The pickle (泡菜) jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser (梳妆台) in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss (投掷) his coins into the jar. It seemed that he was accustomed____doing such a thing When the jar was filled, I used to ____(go) with him and he would take the coins to the bank. “These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill (磨坊) all his life like me. If he ____ (work) like me in the future, he might not have a bright future. Good education can make a difference to people.” He had the coins ____ (count) and then he deposited the money in the bank.

    The years passed, and I finished college and took a job. Sometimes the job makes me tired ____(mental) but it is my particular preference. If possible, I will do it permanently in my life. Once, while ____ (visit) my parents, I noticed that the pickle jar in my parents' bedroom was gone. My father thought ____ very important for me to receive a good high education. He demanded that I ____ (try) my best to enter a good university.

    The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we made an ____(appoint) to visit my parents so we spent the holiday with them. Now our big family consists of five people. When Susan came back into the living room, she said softly, “Look”. To my amazement, there stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already____ (cover) with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins.

    With the strong emotion choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw Dad who was carrying Jessica. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions as I felt.

    皮豹子，渔阳人也。少有武略。泰常中，为中散。太武时，为散骑常侍，赐爵新安侯，又拜选部尚书。后除开府仪同三司，进爵淮阳公，镇长安。坐盗官财，徙于统万。真君三年，宋将裴方明等侵南秦王杨难当，遂陷仇池。太武征豹子，复其爵位，寻拜使持节、仇池镇将，督并中诸军与建兴公古弼等分命诸将，十道并进。四年正月，豹子进击乐乡，大破之。宋使其秦州刺史胡崇之镇仇池，至汉中，闻官军已西，惧不敢进。豹子与司马楚之至浊水，击禽崇之，尽虏其众，仇池平。未几，诸氐复推杨文德为主以围仇池，古弼讨平之。

    时豹子次下辨，闻围解，欲还。弼使谓豹子曰：“贼耻其负败，必求报复，不如陈兵以待之。”豹子以为然。寻除都督秦、雍、荆、梁、益五州诸军事，进号征西大将军、开府，仇池镇将、持节、公如故。宋复遣杨文德、姜道盛寇浊水，别遣将青阳显伯守斧山，以拒豹子。浊水城兵射杀道盛。豹子至斧山，斩显伯，悉俘其众。

    初，南秦王杨难当归命诏送杨氏子弟诣京师文德以行赂得留出奔汉中宋以文德为武都王守葭芦城招诱氐羌。于是武都阴平五部氐人叛应文德，诏豹子讨之。文德阻兵固险，以拒豹子。文德将杨高来降，文德弃城南走，收其妻子寮属及故武都王保宗妻公主送京师。宋白水太守郭启玄率众救文德，豹子大破之。启玄、文德走还汉中。

    兴安二年，宋遣萧道成等入汉中，别令杨文德、杨头等率氐、羌围武都。豹子分兵将救之，闻宋人增兵益将，表状求助。诏高平镇将苟莫干率突骑二千以赴之，道成等乃退。征豹子为尚书，出为内都大官。宋遣其将殷孝祖修两当城于清东，以逼南境。天水公封敕文击之，不克。诏豹子与给事中周丘等助击之。宋瑕丘镇遣步卒五千助戍两当，豹子大破之。追至城下，其免者千余人而已。既而班师。先是，河西诸胡亡匿避命，豹子讨之，不捷而还，又坐免官。寻以前后战功复擢为内都大官。

卒，文成追惜之，赠淮阳王，谥曰襄。子道明袭。

(选自《北史》，有删改)