[
    {
        "id": 211465,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1988",
        "page_number": 181,
        "title": "RAS-1988",
        "content_text": "157\n\nconverted to Christianity. Although I did not understand the import of the occasion, I sensed it was a special event the Sunday we were all baptized at the Fort Street Chinese Church to which Father already belonged. We were amused when Helen, then a baby, pushed the minister's hand away when he reached out to baptize her. Thereafter the family attended church regularly, participating in all the religious celebrations in new outfits, especially during Christmas when our excitement ran high. On Sunday afternoons we would worship again at the Kauluwela Mission on Vineyard Street, located midway between Liliha and River Streets. Mrs. Cooper had come from Chicago to carry on this mission work financially supported by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Richards, in order to reach out to the different races (Chinese, Hawaiians, Portuguese, Puerto-Ricans, and even a few Russians) living in several camps in that area. Mrs. Cooper would often ask Mother to accompany her when visiting Chinese families. In time we became good friends. Whenever Mrs. Cooper visited us, she would have us kneel while she prayed long and fervently, giving me the impression that we were sinners needing forgiveness.\n\nIn 1917 we moved to 178 South School Street in order to accommodate a growing family, at a time when many of our Chinese neighbours were beginning to move to other parts of the city. The more affluent ones bought or built larger and better homes around and beyond Thomas Square. The arrival of the automobile, electricity, and telephone changed our way of life. Within several years tragedy came into our lives when Father died. After an initial severe grief reaction, Mother knew that she had to face reality. She heeded the advice of Bishop Bank to let the Bishop Trust Company administer Father's estate, and as a result, she discovered, to her regret, that she had no say in any decision-making. She was allowed only 60 dollars a month. It was a neighbour, Lam Ôn, who counselled Mother to contest the application of the trust company to continue as guardian of her minor children's share of the estate, and to retain I. M. Stainback as her attorney. Thus she was able to secure the guardianship. By careful management of the assets, she was able to turn over our respective interests to us when each of us reached the age of majority. Although Father did not leave much, there was enough to support Mother through life and for her to leave what remained to her surviving daughters.\n\n1",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1988.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ft84gb83q",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211470,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1988",
        "page_number": 186,
        "title": "RAS-1988",
        "content_text": "162\n\nthe rod. She would say, “A good rod produces a good offspring\". The louder I yelled, more out of anger than of pain, the more she applied the rattan until I gave in. She must have entertained some guilt over her handling of me, because when her anger subsided, she would rub the black and blue stripes on my legs with a Chinese herbal liquid. Father never interceded. Once when I attended a lawn party at the Theodore Richards home and did not heed Ruth's warning to desist from active play, Mother withheld dinner from me when she discovered that I had soiled my party dress. Even when Father asked me to supper, I did not dare join the family. It was not until Mother found me stealing food from the cupboard that she relented. There were times when she restricted my freedom by tying me to the leg of the dining table with a dog chain. It seemed that I was the child on whom she usually took out her frustrations, causing me to wonder at times if I were adopted. Ruth had her share of punishment, but much less. When Mother was in her 70's, I asked her why she had always concluded I was in the wrong without asking for my version. She merely smiled and asked what she should do to rectify it. In spite of these clashes of will, she gave me a good deal of love. I remember the time, when I was about 10, how pleased I was when she praised me for carrying the heavier of two bottles of limes she had left in the sun to cure. I also felt her concern the times she would prepare special foods and herbs for me, or massage my chest with warm peanut oil whenever I got sick. As I grew in knowledge and maturity, I began to understand her desire to bring me up correctly with the kind of discipline that prevailed in the Chinese culture. We were then able to communicate effectively, with much understanding and concern for each other.\n\nIn 1917 after Mother, who was under the care of Dr. Mitamura, almost suffered a miscarriage, Father bought a three-bedroom house from a Mr. Azevedo at 170 South School Street, the third one from Lusitana Street. It was located at the foot of Punchbowl where many Portuguese had settled, and was part of a small orange grove once owned by Judge Antonio Perry's father. We not only enjoyed the fruits of the three orange trees but also those of the avocado and Pirie mango trees which we planted - a great source of vitamins for us.\n\nOn 7 October, 1917, on a Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. Lam Toy chanced to visit us, Mother gave birth to her last child, attended by Dr.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1988.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ft84gb83q",
        "rank": 0
    }
]