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12/18/1942 - Summary Comments by Francis W. Herron

FH December Lincoln Way Ames Iowa Dear Roers In first letter I ArGentina I I thought quite proper statement In Commenting about certain smoke spirals which I train window Argentine plains I speculated about gauchos burning It Argentine stock foreigner If foreigner answer indicates conviction aucho gauchos plains considered little authentic knowledge about Argentina It before I discovered gauchos exist Twentieth Century Argentina I other newcomers learn Argentina beginning Many foreigners ppresume gauchos still Argentine plains I think because gaucho tradition survives language literate every country Argentines revere story Fierro Their beloved artist olina Campos authentic portrayer gaucho The plays which I Argentina those about gaucho Characters whose tragic courageous doings stage deeply affected Portefio provincial audiences The truth aucho tradition alive truth Argentines insist cultivating gaucho ideal courage which ideal So gaucho nomad glorified romanticized A mystic flair Argentine Will insists recreating perpetuating spiritual reality And Argentines point exist I listened appraisal gaucho interesting I heard Boliche La Consulta province Mendoza A endocino there thatlon friend through inner psychology breed The gaucho curious loyalties values His chief cerns order His horse woman A gaucho could afield weeks never would thought woman That incredible exaggerated appraisal aucho psychology strange strangeness distinctive legendary qualities Be confusion which I about gaucho flesh blood contemporary figure dismissed newspaper reporter interview One questions asked whether I gaucho I recog guile question I answered I aucho I meant country I might Study I showed interviewer Martn Fierro which I intended study which I expected learn about aucho The result interview fantastic probably foremost uenza embar rassment first month Argentina The published account provoked laugh among gentines introduced foreioner whose osity would satisfied until talked aucho The graph interview which amused rgentines folls The North Amerioan smiled perhaps because visualizing rebellious charm gaucho Jos Hernndez mortal character Finally course I learn truth about there being gauchos welcome frequently seriously question whether I gaucho But course I always answered Aud Argentines continued seriousness asked where I gaucho I reply I gaucho frgentine movies I shall never times I serious indirect Argentine humor which difficult understand until lived among Page simple paisano Argentines But often enough I It really after I certainlzidid catch C6rdoba friends there lained cachada other kinds indirect humor I began recognize instances I ashamed density I I begum learn slowness which I caught apireciate Argentine trait which foreigners never understand which Some sense sensing confused which still others because appreciate offense object manner I especially critical Iimaine reader which I wrote about things letters At points along reader acoss writing sophomore style At times letters travelogue which tries descriptive poetic succeeds neither comes write fashion I imagine because partly confused world which finds himself great striving tries present somethin which hopes appear authentic One middle without ticular adventure years suddenly placed strange country first bewildered After experience I shall suspicious world travelers write about scenery outward seeminG customs strange peoples understand country about which I Argentine conventional opinions I fancied broad minded character I presumed myself could entertain withan egotistical confide would formality basic truths about Argen Then I smugger positive I shall Because I could Spanish before I arrived Argentina because I meanings hundreds words occur language would problem A month I thought I would dominate language would possess accent distinction would speakin ccastizo correctness But I Buenos Aires rgentine Spanish which North Americans sounds machine which Argentines sounds machine first I found myself often paragraph behind One language overnight learn wealth slang expressions country short Argentines patient polite their continuous insistence I spoke better I heart boldness Yankee accent muddle plunge along It practice practice I found which teaches language which softens accent which sometimes after contin speaking makes cease think idioms native tongue words another languae Languae study endless striving fection At first problem understand oneself understood Tt fairly considered meager accomplishment The second stage speak fairly fluently unrammatically And stage absolute mastery language facility speakin fluently raatically without accent Vhen begins accept customs another country process faster might suppose At first there inner opposition acceptinG change believin values another vilization while livinG civilization should accepted It break reluctance reluctance built habit prejudice which important It state But prepared speak other If heart willing pliable In Letter still sense North Amer propriety I asserted would soontt I would speak compliment Page piro2o young I I passed street because attractive hence according Argentine logic meriting siooken description charms Yet Letter writing about piropo under guidance instruction Roglio Guardia Venado Tuerto friend I beginning think about piropo possibilities trying learn technique speaing Adi6s whatever looking young whose during paseo hours One laugh another example customs think character ridiculous North American become Latinish effusive greeting casual acquaintance I found myself however I irgentine friend street I shaking hands greeting effusively Should I Argen I shall myself quite character greet friends Latin embrace It almost second nature In I think nicer greeting hearty which favorite greeting United States during sunburn season Hov religiously intently might these letters would discover about Argentine women Since return asked question Usually I asked Argentine women compare North uerican women versa No doubt I could explain subject better I speak generalities Bt would hardly be2from point judicious roach subject So speaking gneralities I shall observe first indeed I observed striking feature Argen women their darker softer women I happily women countries special charm One impressed delicacy feminine qualities Argentine women These acteristics accentuated North aerican women I suppose because Argentine woman place where fills woman place world She concerned career other being mother I cannot would unpleasant beautiful Latin looking master least someone whose advice counsel regard somewhat voice wisdom I cannot feminine dependence masculine That dependence marked Argentina In truth Argentine environment which lives special appeal The North American independent manner feeling equality would place there Argentine would tuous North rican scene By reason these considerations possible compare types womanhood And token merely matter policy I I compelled judge which I prefer I prefer gentine gentina North uerican United States North tmerica As I tters which I I prompted mention errors misconceptions expressed In first letter I reported gentine government railroa Buenos Aires connction vious inconsistency because I osario Retire station narrow gauge state Although almost British Capital Argentine state railroads Argentina I esistencia Santa Fe ancient serviceable built maintained French capital French interests other small railroads Though I I Niendoza Spanish spoken province althouoh I discovered truth statement reader entitled Icnow Spanish C6rdoba I remarked Letter J E Johns All America Cable I United States citizens lendoza because information conclusion complex I erred There ormon missionaries Salt Lake City there several geolog engineers directing drilling operations shadow Tupungato majesty And I mention wells brings YPF Ar gentine government agency I stated monopoly It quasi monopoly other interests including Standard Oil still exploitation rihts parts Argentina In Letter remarked about buildin which looked might Cabildo panish Later I discovered Argentine newsreel indeed prototype Cabildo patriotic shrieo I I guess And making remarks letter about revolution rgentine itnessed I concluded killed epublic almost bloodless uprising Subsmquent investigation brought information althouh revolution compared weekend omobile casualties United Stats nevertheless gunshot wounds wounded Some things there about which receive complete count including certain number little adventures misadventures For thing I blueprint activities durin5 season Carnaval exciting before Lent begins Most those activities I assure innocent enough For example night during Carnaval I threw several pounds confetti colored paper Argentine 7venida young I lendoza I chanced again osario always chaperoned mother younger brother sister Nor I about another ArgBntine I brief enough Rayo Sol which English means sunshine Nor I vTite about cziollo gentleman I Tu rismo Hotel known dubbed E1 mburon which English means The Shark Su untold experiences which I about which I trouble notes mention without details rgentines I since United States marvelled caution tidity Both asked I Buenos Aires I I Palermo perforn Bataclan walkeup Calle Mayo vening Both asked I La Boca I One never visited La Boca Buenos Aires That I La Boca inexcusabl oversiht assert They invited La Boca It should there alone Itis sincere those these letters aside knowing Argentine better liking They people parts To I paisano endocino Cordobese Santafecino osarino PorteNo wished Que freely translated means Good Sincerely