Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-06-01
Inh and Leo hem, forward in breathless

JOB ami Leo bent forwaru In GREATNESS
| silence. The key turned and | flung
| back the lid and uttered an exclamation,
| as did the others, and no wonder, for in
| side the ebony case WAS maghificienl
silver casket, about twelve inches square
| by eight inches high II appeared To be-
| Of Egyptian workmanship, for the foui
legs were formed of sphinxes, and the
dome shaped cover was also surmoun,cd
by sphinx. The casket was of course
much tardished and dlmmed with age,
but otherwise In almost perfect condition.
drew il out and set il on the table and
then. IN the midst Of the most perfect ST.
lence, inserted the strange looking silver
key. aud pressed this way and that un.
I'll at last the lock yielded and the casket
stood open before us. Ii was filled 10 the
brim with some brown shredded material,
more like vegetable fiber than paper, the
nature OF which | had never been able To
discover. This | carefully removed To the
depth Of some three inches, when | came
to a letter inclosed in an ordinary modern
looking envelope. and addressed in the
handwriting OF my dead friend. Nincey:
To my son Leo. should he lice 10 open
this casket.
| handed the letter to Leo. who glanced
at the envelope. and then putting it down
upon the table, making motion 10 me to
go on emptying the casket.
The next thing came 10 was a parch-
ment carefully rolled up. | unrolled it,
and seeing IL was also in Vincey's hand
writing. and headed, Translation OF the
Uncal Greek Writing on the Potsherd,"
put il down by the letter. Then followed
another ancient, roll of parchment. that
had become yellow aud crinkled with the
passage Of years. This | also unroled
1t was likewise translation OF the same
Greek original, but in black letter. Latin
this time, and appeared to me, from the
style and character, TO date from the end
OF the fifteenth, or perhaps the middle Of
the sixteenth century. Immediately be
meath this roll was somethieg hard and
heavy wrapped up in yellow linen. and
reposing upon another layer OF the fibrous
material. Slowly and carefully we I'M
rolled the linen, and exposed TO view n
very large but undoubtedly ancient pots
herd Of dirty yellow color This potsherd
had in my judgment once been part OF an
ordinary amphora Of medium size For
the rest il measured eleven inches in
length by ten in width was about quar-
ter OF an iuch thich, and densely covered
on the convex side, that lay toward the
bottom Of the box, with writing in the
latter Uncial Greek character, faded here
and there but for the most part perfectly
legible, the inscription having evidently
been executed with he greatest care, and
by means Of reed pen such as the an
clients used | mus. not forget to mention
that in some remote age this wonderful
fragment had been broken in two, and re
Joined by means Of cement and eight long
rivets. Also there were numerous inscrip
tons on the inner side, but these were Of
the most cratic character, and had clearly
been made'by different hands and in many
different ages, and Of them | shall have TO
speak presently
us there anything more?' asked Leo, in
kind of excited whisper.
| CROPPED about, and produced some
thing hard, done up in little linen bag.
Out OF the bag we took, first, very beau
tiful miniature done upon ivory and sec
ondly small chocolate.colored compost
ton scdra5BUs. marked with symbols
which we have since aScertained mean
"Suten sc Ra, which is, being translated,
the Royal Son of Ra or the sun" The
miniature was the picture Of Leo's Greek
mother-a lovely dark.eyed creature. On
the back was Written. in poor Vincey's
handwriting, My beloved wife, died
May, 1856"
That is ALL" said
Very we'll" answered Leo, putting,
down the miniature, at which he had been
gazing affectionately; land now let us
read the letter." and without further ado
he broke the seal, and read aloud as fol.
lows
my SoN LEo.-When you open this. il
ever you live to do SO. you will have at
tanned to manhood, and shall have been
long enough dead TO be absolutely forgot
ten by nearly all who knew me. Yet in
reading it remember that have been, and
for anything you know may still be, and
that in it, through this link OF pen and
paper | stretch out my hands to you across
the gulf Of death, and my voice speaks to
you from the unutterable silence OF the
grave. Though ! am dead and no mem
Dry OF me remains in your mind, yet am
with you in this hour that you read. Since
your birth to this day | have scarcely seen
your face. Forgive me this. Your life
supplanted the life Of one whom | loved
better than women are often loved. and
the bitterness of il endureth yet. Had
llNtu Il slOulU III llilIt ndNC COHIutltu Wis
foolish feeling, but am not destined to
live My sufferings, physical and mental,
are more than | can bear, and when such
small arrangements as have to make for
your future well.being are completed it is
my intention 10 put period TO them May
God forgive me If do wrong At the best
could not live more than another year. "
so he killed himself" exclaimed. Il
thought so.
"And now" Leo went on without re.
plying enough of myself What has to
be said belongs TO you who live. not to
me who am dead, and almost as much for
gotten as though had never been. Holly,
my friend. (o whom, if he will accept the
trust. it is my intention to con6de YOU, will
have told you something of the extraordi-
nary antiquity Of your race. In the con
tents OF this casket you will find sufficient
to prove it, This strange legend that you
will find Inscribed by your remote ances
tress upon the potsherd was communicated
to Inc by my father on his death bed, and
took strong hold upon my imagination.
When | was only nineteen years OF age
atarminpd-aS IN his misfortune did one