Dapitan
Dapitan (No date. April 1895?)
MRS. NARCISA RIZAL
MY DEAR SISTER,
I read your letter yesterday and Miss B.[1] and I thank you very much for your kindness. She above all is grateful to you and Tonino,[2] for the hospitality you offer her but for the present we have decided that she should stay here. She cannot send you anything for she has no moment of rest now and although she likes this, she cannot however dry fish or make pickles.
The jar of pickled fish eggs is very good and we enjoyed eating it.
Miss J.1 sends you very affectionate regards.
If Antonino3 likes to come, taking advantage of the school vacation, I would be very glad to see him here; but he should stay until June, for it is not worthwhile to stay only for a month and spend ₱40 for the trip. Moreover he cannot learn much in one month. I should like to know something of Leoncio4 and Consuelo.5
Next year I hope to have a large house and by then Antonio would have finished the bachelor’s course. Emilio6 and he can come and stay for a year at least. By then I shall be able to give them practical lessons on physics and chemistry.
How is Ikang7 getting along in her piano study?
With nothing more, many regards to all from your brother who loves you dearly.
J. RIZAL
01-847 [Family]
n.d [Wednesday] Dapitan
From: Jose Rizal
To: Trinidad Rizal
Invites his sisters to take a vacation in Dapitan — Engage in some business that will distract you and compensate you for your traveling expenses — The dam is already high but the work is stopped for lack of lime — The Subano hen and the iguana — A rich woman who pretended to be poor — Tell Nanay that relations with Boustead no longer possible – Items for their sister Maria.
* * *
Dapitan, (no date) Wednesday
TRINIDAD RIZAL
MY SISTER TRINJNG,
Only today the boat arrived. We received all that you sent us and your letter tells me that the sickness that you had did not last long.
All of us here miss you and many are asking when you are coming back. I believe that if you wish to come, you can do it by staying some months. You can engage in some business to distract you and at the same time to compensate you for your traveling expenses. If you wish to come, you can bring along Antonio.
The patients are here. The old man lives in the round house [with] his son. Sra. Manuela [Orlach] lives with us.
The dam that I am having built is paralyzed for lack of lime, but it is already very high. There are 14 boys at home and there is one more who likes to come.[3]
We are sending you fish, cacao, etc, in a box.
Sra. Maria is very well, but the poor one is kept very busy by Puence,2[4]who is always crying. He no longer amuses us with his nose or his eyes as when you were here.
Send us sago.
Moris2 now knows how to read very well and speaks Spanish.
Ever since you left few young men and women come, but on Sundays there are always magugubot.
We have already caught the sikop and the large iguana. The Subano hen hatched again the mountain eleven chicks, which until now are all well and complete. I have killed a young hen, because it was always climbing to the top of the bed.
Pastora’s3[5]cousin has been operated on and is well. A rich woman of Dipolog came but, as she introduced herself as a poor woman, I charged her only ₱5 for the operation.
The deaf cannot be operated on for neither does he sleep nor stay quiet.
Tell Nanay that that of Europe cannot be.4[6]The daughter in-law from Europe is about to be married, according to what my friends tell me. So that nothing from there.
Have a little patience: I cannot send you anything now, for there is much tintin.
The boys are wishing that you come back.
Tell Tone to send me half a dozen tableware like those he sent before for ₱3.50.
Many regards to all, to those at home, to Mr. Hino,5[7]etc.
Your brother who loves you dearly,
JOSÉ RIZAL
P.S.
Sra. María says that you send her ten packages of minced tobacco, three bolts of strong white cloth, one bolt of striped cloth like Emilio’s coat. From the money that Antonino will receive you can take ₱16; the ₱10 are partial payment of Magdalena and the ₱6 from what you have sent her.
03-848 [Reformists]
[1] Miss B. as well as Miss J. are the same Miss Josephine Bracken, or Tauffer.
[2] Tonino is Mr. Antonino López, husband of his sister Narcisa. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are their children.
[3] Among these were Elum, Rómulo Amat, José Aseniero, José Dalman, Aniceto Bahamonde, Filomeno Acopiado, Melchor Taladua, Catalino Galemet, José Caangcan, Lucas Adasa, Marcial Borromeo, Marcelino Galleposo, and Adolfo Tantico.
[4] Puence (Prudencio) and Moris (Mauricio) are sons of his sister Mar i a wife of Daniel Cruz.
[5] Pastora is Rizal’s laundry woman.
[6] He referring to Miss Nelly Boustead of Bruxelles (Brussels) .
[7] Mr. Higino Francisco, a distant relative of Rizal and active participant in the patriotic movement.