15 January 1896

Dapitan

Order for household equipment — Sends money for the bicycle — Presents of fish, cacao, and music books from Miss Josephine — Good Dapitan Christmas — “My greatest happiness would be to have you all by my side.” — They should think it over before they join him — Trining can live in the town and open a store — He bought more land — Order list.

* * *

Dapitan, 15 January 1896

MISS TRINIDAD RIZAL

MY DEAR SISTER TRINING,

I received your letter and the remittances as well as the invoice and for this I thank you. With the enclosed letter of the Chinese Pedro you will collect ₱100 which you will get ₱22 and one real for what you have sent me by this mail and with the balance you will buy the articles in the list, getting your commission for the articles marked with a cross and you will give the remainder to our mother for my bicycle. Collect also the price of the hemp cloth, the sealing wax, and the clogs. You will also receive a box containing fish, cacao, and books. The dried fish was prepared by Miss J. and you should divide it between Sra. Neneng, Sra. Sisa, the aunts, and Mr. Hino. The cacao is for you at home and the music books are Miss J.’s present to Angélica and Delfina.

I do not want a deluxe bicycle; what I like is a sturdy one that can run on sand and on these bad roads, and does not cost more than ₱100.

To produce garnet the mixture should be, I believe, red and carmine.

We celebrated Christmas merrily, as almost always. We killed a small pig and a hen; we invited our neighbors; there was dancing; we laughed a great deal until dawn. We did not sleep on 31 December until the New Year.

With regard to the contract proposed by Sra. Lucía to you or Pangoy, I tell you that it made me very glad. You already know that I want to devote my life to our parents and my brothers and my greatest happiness would be to have you all by my side. If you want to come, I shall be very glad; but think it over well. You know how I live and who are with me. I assure you that you will not find any one here who will seek quarrels; here all live in peace. If you approve of my present condition, very well. Miss J. is better than her reputation, and since she has been staying with me, her little defects are being corrected. She is meek and obedient, and not hard-headed; besides she has a good heart. What we only need is to pay a curate, that is to say, that it is not necessary to us. Until now, we have not quarreled; we are always gay, jesting. The public can say that it is a scandal; without doubt it is. It is very scandalous to live better than many married people. We work and we are contented. She will do everything to be your friend, but what will people say? If you come and you do not want to live at my home, you can open a store in the town. The house of Capitán Andres, of wood with a large lot, the best in the town, will be at your disposal. You can open a store upstairs, but it you want to come, it is better to consult with our parents.

As you will learn in the letter I write our mother. I have bought a piece of land with abaca. It is beside a river that resembles the Calamba River — crystalline fresh water, wide, swift stream. My land is half-hour from the sea. The place is very poetic and very picturesque, better than the Ilaya River, without comparison. At some points it is wide like the Pasig River and clear like the Pansol, almost, and like this it has crocodiles in some parts. There are dalag and pakó. If you and our parents come, I am going to build a large house where we can all live together. The difficulty is, whom are you going to marry here? The town is lonely still, for there is almost no one. In front, Capitán Venancio has his lands and they say that if we live here, they will also stay there. If you could come married… but even then, once married, it is necessary to look for better places. This is good for me, tired of the world and disappointed with many things.

Many patients come but poor in the majority.

If enough money is left, pay Schadenberg ₱ 17.10 for a new box of Emulsion that he sent me here last December.

Miss J. appreciates your regards and returns them doubled.

Tell Delfina that I received her letter and picture that pleased me very much. She reminds me of her mother when she was young. I do not write her now because I have no time and I am very tired.

Many regards to all at home, to those of Trozo, and to other friends.

Your brother,

JOSÉ RIZAL

List of Orders

x 200 tin lanterns (Until 8 cuartos each)

x 4 cans of petroleum x

x 1 cate (equivalent to 1 lb. 6 oz.)

x 1 arroba (25 lbs.) of wax of 6 candles each package

1 set of lottery or Lotto

Cinnamon, miki,[1] sotanjun,1 bijun,1 cloves, soya guce.

1 box of Pear’s fine soap (Botica Inglesa)

1 box of fine soap Lactuca (Rosario St. or Nueva St.)

1 sponge

1 pair of strong sandals for women

1 pair of strong sandals for men

Same size.

1 vara (33 inches) of strong canvas, first class, for making shoes.

My albums with pictures.

If you are coming:

1 box of tableware of white metal, good quality.

2 tureens

2 platters

4 large cups

1 tacho (Shallow cooking pan generally made of copper.)

1 taliasi or cagua (Large iron cooking pan)

1 shovel, several iron hoops.

Orders with x are for Capt. Venancio; get the commission

x 1 weight of bitters. For Judge Mateo; get

x 1 jar of Jayne’s carminative balsam your commission

x 4 reales of esencia maravillosa

01-885 [Family]