Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-12
TT is with profound humiliation that we
print the following document, by order
of the court referred to therein:
PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY
Case Of SOCRATES VS.. EpistoIary Cred
itors

The following. having been appointed
Court of High Commission to sit upon the
affairs of SOCRATES. do the public to wit
as follows:
Said SOCRATES. having personally ap-
peared before us, does depOSe and testify TO
state of epistoary bankruptcy, claiming
himself to be totally and abjcctly unable TO
answer his correspondence. His liabilities,
upon examination of his effects, we find to
be 342 unanswered letters. His assets. he
claims. are the hours between 10 p. m. and
midnight but deponent maintains that these
are the only hours allotted him by destiny
for private meditation, and he begs the
clempncy of the court not to insist upon his
writing letters in this sacred time.
NOW THEREFORE,, after having thor
oughly and with utmost severity interro-
gated said SOCRATES upon the grievous
state of his affairs. and finding him to be of
good will and intention, though perhaps
somewhat feeble in diligence, we do acQuit
him of any malicious or undcrhand motive in
persistently ncglectng his correspondence,
and bespeak for him the leniency Of his
creditors.
1t would be impossible for SAID SOCRA-
TES to make 100 per cent repayment of all
the epistolary debts he has incurred. His
wanton custom of (as he puts it, letting
letters sink into his mind before attempting
to reply to them has been prolonged over
so long n period that his obligations have
accumulated beyond the power of mortal
man to dissolve. Therefore, in the interests
of equity and justice, we do HEREBY pro-
claim moratorium upon all of said SOC
RATES correspondence, by which no letter
written TO him shall become due to be an
| swercd until six months after its reception,
| dates to be determined by the postmarks.
| IT. by reason of any failure of Mr.. Burleson
| 70 deliver said letters to addressee until mo-
ratorium has expired, an added period of
grace of additional six months shall be
granted.
AND ALSO, the court of its own good
| will does undertake henceforward and from
| now on personally to supervise the corre-
| snondence of said SOCRATES, visiting his
office. The Chatting Dish, suite 6666, every
| morning to examine his mail. Such letters
| as are of immediate import will be taken in
| charge by the court, with full power of
attorney from said SOCRATES to answer
| them as seems most fitting. The deponent
4 will employ the period of his insolvency
which it is estimated will endure for the next
| six months, in persevering and honest ef-
fort to write off his obligations.
The Court Of High Commission:
DUNRAyEN BLEAK,
DOVE DULCET,
CALVERT CRAVAT,
ANN DANTE.
p. S.-All correspondence with ladies will
he coniidentially undertaken by Miss Dante
who has been attached to this commission for
that purpose. Correspondents may feel as
sured Of her discretion,
| - -
Desk Notices
The most resolute idealist or assassin hat
better write his poems or plan his atrocities
before the evening meal After the narcosi'
of that repast the spirit falls into softer
mood, eager only TO be amused. Even Milton
would hardly have had the inhuman forti
tude to sit down to the manuscript of Para
disc Lost right after supper. JOHN MIS-
TLETOE, in The Book of Deplorabl
Facts
To our way of thinking, the greatest com