UU HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS San Jose, Costa Rica, May 3, 1948.
Dear Mother: Except for the fact that was coming down with a cold my birthday last Saturday was a pleasant and interesting day.
In the morning we drove with Sis to Alahuela, a town a bout half an hour drive away, to buy some leather goods. Thet town specializes in such and make very nice things, and of course like all handiwork in this country, most of it is highly decorated. We came home for lunch with the director of the Costa Rican American Cultural Instituto. He had about ten people in, and after lunch they gave me a collection of humorous presents, suob as a miniature native cart loaded with bullets or assorted sizes with a card commenting that these were some missed; a package of chewing gum with the adminition to take a stick before starting on hair raising journeys; etc.
After lunch came home to receive a visit from Mr.
Ulate who had asked for an appointment. He stayed an hour and a half, exchanging impressions on the political situation. In the evening we had a quiet family dinner at Andy Donovan Sunday, my cold was worse and stayed in bed all day and read and slept.
Today, Monday, my cold is much better. had a quiet day at the office, my only visitors being (1) the retiring head of the parcel post section of the nost office who wanted a letter of thanks for years of faithful service to use with the new government in case it tries to cut off his nension, and (2) a Nicaraguan who said he was a confidential agent of Somoza sent here to see if relations between the two countries can be patohed up. was non committal, the more so as have no certain information as to who he is or what he wants. came home early to receive Mr. Figueres and Mr. Esquivel, the latter being Ambassador designate to the United States, They had asked for an appointment but it turned out that they were just making a social call. They stayed about hall an hour and drank a cocacola apiece but did not disougs anything important.
Such is the birthday weekend of a 80 09lled diplomat.