1705034450
This last wish was expressed by my elder uncle. I knew it because, being himself fond of writing, he always said the same thing to every new-born baby.
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1705034452
The inspection was over, the little girl was wrapped up again and carried away. The relatives presented my mother with gifts. There were eggs in woven baskets, cackling hens, bags of sugar, selected rice—beautiful rice, which one would like to string on a thread and wear for a necklace, so beautiful it was—and sweets… .
1705034453
1705034454
My grandmother glanced from the bag of sweets to me, and began laughing again.
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1705034456
The procession of relatives moved to the dining room. At the table, the return gifts from our family were distributed, each relative receiving two red eggs. I was sad; we did not have enough money, so I could not stick a gilt-paper hieroglyphic meaning “luck” on the eggs.
1705034457
1705034458
A year later, on my sister’s birthday the same relatives again crowded into our house. A red tablecloth was put on a table in the sitting room, and all sorts of objects were spread out: a needle and thread, a saucepan, a teapot, a paint-brush, an inkpot, a knife, a book of verses, a book of stories, a flexible fencing-foil, a piece of printed silk.
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1705034460
Then the little girl, who, in her embarrassment, was trying to stick her foot into her mouth, was brought to the table, to see what object she would pick up first. If she takes a brush, she will be an authoress; if she grabs at a saucepan, she will be a housewife; if she touches silk, she will be a well-dressed woman; if she picks up a foil, she will make herself famous as a heroine or a chieftain.
1705034461
1705034462
I don’t know what object my little sister chose. Judging by the fact that she is now in Peking University, and shows a great deal of interest in literature, she must have chosen a brush or a book. However, she was a niece of two teachers. So many books and so much stationery were piled up that day on the red cloth that the insignificant needle and thread had no chance of getting into the hands of little Shih-kuen.
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1705034464
In those days, she was the important person in the house. But I did not mind. I was grown up. I was six years older than she.
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1705034466
Notes
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1705034468
European method of holidays, having one day of rest a week.
1705034469
1705034470
public schools, in our country, the schools established by the city, provincial, or national government where every qualified person can get a free education; the opposites of private school which are maintained by private individuals or bodies for the education of private students.
1705034471
1705034472
springs or places where water wells up from the earth are rare （hard to find）, because so few, in a desert.
1705034473
1705034474
one week day, any day in the week but not Sunday.
1705034475
1705034476
cover, the quilt or bed-cover.
1705034477
1705034478
Why little balls and wrinkles ?
1705034479
1705034480
some sweets, some sweet candy for the new-born baby to eat. Of course we know that babies of that age do not eat candy, but how was the little brother to know that? It was cruel of the grandmother to laugh at the young lad. Still, we must excuse her for she was only an ignorant old woman.
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1705034482
paid dearly, suffered much teasing; was often teased because of his mention of going to the store to get the baby some candy.
1705034483
1705034484
On what occasion did the grandmother tease him, a little later in the story?
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1705034486
dowry, the money, goods, or estate which a woman brings with her to her husband in marriage; dot.
1705034487
1705034488
labor, childbirth; the giving birth to children, because of the pains that attend childbirth.
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1705034490
longingly, with eager desire.
1705034491
1705034492
Why businessslike manner ?
1705034493
1705034494
buzzing, noisy because there were so many of them around.
1705034495
1705034496
What is this occasion mentioned here, that happens a month later, after the birth of the child?
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1705034498
affable, gracious; courteous; sociable.
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