's, the chills came on me again, and I suffered much pain and fatigue.