*As I before wrote you I shall cable when I start from here, and also telegraph as soon as I land in the U.S. Will write at least once more and mail a draft to you for a thousand or twelve hundred dollars so as to provide against any possible accident. Would not like to carry so much money with me nor have a draft go on the same ship with me. By sending on another vessel then will be greater if chances of getting it home. Will of course bring along the duplicate and triplicate myself. Until next time. Good bye Kisses to All, Lawrence Bruner

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Febr. 9 1898
Dear Marcia:
I did not write my usual letter on Sunday because I was rather tired and had nothing special to write about. Even now there does not seem to be anything to say that I haven't written before.

During the past ten days I have been very busy writing my report so that I was at my desk from early morning till quite late at night only stopping long enough to go out for my meals. Now that I have come down here to see about the printing of the report I seem to have nearly all of the arranging to do myself. Must also look after the engravings &c. The president of the Commission is sick and confined to his home, the secretary is in Europe and the acting secretary out of town. I was intending to leave here on a steamer that will sail direct to New York about the 1st of March. Therefore I hope that the printers will "get a move on themselves" and allow me to see all the proof before that time. I still have about a day's writing to do before the MSS are all ready. Yesterday the printers said that they could do the job in about two months. Just think of it! A little pamphlet of not more than 120 pages, and take that time. Why the State Journal or Jacob North & Co. would run it off in less than a week. The firm to which I went is one of the largest in the Republic, in fact in South America. But this is only a sample of how slow they are here in everything.

Should I take the steamer here about the 1st of March it would reach New York around the 26th or 27th of the month. If I have to wait a few days later and take another steamer that

connects at Rio de Janeiro with the regular Lamport and Holt line for New York it might be as late as the 5th to 7th of April before I could reach home. Of course now that I have worked hard and done my best I would hate to see the report made a botch by the proofreaders who know nothing about the subject whatever. Possibly too, there will be war with Spain by that time and I may be obliged to return via the west coast and California to avoid being captured by Spain. Who knows? But I am not worrying so as to lose either sleep or flesh.

As yet I have been unable to get word of your package which you sent me for Xmas. You had better go and see the express company and have them find and return it to you or pay for it. It will not reach me now since is has been over 3 months since you sent it.

My report will be quite well illustrated with colored plate, photo-engravings and zinc etchings. If the printing is done as carefully as I have tried to do my report if had ought to be the best work that I ever had done. It will possibly change the ideas of the natives about me and my work a little. Some of the things which appear in the newspapers occasionally are sufficient to "make a horse laugh". Just the other day the "Capital" of Rosario printed an article of half column entitled "El Fiasco de Brunner." Two days later in the same paper at just about the same peace on the front page was quarter column denoted to "Rehabilitando á Brunner;" and so they go merrily on. The whole matter rather amuse me than otherwise. In fact, the first title sounds so well that I told Mr. James that if ever I had a boy I would give him that for a name."

I expect to return to tomorrow night or not later than Friday night where I will spend about a week in pakcing up for home. After that I will have nothing to do but looking after the printing of the report and getting ready for home. By the time this letter reaches you I may be a thousand miles or more on my way. How quickly the year has passed and how little has been really accomplished!*

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Febr. 15 1898
Dear Marcia:
Well I have just received another lot of letters from the United States  ​Today the Steamship "Merida" arrived direct from N.Y. and brought quite a mail. Your letters of Jan. 3 and 10 or that were mailed on those dates, one from Ella at Rosebud, another from Amy and still another from Father — all came today. Besides these there was one from the Doctor on the steamer on which I came down as far as Rio de Janeiro. He writes to invite me to make their home my stopping — place while in New York on my return to the "States." He has also been good enough to ask that should you meet me there to bring you too. Very kind of him indeed, I think.

All my illustrations are ready and the type — setting has commenced on my report. Just how the Commission is going to like it I cannot say, but one of the members told me today that he became so interested in

it that he couldn't stop until he had read it through, and he read over two hours. The report is very much condensed to what I could have made it had I thought it worth my while to write it out in full. In fact, they have asked me to expand a little more in some directions when I come to proofreading.

Quite recently — during the past week there have been some very severe earthquake shocks in the province of Catamarca up towards Bolivia. in fact I felt them a very little on two occasions while lying on my bed at Caracaña. I send you a newspaper clipping from yesterday's "Prensa" or so you can see how such affairs are reported in this quarter of the world. Would like to see the region in question, but cannot since there are several things to prevent it. First, I cannot leave my proof — reading; secondly, I have no time to go off on my "earthquake" chases; and thirdly, I have no passes to all of the parts of country that would necessarily have to be travelled.

So near as I can tell at present I will be starting for home in about two weeks — a day or two more or less. The steamer may have on the last day of this month, and maybe not before the 2nd or 3rd

of March. It will sail direct, I believe i.e., not touch at any port after leaving Montevideo till it reaches New York. If it does about 24 to 26 days will be required for the journey. Will write again in a few days after I know a little more definitely about it. Will also cable my departure. If I take passage on the "Merida" will only cable "Sail;" but if on another vessel will also give name. Will also mail you a draft for the money that I have coming to me case of accident to ship on which I go, though I don't anticipate any. Will also keep duplicate by me case of letter being lost, while the triplicate will be mailed later to stand surely for a possible double accident.

Do not expect to remain in the east any longer than absolutely necessary — possibly 8 or 10 hours after landing. If I arrive and land in morning hope to start home by evening train. Of course will have a little time to spend in getting through the custom's house and in repacking and shipping my belongings. May go via of Washington though hardly expect

to do so. Case I do will try to arrive there in the morning and leave in the evening of same day. When I once get on the same piece of land on which my home is I believe that I will be quite anxious to get there as quickly as trains will carry me.

The locust — fungus (which by the way they want to call Bruner's Fungus) has been doing great havoc among the ranks of the destructive insect during the past couple weeks. In fact it has completely wiped out one large swarm of them in the vicinity of where I did what I could to get it started. The Govt. Commission are now beginning to recognize it and may yet come around and be on friendly terms before I leave the country. Hope it may be so, for I have been approachable from the beginning had they "tried it on."

With good wishes for all, and kisses to yourself and the babies until I see you. Good bye.

Yours etc.

Lawrene Bruner