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Thin paper Letter in black handwritten Chinese writing in between red thin vertical lines. Water stains in middle of paper "Honorable Father, As your son I am bowing on my knees and report to you respectfully, Your letter and money was received. In all it was 50 Yuan bills, 13 Yuan in coin. Self Control Association takes 1 Yuan and the bank takes 35 cents as a comission. I gave 10 Yuan to Sheng Cao. The remaining money will be for the family's expenses. Do not worry please. How is our elder brother? We have not heard news of him. If elder brother has commited some dishonorable act to create a rift in the deep affection between father and son, you had better teach him. Mother worries about this since you have not spoken of him in recent letters. The members of the family are increasing and so are expenses. For the whole year it is not less than several hundred Yuan. In the last letter you told me to stay at home and study for 2 - 3 years more, butI have finished all of the courses in the village school and must go to a higher grade school. Before we erceived your last letter, mother thought the expenses would be too much at the Chang Ping school - the tuition and other fees for one year is more that 100 Yuan and to board there is another 70 Yuan - so if we could not pay the money on time I would have to suspend my studies. We deceide to reserve the money first and I am staying at home until the end of this year waiting for your reply. If our elder brother does not get along with father, mother says to send him home, even though this would increase expenses. When Lian Fu returned he (elder brother ?) asked hime to give mother one gold coin. When Shang Son came back he asked him to take $20 to mother. No more money was sent back and we have not heard more news of him until we received your letter. Actually he sent letters and money very rarely. I heard that he quarreled with Uncle Shisui and left for another place. Ww wondered if he got another job after leaving the Jin Xiang Store. He never was one to cherish money, but spent it like water, so that mother and all of the family are worrying. Mother hoped that by sending hime to America he would make the family rich. Now things are contrary to our wishes. Mother would like elder brother to see how poor we are, awaken his conscience, and cause him to be a good son. In this case father has to send his family 400 or 500 Yuan t opay family expenses in addition to sending us 4 -5 letters every year so we do not miss him so much. Please keep your good health, and be careful. With best wishes, your son, Jin Yi nad grand son Pan Sen. 12/18 PS. If someone comes back to China please send a woolen pink shirt for Yue Qian and a woolen cap.

1999.060.386