23 October 1895

Dapitan

Items arrive and items that did not – Finally had to buy something from the Chinese – Payments for her – Having lost partners, he no longer engages in business – Sends her dried fruit – So much lanzones – His pupils’ examinations – Josephine Bracken continues to care for him.

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Dapitan, October 23, 1895

My dear sister Trining:

I received the three sacks of rice and two boxes, one containing chocolates and the other a bolt of cloth, seeds, sugar, ankak and tea, for all of which I thank you. Neither the dimity nor the coco espartero has arrived as I had expected, and I am returning the bolt of cloth, thanking you for it. Here I have to buy dimity from the Chinese, for although I have promised not to buy anything from them, this time I do not have any more remedy but to humiliate myself. The passion flower you are telling me about has not arrived either.

The boards serve me in making bread, biscuit; the drawers of the cabinets were inside the box. The mother of Lucas says that she has already paid Sra. Maria what she owed you: first she gave you, according to her, 2$, later she paid Sra. Maria on two different occasions. The whole family of Romulo is in Sindafigan.

I do not have any more partnership in abaca and I do not engage in business anymore. If my father cannot come or will not venture to, then you can send Moris and Tan with Toni and Mate who have to come also.

By this mail you will receive durian, lanzones, honey, etc. I had prepared and dried under the sun plenty of lanzones, more than three baskets, but they were spoiled. Now I will put these in sand, and I do not know if they will arrive there in good condition. I had so much lanzones that the boys could not eat all. The ground is covered with lanzones, broken and trampled upon. Nobody cares to gather them. One day when I went up the mountain, I saw my lanzones there covered with fruits; monkeys and wild hogs. I gathered those that had fallen near the tree and they could not be contained in all my pockets. Surely even if I had 30 pupils, they would not have been able to eat all those which had ripened. By this boat I am not sending you anymore, because I am afraid that they may not arrive there in good condition.

The children here had their examinations on the 14th of this month; the examiners were the Captain, Dn. Cosme, Dn. Antonio and the teacher Sixto. Marcel, Lucas, Adolfo and Filo are not here anymore.

You are going to receive also two tagikanes.

Here we are going along well. Miss B. makes suman,[1] bagoong, and bread; but as we have not gotten any flour in this mail, I do not know what we are going to eat in the morning.

With no more news, your brother who loves you well,

JOSE RIZAL

Many regards to Mr. Gino, Aunt Concha, Aunt Tikang, etc. Miss B. is sending you her regards.

I would like the honey distributed equally to all the sisters.

05-871 [100 Letters]