Crossed Up

Part of a cross-written letter from Samuel Randell written in 1854

Reading The Ramada Inn at Shiloh by Allan Gurganus and I come across this:

"I have their letters, cross-written to save paper."

Cross-written? Never heard of it, but I'll bet Google knows, and sure enough it was a real thing. I find it curious that I can actually read it. Well, sort of. I can pick out some words, it's a little difficult, this image is a low rez copy of a 150 year old hand written letter. But just looking at the page the lines of writing going across the page stand out, and the vertical lines almost disappear.

I like cursive. Can't say why. Perhaps because I spent so much time learning it, or because it was so difficult to master. That was the fourth grade I think. Or maybe it's just because it's a nice change of pace from all the printed text I run into every freaking day, most of which is just garbage (the message, not the printed characters). I mean if someone takes the time to write anything out long hand, I am going to take the time to read it because it sure as hell isn't going to be some Search Engine Optimized piece of spamula.

"Cursive" has shown up in this blog a couple of times.

Via Posthip Scott.