feel pretty bad about it.

West Point, Nebr.
July 4, 1897
Dear Lawrence,
Who would have thought eleven years ago that you would be in South America today. Psyche is such a big girl now it does not seem as if she even was a baby. Yesterday being the 3rd I asked Mona Kloke and Helen Black up to help the girls fire off their crackers. Psyche had $40 of her own which she spent on fireworks and they sat out by the gate all afternoon having a good time. After every firecracker was exploded I went down town and got them each a dish of ice cream. They

had a good time. Then in the evening Mrs Kloke asked them down to see Mr. K. fire off some things. They came home very happy. I often wondered if they missed you but could not see that they did. Dr. and Mrs Summers have been so nice to us all. They took the girls to the park one day to a pic-nic and gave them pansies, great big bunches every day. Have I told you yet that Mrs summers wants you to get the Dr. a pretty stone. She is willing to pay $10 or $15 on it. She wanted an opal like yours but I told her you could not get one there. She said if you saw anything you admired for that price bring it.

Johnnie Neligh and Amy

have gone to Rosebud. John got passes for them. Amy is to write up some of the legends of the Indians' and J. to illustrate them. They hope to ride into fame on the strength of it. The Indians are having a big pow wow this week. Ella and family are coming in about a week. I will stay to see them.

Mrs Harding is visiting Ida now. They are coming over here tomorrow with the ice cream and, I am to bake a cake. I do not feel like enjoying myself with you so far away. I think often I once hear from you from Buenos Ayres​ and know more definitely about your position and work and know that you are well I will feel better.

Your mother wants to know if you would have time to write to your uncle Till. He is pretty bad off. Is taking treatment of a cancer doctor in New York.

Baby can say anything now she is so cute. I cannot let her run around alone out doors because she eats dirt jus as usual and I know it makes her sick. She has been eating some on the sly lately and today is not feeling so well. She vomited this morning. Helen went to church today. She wants you to write to her. I suppose you will not think of it.

Elmer Frost has been very sick for a week past. He had cholera and turned into brain fever. His folks

Did I tell you in my last letter that Alice Sims went up on the train as far as Norfolk and met the people going to the claims. Phoneta was nearly played out and Alice went to help her. They expected to reach the claims last night. Mr. Jones came to Neligh and helped them the rest of the way.

My money is going pretty fast here. I am getting anxious to hear from you on that score. I bought a bushel of cherries and 12 jars and put them up last week. I also picked lots of currants for your mother. There are so many in the garden and no one to pick them.

Hope I will get a letter

from you soon. This pen is vile, can hardly write with it.

Yours — Marcia Bruner
2314 S. 17th St. 
Lincoln Nebr.

Ans Sept. 1st 1897
Dear Lawrence
Well, I did not write to you last Sunday as I have done ever since you left. I was so nearly played out the last week in West Point I could not get up energy enough to write. Last Monday Seba came up. They had asked her and she thought I needed some one to help me home with the children. There we waited until to-day — one week — for Ella and her family to come. They finally wrote that they would not be down for another week. and the children were crying every day to come home.

Seba had to come today and the children said positively they would come with her, so I thought I'd come too. You know it does not take much to make me homesick. and Oh, we are all so glad to get home. Baby has not been will for one a week. But I did not know what to do for her. You know the folks in N.P. never think anything is serious. but last night she was real sick and vomited, and this morning vomited thrice before we started and five times on the way home. I was so thankful to get back to Dr. Righter's medical again. Seba got some as [?] as she could and baby is ever so much better tonight. She was vomiting every 15 minutes for awhile. I must tell you about Psyche do not worry I think she will

be better now. She always was nervous you know and the last few weeks she has not had control of herself. The last week especially it has been growing on her. Her left hand moves all the time and she throws her feet around. I shall try to keep her quiet and let her ride her wheel all she wants to. She says she feels so much better when she is riding, Seba said she [?] it as soon as she came to see me. She cries at every little thing and yells so loud when  she answers me. Helen is well and so cute as can be. Ellen [?] came home with me to try it. She charges $2 per week. I knew I could not get along without a girl and she wanted to come so much and young folks all urged me to take her — I think they

wanted to get rid of her. I think she will do nicely if she does not get homesick.

I received your last letter with the check for $600 in it a week ago. Saw Mr. Dales today He says to present it at the First National Bank and if there is any trouble about getting it to telephone for him. Also saw Mr. Loveland and told him I would pay him tomorrow. Your last letter was so unsatisfactory. I was so anxious to hear about how the people felt about the grasshoppers. Who you had met and what you thought of them, instead your wrath was spent on dinner parties and banquets. I am sorry you suffered so as to your stomach but hope you dressed as you should have done.

I am glad I was not there at the time to have your wrath visited on me on account of your feasting.

Mr. Hunter was out not long ago and fumigated your room and now the whole house smells like a slaughter house. It reminds me of some of the smells around Washington City. I see by the paper Mr. [?] from Wash City and a Prof from Russia are doing the state. They were here and went to the Northwestern part of the state — possibly to see the boys — I will send you an itimized [sic] account next time I write as to what I do with this money. If it costs so much to send money we think we can get along after Seba commences to teach on her money, if you send

enough to buy coal and a few things like that. You need not send but once or twice more. It looks like rain tonight and we need it badly. The sun has dried every thing up. Mr. Collins has a post in Washington.

Now about your insurance. About two months ago you recieved [sic] a number of slips from the N.Y. Life asking you to sign the slip denoting what you wanted done with the $36.72 dividend. I took it to Mr. Dales and he advised me to sign the slip like this while one in your name per mine, and tell them that you was away etc. He wrote the letter for me and took a copy of it. Here is the reply to it at this late day. — I wrote to them today and told them that I would send it to you but that it

would take 10 weeks to get the reply and as that would probably be too late I would send the $26.84, as I did not want the Policy to lapse. I try to do your business all right but am afraid I make mistakes. Mr. Dales has advised me though about this so I do not feel as if I had made a big mistake.

Birds of one feather flock together. Your fiending Mr. James out there would indicate it. Have you seen the McCroskey's yet. I am going to see Mrs Fremain soon.

I must close now and get the children to bed.

Yours with love,
Marcia Brunner
2314 S 17 St Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebr.
July 21, 1897
Dear Lawrence,
Your letter of June 16 just came. I can not understand why you have not heard from me yet because I have written every week but one since you left. It makes me feel badly to think you can not hear from us and I am so worried over you having the malaria. I wish you were back here again I would not let you go again.

I have had such a time to get any money on the thing you sent. It reads 60 days after sight and the First National people said it could not

be collected until that time. They offered to send it to N.Y. City to see if they could sell it cost $6 they said. Mr. Daes went to the American Exchange Bank, they were pleasanter and said they would see what they could do with it and in the mean time I could have $50 or so, they will not know for a week. You see it is on a private individual and the banks do not have to take it.

Wish I could be with you but it is too long a journey.

Baby is not well. Psyche either. I got Doctor Righter's bill — $40 —. Had to have him out here today — we are having awful hot weather. Write as often as you can.

Marcia

Lincoln, Nebr.
July 25, 1897
Dear Lawrence,
Today is a little cooler. We have had blistering hot weather. So many are prostrated with the heat.

I do hope you are better. You had better come home if the climate does not agree with you.

Ever so many asked after you in church this morning. Mr. DeVore & Mr. Bell asked to be remembered. Mr. Doane has been away a month. He will be back this week. The Ladies Missionary Society had change of the services. Mrs Perry from Crete and Mrs Brass both had papers.

Mrs Brooks. The little Mrs Brooks fell a few months ago

and injured her knee. She suffered everything with it and the leg grew stiff. She had ever so many physicians but they could not do anything for her. She finally called Dr. Finney and he said there would have to be an operation. They put her under the influence of chloroform and made an examination and found the bone decayed nearly up to the hip. They amputated it 3 days ago and she does not know yet that it has been taken off. They will have to dress it today and expect to tell her and think the shock may kill her. She has suffered so much that there is not much left of her. He is home again and has not had work for so long. The church sent them what was in the Deacon's fund and are going to take up a

subscription for them. I have promised something. Mr. Brooks has to stay with her now and take care of her.

The American Exchange bank gave me $100 on that note you sent and they will try to sell it for me. It will cost $6 if they sell it but you see I cant mail 60 days from now for the money. The $100 is nearly gone. I gave Seba $10, groceries $20, doctor $30, and spent about $10 on other things. If you pay Ella Westfall the $330 you owe her. You had better send it right to her from there and not bother me with it. I am worrying about spending so much money. It seems as if it goes so fast.

Baby Alice is much better but Psyche is not as well. She has a head col and is still nervous and jerky. The girls both

like to get letters from you.

Mrs. Mitchell, Brady, Frigg and Lash have all called since I returned and Mrs. Hamby stopped in the yard one night. Mrs. Brown is home. George himself splendidly, your talk to him last summer may have been just the thing.

I am glad you are with friends now. Tell them to take good care of you for me.

This is all I can think of this time. Write often. Lovingly

Marcia

Your first letter came while I was away but the girls said that Mr. Dobern came up to the house and hooted his whistle like the 4th of July. He was so glad to bring a letter from you. Mr. Taylor was here yesterday and baby made him hold her most of the time and asked for him to take her along. We thought he reminded her of you. She says "Too hot (for) baby out-doors: in house." when she wants to go in. She does not like to stay out long this summer.