The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02

er Charaxus, the lover of the notorious
Rhodopis, to make up the quarrels which
had so long separated them. The ecclesiast-
zeal literature, of course, is extensive, the
most important being very early copy of
a portion of the gospel of Matthew-prob-
ably the earliest. 1t is not those religious
or classical fragments that possess that hui
man interest which is the charm of archae-
ology. Little pieces of paper, often torn
and badly written and with defective spell
ing, often have a tale of much interest to
TELL and of these torn scraps there are
many. OF society letters there are several
-Four lines of writing record invitation
to dinner: "Chaeremon requests your COM
pany to dinner at the table of the Lord
Scraps, in the Serapaeum, tomorrow, the
have been found which show that o'clock
was the fashionable Graeco- Roman dinner
hour. The dinner referred to was, no doubt,
a festival of Serapis-the favorite GEaeco-
Roman god, as is shown by another beauti-
fully written letter: Greeting my dear Se-
renia from Pet-osiris. Be sure dear to come
on the 10Th for the birthday festival ofsthe
god (Serapis); and let me know whether
you are coming by boat or donkey, that we
may meet you accordingly"
and it would be suitable for the nineteenth
century. In another feminine letter written
by country friend we. have the usual
stuff is to be matched for tunic; small
chesses are wanted for the festival, and an
ObOs worth of sake for vras y sen 1s
flowers (?) and apples There Is something
very much of the modern society air in the
following letter, although of the time OF the
second century.
A lady writes to her friend to say she has
pledged Baskets of sandalwood, another Of
onyx a white veil with purple border,
armlets, statue of Aphrodite," and other
objects, and asks her friend to redeem
them. The rate of interest is per cent per
month, a most exorbitant charge but as the
debt was in all probability gambling one,
the money must be obtained. Another IN
teresting letter is that from father to ms
Il Grw4 e.. nc
ment is broken off on account or his 1asr
life and association with the women OF Alex
andria. Education seems to have been very
general in the city, and there are SeVeTal
schoOlboyS letters, the best being certainly
the following. 1t is written in rude, sloplng
uncials, and both grammar and spelling are
defective. 1t reads:
'Theon to his father Theon greeting. It
is a fine thing of you not to take me with
you to the city If you do not take me with
you to Alexandria, won't write a letter To
you or speake to you, or say goodbye 10
you That is what will happen If you won
take me. Mother said to Archelaus: 1t quite
upsets him to be left behind. 1t was good
of you to send me a present on the 2Dth,
the Gay you sailed. Send me Tyre pray
YOU If you don't / won't eat, won't drink.
There now that is what will happen. This
charming record of petulance and sarcasm
was penned about LOCO years ago. and we
could match it at the present time
OF still greater interest to the citizen or
the present progressive age are the munlci-
pal documents The documents relating 70
the sale of the taxes record the fact thai
although the annual farming had twice been
held no one would come forward TO buy
on account of former losses. The accounts
of the city police are very interesting but
dry Very curious are the reports OF the
municipal doctor, who had been sent by the
governor to hold an inquest on a man who
hanged himself. and at another Ilme a
girl who was injured by the fall OF hOusS.
and cut about the hips and legs. The pay
ment to the carpenters for the repairs and
decoration of Shepherds street has much OF
the air of a modern county council missiye.
In conclusion, as we turn over this bundle
of old letters we once more recall the old
saving. ever true, there Is nothing new
under the sum-.