A letter written from Lawrence, Kansas Territory, by Sarah Brown, addressed to her brother, William Brown, who was studying at Phillips Exeter Academy. Sarah and William were the children of John Stillman Brown, a Unitarian minister who lived west of Lawrence. Sarah writes of her position as a local schoolteacher. The final part of her letter describes how she and others heard cannon fire outside and later discovered it was part of a celebration of Carmi William Babcock's election as mayor.