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Printed letter head:                                                                                       

O. LETZGUS                                                               Buenos Aires……….5th July……….. de 189 5….

CASILLA DE CORREO 1296                                      ALSINA 555

Telegramas  LETZGUS

My dear Mother,

I had a letter from you the other day – it is in my “digs” so I can’t say what date, but it was about a month ago.     So they say over there that the mails never go out from Brazilian ports before the advertised time. Well perhaps they know best & I must be mistaken in thinking I was once on a Royal Mail steamer that left Rio a day and a half before the time announced, and that such an occurrence is not infrequent. Anyway I have not missed this mail, but have sent them some nice orders. I must try to get some more so that I may be well received on my return.

I visited Hirschbergs on Sunday. Mrs H. & the children are flourishing. There are two boys and a girl – all healthy, fat and pretty.^[1]

I have been dining out a couple of times and there are several invitations pending I know. Bertie’s partner was married two days ago.^[2] We went to the wedding, – church 8.30 p.m. all in swallow tail, reception afterwards – awful frost! Bad port-wine, – no champagne, thick sandwiches. The bride is rather nice and her sister is pretty, but the old father is as sour as unripe gooseberries and as glum a mute at a funeral. We had carriages to drive us out to the house in the suburbs and back to town. When Bertie and I were ready to come home – towards midnight – our coachman was sound asleep in the carriage & could not be wakened. I think someone had given him whiskey. So Bertie and I got on the box seat and he drove me home – 3 or 4 miles. We were stopped several times by policemen because we had no lights – the candles were burnt out, but after some conversation and a caution they let us pass. Meanwhile the jarvy slept blissfully though the coupé jolted fearfully over the rough roads.^[3] When we arrived I had to shake him for several minutes before I could bring him to his senses enough to let him take charge of the horses. I hope he got safely to the stables.

I have given them a note – to the office – of the dates at which I expect to be in the various ports on the way home and I shall expect letters from you to meet me on the way. It takes letters a fortnight to Pernambuco & 3 weeks to Rio, more or less.

Best love

Jack