01-045 [Family]
1882.10.05 Bulacan
From: Olimpia Rizal
To: José Rizal
Family news — More on the ravages of cholera — She tells Rizal to try to come home soon.
* * *
Bulacan, 5 October 1882
MR. JOSÉ RlZAL
MY DEAR BROTHER,
We received your letter and we are informed of its content.
I’m here because Silvestre is the officer-in-charge here. Since I came here on the 4th of July until now I have not been home.
Nanay (Mama) and María, accompanied by Pomuceno, visited me and attended the town fiesta on 15 August, the Assumption, who is the patron saint of this town. They stayed here at the station[1] for four days.
I wish to tell you that Sra. Neneng delivered on the 15 September after a labor of 24 hours. The baby was baptized on the 24th, the sponsors being Mr. Narciso Paterno and Mrs. Emilia Venegas of Sta. Cruz, represented by Sr. Paciano and Sra. Sisa. Lucía also gave birth in the month of July; I don’t know if they have written you about it. José is the name and the godfather is Sr. Paciano. The name of Sra. Neneng’s son is Alfredo Porfirio.
With regard to the epidemic that is spreading here in the province of Bulacan and Laguna, sixteen persons more or less die daily. Iná, her daughter, her husband, and another daughter are all dead; so also are the servant of Sra. Sisa, Punzo, and our relative Sra. Victoria of Meisic. On account of God’s mercy we siblings and our parents have not caught this disease and this is what I always ask the Virgin day and night that, if possible, not to take any one of us until we meet again. Therefore, try hard to come home soon and you know that our parents are already old.
This is all. Regards to you and if you ask about us we are well and do not get sick like before, thank the Lord. I inform you that Millong, Icang, and Chabeng also are all robust, and Trining is now a young lady.
Your sister,
Olimpia Rizal
[1] Telegraph station of which her husband, Silvestre Ubaldo, was the officer-in-charge.