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Title
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Lawrence Bruner to Marcia Bruner, 1897, July 20
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Alternative Title
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Lawrence Bruner Letters, 1897
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Date
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1897, July 20
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Creator
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Lawrence Bruner
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Description
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Handwritten 2 page letter from Lawrence Bruner to Marcia Bruner, "I have just returned from another trip up north where..."
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Identifier
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081210-1897-015a
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Transcription
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July 20th 1897
Dear Marcia:–
I have just returned from another trip up north where I went to examine a large swarm of locusts. To say that I am tired is putting it mildly for these railway and across country rides in Argentina are much more tiresome than they would be at home. This chiefly on account of the great changes in temperature experienced along with the dust and slow running and uncomfortable cars. Then too, no water on the trains to drink when one is thristy and when you do find it the water is strongly salt, saltpetse or some alkali. Beer is .80 cents a bottle (qt.) more than I care to drink at a time, sodawater .40 cts and plain, i.e. not sweetened or flavored. Wine makes me sick, as does also the coffee and tea of the country which, as an Englishman put it is made for cultivated tastes. His was cultivated, mine crude.
In this last trip I found no change in the hoppers from last time. True they had moved about a little and scattered. A few more had died and a small number had been destroyed by birds and small mammals. The region where most of them are at present, apparently in their winter quarters, is too dry for birds and other vertebrate enemies; and as to man, there is no danger that any locusts will be destroyed by him even though it would be a quite easy matter for him to do so. No one in this country (that is scarcely anybody) will lift his hand to do anything of this sort unless he is paid for it. They expect the government to take the matter in hand and make a special appropriation for each case. If prairie fires were lighted during cold dry days and nights fully one-half of the swarm could be destroyed in a very few days. But no, there is no appropriation on hand just at present.
traveling have other matters to attend to. Hope to send you about $400.00 in the course of two weeks — possibly $450.00. You have a list of the debts that must be settled, as well as those that can wait. Do the best you can with the money, only don't stint yourself nor deny what you ought to have. I hardly expect that the full amount will have been subscribed for the church debt, but hope for the best. Am glad to know that Youngblut has bought out Peters. Of course we will continue dealing there, and maybe will get more satisfactory goods in some directions.
I see that my paper is running out so must think of closing. Hope that both yourself and the little folks are well. I also include Seba and Grace. Will write again when I receive a letter — and one or two are due now.
Yours, Lawrence Bruner
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Rights
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To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
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Is Version Of
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081210-1897-015a.jpg
