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Mooltan, India
Feby. 23/95

Dear Mr. Hecker,
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In this sunny land virtue is easy, consequently when I stumbled upon a superb lot of old tiles in this most famous land of tiles, I let slip again my resolution, to buy nothing during this trip - (The only thing that will stop me will be an exhaustion of funds, unfortunately, a condition becoming daily more a certainty) and purchased 26 pieces, each one of which I tied up separately with my own hands and baptized with the sweat of my own brow, and many coolies and my boy and DAK Bungalow [[right margin]] ? [[/right margin]] Keeper as well.  I send all in one box to Mr. J.P. Watson at Bombay, and requested him to forward to you via N.Y. care of M.D.T.Co. prepaid to New York and in bond to Detroit.  I hope they will arrive without damage as the doubtless will, if the custom officers only handle them carefully.  The glaze is extremely fragile and will not stand rubbing. *****************************
They are extremely old, some many centuries and nearly all sacred --- having come principally from an old tomb "two hundred miles Indusway, in jungle". They cost me the amazing sum of 19 Rupees equal to $5.00/100 but I would not take as many hundred for them and in part, I know what they are. The man who sold me some of them knew too, but he cared more for a good opium spree just then than for even Allah himself.  These Mohammadans will never be admitted to Hades: they would too quickly corrupt satan.  I can't help loving them one minute and d___ing them the next - which of course, in turn, simply shows me no better then they.  Oh! well, strange world this, where so much depends upon the point of view! *****************************
Faithfully, 
C.L.F.
Long hand.