*Good bye for a day or two. A kiss to each
Yours, Lawrence Bruner

Buenos Ayres, Argentina
June 2d 1897
My Dear Marcia:–
Well I have finally reached this place — the field of action for the next 9 or 10 months. While I have not yet had time to do any looking about I am of the opinion that I will like the place much better than I did any of the Brazilian ports at which we stopped. There seems to be quite a little life here, though not nearly so much as in any portion of the United States.

We were transferred at Rio de Janeiro from the "Buffon" to the "Galicia," one of the Pacific Navigation Co's vessels — a strictly English affair in which everything was "snobbish" so to speak. I did not like it nearly so well as I did the Lamport & Holt steamer Buffon. At Montevideo, Uraguay [sic], we were again transferred to a "river boat" that flies between that city and this. It was quite a nice boat. Did not go ashore at Montevideo

on account of the "martial law" that was in force there. It seems that a revolution is in progress in the country and they were trying to prevent the landing and departure of suspects. This revolution is only one of several that I have already come in contact with since reaching South America. In Brazil I heard of at least three distinct revolutions. One of these occurred in Rio de Janeiro while we were lying in the harbor. I even passed through the line of march of two regiments of regular troops as they were marching to quell the disturbance. It appears that the students in the military school were to be deprived of ammunition for some reason or other; and this caused the rebellion. No blood was shed, and quiet restored on the appearance of the cavallery [sic], infantry and artillery. Such is life in the warm Spanish and Portugese [sic] countries.

On the arrival of our steamer in the harbor of Montevideo I was handed a letter from Mr. Macrosky giving their address and asking that I come and visit them as soon as possible after my arrival. Expect to see

them some time today but just when I do not know. I was also met on the "river boat" by a representative of the Locust Commission who was sent to receive me and assist me in passing through the custom's house and to show me to my quarters. This latter is in the "Hotel Royal," an English affair of some pretensions. This afternoon I expect to be visited by Mr. Roberts the chairman of the committee. Until then I can say nothing concerning my plans nor of theirs. One thing certain, I shall insist on being transferred to some private house where I can have two or three rooms for headquarters. I shall also want a garden space attached for use in the carrying out of my studies in life histories etc. Will also ask for a private servant to wait on me — some young fellow who can understand at least a little "United States." For other assistance I do not feel now that I will be hampered.

This is winter and the room where I am writing is cold, so I will cut the letter a little shorter than I should otherwise. Will write

more within a day or two. Will now go out and cable to Chancellor MacLean of my safe arrival. This you will receive to-day yet. This and all other letters already written will reach you later.

Have not yet been to see Mr. Buchanan the U.S. Minister to see if there is mail for me, but will do so shortly.

Hope that you are all well, and that everything is going well both at home and at the University. Also trust that everybody at Valparaiso and West Point are O.K. I cannot write to all, but when you write to them you can tell them of me and my work as I shall keep you posted up to a month or six weeks of the time as it goes along. Wish that letters could go quicker.

Will send you money within a week, and tell you what to do with some of it. Of course you will no​ best about this being on the ground.

I feel that I shall have no trouble with the authorities here unless it be in not getting them to move sufficiently rapid.*

Buenos Ayres, Argentina
June 2d 1897
Dear Helen:–
I don't have much time to write you a letter now, but will send a few words along with this one to Mamma. Either she or Psyche can read it to you.

I know that you would think that some things in South America are funny. In a good many places all the little boys and girls of your size go without any clothes or they only wear a shirt that does not come down to their knees. Most all of them are quite black too, and not very clean.

In some of the towns where we stopped I saw very nice flowers of all kinds, and they were made of different kinds of bird feathers. When I come home I will bring some along. Then there are so many other things that you would like to see about which I will tell you some other time.

Be sure and mind Mamma and see if

you can't learn to write so as to write me letters all by yourself. I would rather have such a letter than from anybody else. When you do write tell me about Alice, Fido, the cats and everything also around home.

In a day or two I will send some pictures home in a magazine so that you can see how some places and things look down here. When you are through looking at them have Mamma put them in a drawer of my desk so they will not be spoiled.

Tell Aunt Seba that perhaps I will try and find time to write a letter to her about the schools and school teachers in about a month or six weeks.

Good bye. From your Papa who would like to see you
Lawrence Bruner

Buenos Aires Argentina,
June, 8th 1897
Dear Marcia:–
The past few days have been exceedingly hard ones on me, in fact so hard that I felt if they would be obliged to continue a week longer I would gladly forfeit my year's salary and come home. They were days of dining out and meeting various "high" officials — government and others. Oh my poor stomach! It couldn't stand it and I was sick. Still they insisted and I was obliged to continue the festivities until I was obliged to send for a doctor simply to help me out. He happened to be a sensible man and said that I must abstain from all kinds of liquors — just what I wanted him to say for I knew very well that what ailed me was chiefly wine, brandy, whisky etc., along with stuffing myself with new dishes when I had no appetite.

I have been out of the hands of "friends" just 24 hours and I am nearly myself again. I hope to be able to keep away from all din

ners and escape meeting any additional officials of distinction during the day. At 9 this evening it is my intentention [sic] ​to start for Caracañá which lies something over 100 miles to the northwest of here, and about 20 miles west of Rosario. An American lives there who is at the head of a sub-committee of the locust investigations. Mr. James, for such is his name, has invited me to make my headquarters at his place, and I am going to see about doing so. I know already that I will, for he says he has a vacant hous​ that I can fit up to suit myself so as to be untrammelled in my work. Mr. James is also a Pennsylvania dutchman who was born in Reading, only 40 miles from where I was, and he is also something of an entomologist. He owns a very extensive creamery as a business.

Now I have written quite a good bit about myself and things of no interest to you. I must quit this and write about business matters.

Yesterday I had a settlement with my employers, having the time begin April 1st or when

my pay ceased at the Uni. of Neb.​ The settlement was made on the basis of $300. U.S. and not that sum of Argentina gold. This will give me about $100. more than I had expected. I now send you a draft for $600. to be used as you think best after paying the following accounts:
Mr. G.A. Loveland $100. with int​ from Apr.​ 15. 
N.Y. Life Ins. Prem. 26.84​ Due Aug. 12​.
Seba if she wants it $100
& our church subscription.

I expect to send about $500. more early in August, so that you must figure not to run short while Seba is not earning anything.

I may be able to arrange to send my money home without it costing anything for exchange, otherwise it will be just $18. to send this $600. or over $100. to send the year's salary.

Thus far I have bought nothing in the country either for myself or for taking home when I go; but I hope to do so from time to time as I travel about over the country.

The draft is drawn to Messrs. N.W. Rice & Co. Boston, Mass. by a firm here (C.S. Roberts & Co.). It has been issued in triplicate — this the original. Should this be lost, I will send the second in the course of a week or two. If this reaches you all right have Mr. Dales get the money for you. It may cost a dollar or two; but had I sent it by N.Y. exchange it would have cost $18.

I have met U.S. consul Baker who has a son living in Lincoln. The son is a son-in-law of the Mr. Cook who lives just across the road from the house on University Farm. I like Mr. Baker very well indeed. It was he who suggested the present method of sending money.

A kiss to all including auntie.
Good bye.
Yours etc.
Lawrence Bruner

June 16th 1897
Dear Marcia:–
I am beginning to feel quite anxious for a letter from home for I have not yet had a single line and there have been at least two or three mails. Of course there are letters somewhere and they will reach me in due time if addressed in care of the United States Minister, Buenos Aires.

I have been afflicted with a sort of malarial fever ever since arriving here, but at no time have I been entirely laid up with it. In Buenos Aires I called in a doctor, as I believe I wrote you before, to assure myself of the nature of the trouble. Here in Carcaraña I am stopping for the present with an American family by the name of James. Mrs. James is an excellent lady and and​ takes as good care of me as if I were her own son. She is an excellent nurse, and, as Mr. James says, delights in waiting on persons who are sick. She has had at least a dozen different professors from the U.S. in her home in Brazil, Uraguay [sic] and here during the past 30 years, who were sick with some fever or other. She is interested in insects and plants; and sent one man in Reading Pa. 20,000 butterflies.

During the past week I have gone over at least 300 reports relating to the grasshopper which I am to study. These reports are in German, Spanish and English, and come from every part of the Republic of Argentina. While they contain much that is useless they also give much useful information that will greatly facilitate my investigations. Some of the reports were sent in by persons who were seeking the position which I have. A few of them contain quite laughable errors

for persons claiming to be entomologists as we understand the word. I shall obtain some of these during my stay here.

I am exceedingly interested in the bird life of the country since there is scarcely a single species that is identical with those in North America. Of course we must overlook the English sparrow which is nearly as much of a nuisance here as at home. A great many of the birds too, are peculiarly interesting on account of habit or color. I hope to secure skins of all for the museum and of some small, highly colored ones for home. The native ostrich is quite a bird and a pair of them would make a splendid showing in the museum, as would also a condor, and several other birds like the flamingo, albatross, and a large very ungainly looking bird belonging near the herons.

I may start out in a few days, but not before I am quite well for a tour of northern Argentina and southern Bolivia near the mountains. Should I do this I will probably be away from here between two and three weeks. After returning, I may make a second trip going up to Paraguay and the adjoining portions of Brazil. This second trip would also require a similar length of time. After this, and as spring approaches I will work south and west of Buenos Aires. In this manner I will have most of my special traveling done before I need to do my experimental work. The railroads have been very liberal. So far I have annual passes over 8 different rods — one or two including sleeping car accommodations.

I would very much like to see all of you for a little while, but I am not so selfish about it that I would want you to be here and go through with all that I have.

Good bye,
Lawrence Bruner

P.S. I sent you on the 8th June, a draft for $600. Hope you will receive it O.K.
Save this for notes for me.
Continue to address my mail Care U.S. Minister or U.S. Legation.

June 24th 1897
Dear Marcia:–
It has been two full months since I have received any word from home or even from Lincoln. Of course you have written, but for some reason or other the letters have been delayed in reaching me. It seems quite a long time not to hear from home when one is so far away and among strangers. Still, when a person is well and fully occupied the time goes quite rapidly.

Thus far I have done but little traveling about over the Republic but I must start out tomorrow for at least a week's trip in the northwest towards Bolivia — about 750 to 800 miles north of here. When I return another trip will have to be taken up the Panama & Paraguay rivers as far as or farther than Concepcion in Paraguay. This latter trip will require at least 3 or 4 weeks. So I hope a letter or letters will reach me from home before I start out for the long journey. Later I may go up into Bolivia as far as Sucre or Chuquisaca. If I do at least 700 miles of the distance (350 up & 350 back) will have to be made on mule back or by stage. You see I wish to find the northern limit of distribution of the locust that I am studying, for it seems to be necessary to do so in order to get at its life-history. The life-history or rather a knowledge of it is absolutely necessary in order to prescribe an efficient remedy.

The bird life here is a continual surprise to me. There are so many peculiar and interesting forms continually coming to my notice day after day. From what I had been told I had formed an opinion that but few birds existed in all Argentina. On the contrary, there seem to be more forms here than in Nebraska. (over

Continue to address all letters Care of U.S. Minister, Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America

If only I can succeed in finding someone whom I can hire to collect & prepare a lot of skins for the University of Nebraska. Thus far I have failed to find such a person.

While it is midwinter down here at present it freezes, but not hard. Nevertheless one feels the cold even more than we do in Nebraska when there is really cold weather. The air is damp like on our days when we have cloudy weather with southeast or east wind. Then too, hardly anyone has a fire in the house, and there is none on the cars. One is obliged to wrap up sufficiently to keep warm. I may get used to this custom, but while I am getting accustomed to it I certainly will spend many disagreeable hours and days.

In a week or so I hope to get into quarters of my own where I can have things more as I want them. Do not think that I will try to keep house, but will fit up a sleeping room and office, and take my meals at the hotel — a German family keeps it.

On the 8th of June I remitted to you a draft by letter for $600. — I sent you the original draft. In case it has been lost I now send you a duplicate of the same draft to be used only in case the original was not received. See Mr. Drake or Westermann about the matter. Remember, if you have received the original and obtained the money for it this duplicate must not be used. Save it — have Dales put it in the safe. Will send you some more money in a little more than a month from now.

Please hand the inclosed [sic] slip of paper with reference to a certain Missouri Experiment Station bulletin to either Mr. Hunter or to F.W. Taylor. Mr. Oliver C. James is the man with who I am staying at present and I want to do all I can in the way repaying him for personal favors.

Good bye till next time, Love to all,
Yours etc.
Lawrence Bruner

Since writing this he has heard from me. Marica

June 27th 1897
Dear Marcia:–
Well after a little over 2 months from home I have finally received 3 letters from home that give the news up to May 16th. Of course I was glad to hear from you and to know that all were apparently as well as when I left. Psyche's measles is quite a joke since she made sport of me when I had them. I hope they didn't use her any harder than they did me. Helen's rheumatism, is I hope, over long before this. Hope that she and Alice escaped the measles. Am glad to hear that the baby's eye teeth are through and hope that her other teeth will not give her any trouble during the hot summer which is before you. Although the news from home is only about 3 weeks later than that I had there seems to be lots of it.

Am sorry to hear about the resignations and dismissals that have so suddenly fallen upon certain members of the Uni. faculty. In one case I partly expected something to occur, but had no idea that it was coming so soon. Hope that no more dismissals will occur right away. I have taken a great deal of interest in reading the Journal and Post clippings which you have sent. They show both sides of the affair. Don't know how I would have stood had I been at home; but am glad that I was where I couldn't take sides. I feel sorry for all parties concerned.

As to new buildings, it does not look much like securing any additional room for Entomology and Ornithology. Guess that I will begin to look around a little for room when I shall return to Nebraska next spring. My work here is not progressing very rapidly, but it is winter now — equivalent to December 27th in the U.S. We are having rather heavy frosts every night now, and the air is damp with the cold southerly winds which sweep across the pampas from Patagonia and the other southern provinces of the Republic. I feel the cold very much, and have been obliged to buy heavy woolen underclothing and

also to have a heavy suit made to wear during this winter weather while here in the middle province. I also bought a "poncho" or native shawl to wear about my legs while on the trains because they do not have fires on the cars even during the coldest weather; and, as I have written you before, even the houses and hotels are without being heated, they not having any means for such a luxury. The houses are without chimneys.

About doctoring. You know best how you feel and if the doctor can help you go ahead. The bill cannot be paid immediately, but by fall it can — all going well. I have already sent home $600. Of course you will want to pay a few bills with some of this and should keep enough on hand for emergencies. The $250 which I offered to give towards the debt of the church was with the understanding that the $2155., besides the loan of $5000 from the Congregational Church Building Society, would be raised. I don't believe that it can be paid out of money that I have already sent you. I will send you another draft about the 1st of August for $400. or $450. If the stated above is all subscribed you might pay it from this sum. If you made out the card payable Sept. 1 all right. It may be a few days after that date when my letter with the money reaches you.

Tomorrow I expect to start out again on a short tour of investigation to the north of here where a couple swarms of locusts are reported to have appeared and where they are doing some injury to young wheat and flax. I may be away about a week.

I have just received Scudder's book on North American that he was so busy with just before I started. It is based largely on my collection. He has also sent a copy to the Uni. of Nebr. at my request to be used there during the present spring's work by the class in entomology. It will be quite a help to students as well as entomologists in general.

Take good care of yourself and the little folks, and tell Seba to help you. I hope during the year to find something nice for each of you.

Good bye, A kiss and hug for each not including Seba and Grace.
Lawrence Bruner
(Some stamps for Kenelm)