New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-24
GLIHPSES OF EGIPTI4N LIFE.
SOME INTERESTING DETAILS FROM THg
oXYRYNCHUs PArYRI


The Cond part Of Afassrs t;r.rf.r. and HIM.,
"OXyrynchus PapyrT EGYPT Exploration FuniI
gives Us Il further glimpse into fle Ifa led nv
coloniStS IN Egypt during ID. .4riy Christlas
centuries. Although il does not contain So man
amusing private letters as i's predecessor some
or tn legal documents II r.prudGces are inter.
estnS. witness what would nowadays be called
4 Dall bond given by one rh,0n DO che Cover.
nor 81 the prison Il Ieus" Il swear D. Tiberus
Caesar NoYus Augustus Imp-rltJr that have
thirty days IN which 10 restore % Won tha mar
whom baled out Of the public prison in (Junel
OF the present year Sarap..u son II Sarapion
arrested through Billus assistant % the doe.
ceteS magistrate for Crown lauds) On accom-,
or note Of hand for q gold bracelet weighing
two nina 90 MaEauus IN behalf " Aline cti
zen, daughter II D0rysfus II / 30 not produce
him within the said number II days ! will nav
the said two nina Of gold without delay and
nave 10 power 10 obtain a further period u
time, nor TO transfer myself % another prison"
one would like to know more Of the bachelor
the eXtraYagant young Sarapion. who bought
on credit gold bracelet worth 80 Of our money
for a lady of the city" and what induced Thean
10 go bail for him Was it merely good nature
or was he like one OF the professional balls
whose readiness 70 "perjure thcmS Ives before
the Judges of the land for half crown crime"
so shocked Mr. PickV ick? The class were c-r.
talnly not unknown in Egypt al the time
Another Dapyrus in the same volume how
ever. leads one TO think that Theons Interest
was of the would be paternaI kind. "SyrA
daughter Of Theon. complains 10 the Chief JUS
tiCe: 1 married Sarapion. bringing him by ces-
sion n dowry amounting 10 TWO hundred
drachmR Of silver. AS he was destitute q
means, received him into my parents house,
and for my part conducted myself blameessly
in all respects But SaTapion. having squan-
dered my dowry as he pleased continually III
treated and insulted me. using violence toward
me, and deprving me OF the ne,,sS aries Of lie;
finally he deserted me, leaving mo in A state u
restitution. | therefore beg sou TO order him
to be brought before you, in order that be may
be compelled perfOrce to pay back my dowrE
increased by half its amount" Evidently sra
discovered too late that II ,h, Iroyerb abol!
reformed rake making the best husband be
true it Is as well TO see that the rake IS re-
formed before you commit your fortune to him
The marriage yoke, however, sat very lightI
upon these gay colonists. Tn. marriage CONTRACT
between one Dionysius and apus lady
wealth who brings 10 her husband besides eA'
pectatons in the shape OF nous. lloperty. urn.
ture and slaves upon her mothers deathl lour
mime of gold. three dresses and some WeH'
acres of land expressly provides that II me
young couple disagree and Sa~ilus shaE "Sn
TO leave DiOnyslus she shall receive PACK AZ.
dowry less a provision FOR any child OF .ns
marriage who shall prefer o. remain WIN Wv
rather Another papyrus shows such al a.
rangemtn Mt at work. the lady In this case reotsi,
inG back her dow-y after she rad been MARI
year, and each partner agreeing that no 60. 60.
should be made upon the other A sun ~ -
INFORMAL arrangement Is SIti'Ntu III N'N
between Tryphon and SarUus. when was "a
pressly stated not to be regular ihai.'ss
contract. In this case the lady contributes Io,.
silver drachmR, pair OF gold earrlhss an 80
milk white robe 70 the common fund uiuel a.,
form of a loan to her quasi husband VINO un. 81,
takes to reray the dOWry cor us equlFaiei.' III ~,
months. and To provide on separation for Wa
Mr.. Kpling would all the almost ihe'''s"
Consequences We know from announcer
ment that the alliance worked we'll ana ma %
though Tryphon took seven years I'D Ieia'
dowry the two were living together V S.,t1s
three years after son and dtuSh'er h ,rao
been horn to them. Tryphon Oh lSh ony 80 Va,
ty-eight years Old hid .'-1 married 100. .ss A.
lady named Demetrus N"W "'.N nc " Rave
vorced. The separation does n't lem " ,s,sb.
prevented Demetrus from visiting A'9 new ,Tbnh
lishmcnt and humping her suc' 'soF VI Il.s,,,,a
there is q formal complaint o. The ihas 80,
She must have been a lady ~ NIo.eh' u,.s,b
and it was most likely by avoiding he. IN ty some
that Sareus succeeded IN retaining tneIs.rio
what fugitive affection Of Tryphon. preysen,y,,
ton for earache. containing poppy juice bu
the medical use Of opium TO be Older N'>
h.<.~,