New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-13
Iitfle Girls Letter,

The Jacksonville, Alabama Republican
prints the following quaint letter, written
from Cairo, Egypt, by the little daughter of
Colonel S. H. Lockett, formerly of Louisi
ana, who has recently entered the service of
the Khedive:
We reached here on the eleventh OF Au-
gust. and went to very large hotel called
the Grand New Hotel. 1t was very large,
and one of the finest hotels ever saw. 1t
belongs to the Khedive. Opposite the hotel
is very large and beautiful garden. 1t
also belongs to the Khedive. Well, in fact
the Khedive owns everything here that is
pretty. Our trip was quite pleasant. One
of the prettiest parts was from Paris to
Geneva. We had the Alps on both
sides of US nearly all the way, and
you can imagine how splendid that
was. That was the hardest thing to
realize. l had often seen pictures of the
Alps. but never thought that | would be
near enough to climb them. Geneva was a
funny looking old place. Our trip from
Geneva to Alexandria was quite pleasant.
We staid at Naples one night, and half the
next day. but all our party did not go
ashore. Papa did, however, and brought
us some ice that came from the top of
Mount Nesuyius. ] was dreadfully sick
coming across both the ocean and the sea.
one night. 1t was very cool there in the
evenings great deal more 40 than l ex-
pected to find it. do not find It very warm
hera at CAirotin the house, but It is dread
fully warm outdoors. / do not dare to 20
out until the sun is down. It gets very
cool late in the evening. We only staid q.
the hotel six days, then papa found us
house for which he pays $500, or $50
year. Papa is higher than any American
officer here. except General Stone. He has
gotten his uniform. The coat is white, aud
the pants dark navy blue. Officers have
10 wear a cap called "taboosh." They are
not allowed TO go ont on the streets With
out their swords. Mamma does not like
Egypt very much. She is considerably
homesick, think. am homesick myself
i sigh all dag long and wish was back in
America The dirty Arabs Iun me dis
tracted. | can't bear them. | hate the
very name of Arab. Edith is trying 10
learn to speak Arabic and French. Istudied
French all of last year, but l can't speak
one word of it now. l get 80 frightened
that forget what l was going to say. ]
am very much in hopes that by the end OF
this year | will know how to speak it right
well. l am going to study at home this
year with Edith and Henry, real hard, SO
will not be homesick. 1t is too lonely tor any
use. Papa goes away early in the morning
and does not come home until in the even
ing The only thing we have TO laugh
at is the donkeys. 1t looks perfectly ridicu-
lous to see great big men riding on them
with their feet dragging the ground. The
Arabs have donkeys to ride instead of street
cars, and You see them running behind to
get their money and their donkey when
they stop. Every now and then they have
to push them to make them go faster. Yes
terday evening Mrs. Stone wrote note
asking mamma to let one Of her little girls
20 out on the desert with her children rid
ing. went, and enjoyed myself very much.
! saw two of the Khedives palaces. They
were not pretty, but Mics Hettie Stone said
they were magnificent inside. Il is about
breakfast time in Jacksonville now, while
write, and it'll evening here. We have eaten
our lunch, and are ready to eat dinner when
papa comes. He is Just az happy az can be,
and we are 60 glad. He is in very good
health, and 30 are all of US. This climate
seems to agree with all of u.s."