Dapitan
Location of the white pearl — Praises Josephine Bracken (Miss B.) — “It is not good for you to live apart from our parents and you must try to have patience…” — Essential qualities of a young woman — a proposed arrangement with the friars (panot) to their houses in Kalamba —Requests items from Botica Schadenberg — Will not send her lard for fear of it being lost en route.
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Dapitan, August 27, 1895
Miss Trinidad Rizal
My very dear Sister:
I received your letter and I have understood its contents. Miss J. presents to you a pair of slippers which you will find inside the drawer of the cabinet. In the drawer where . . . . . the white pearl is, which I give you [in exchange for] the old one that was lost. Miss B. is not going there by . . . . . she keeps me company, fixes the cloth which comes out better than I imagined, nevertheless she says . . . . . [after] some more time, for sure . . . better than it seemed . . . . I do not believe that . . . . . in her place there could be one like her.
I feel much what is happening to you there, but I agree with Sra. Sisa. We Rizals have that character of living close to one another. It is all right for each one to have his house, if you wish to have a separate house I shall help you as much as I could with regard to the rental and other expenses. It is not good for you to live apart from our parents and you must try to have patience, be resigned and suffer, for these qualities [speak] very well of a young woman; a woman must be . . . . . obedient and cheerful, never frown even if you are not contented, for this is the sad fate that befalls the women; on the other hand, we men . . . . . on themselves the fault of others. A woman living with a family has to be contented with the [limitations] of the family, and if not [able] to conform with this, she will have no other recourse but to live separately. You have to be just and conform to the necessities of the [family]. If you wish to come and be satisfied with this dreary town and my poor house, I shall be very much pleased.
I gave to Moris the tobacco and the soap.
That of Panot,[1] I am not disposed to follow it unless our parents come; if they come and they are satisfied, then I shall comply and do everything they wish.
To the end that they return our houses in Kalamha, l have proposed an arrangement with the Panots. If our parents come, they should take along Emilio, Moris and Tan so I can teach them.
Out of the money that brother-in-law Antonio will receive, please do me the favor of buying a good cloth iron and a little indigo and send them through Schadenberg[2] or in the box that you are preparing. I cannot send you lard now, for there is nobody who may be going there and I am afraid it may get lost on the boat, the sack of rice came lacking 5 or 6 gantas per sack.
I received from the cabin boy Hipolito what you gave him.
Miss B. sends you affectionate regards.
You know that I am your brother who desires your happiness.
J. RIZAL[3]
01-864 [Family]
[1] This was the appellation that the Filipinos gave to the friars.
[2] The famous Botica Schadenberg which supplied what Rizal needed for his numerous patients.
[3] Besides giving the Society his permission to publish the letter belonging to his collection, Mr. Umbreit did the difficult task of transferring them. He is a member of the Society.