The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1895-06-08
A PAGEANT OF SPLENDOR.
How Egypt Entertained Royalty at
the Onening of the Snez Canal.


The recent death of the great De Les
sepS has fastened the publication of his
memoirs. and when they are given to
The public they will certainly prove
enormously interesting because they
Will contain a vast deal of matter per
tanning 10 every country IN the world
Some chapters of this work have
been lately given to the public, and in
one De Lesseps describes the ceremo-
MES attending the opening Of the Suez
Canal which are Of especial interest.
The Empress Eugene represented
France on this occasion, and she was
entertained by the Khedive of Egypt
with wonderful magnificence.
The fetes given in her honor while
She remained i'll Turkey" De LessepS
writes, have never been equaled. That
he might receive the Empress with
the greatest evidence of display Ismail
Pasha. the Khcdive of Egypt. caused
TO he erected the GhcZireh Palace, Il
marvellous structure on the banks of
the Nile Here was entertained that
brilliant aSsemblage of royalties, an
asScmblage such as no commercial
event, as this surely was, ever before
gathered together In addition to the
Empress. there were the Empress Eliz-
abcth of Austria. the Grand Dukes of
Russia. the Prince Of Wales. and an
endless list Of others. The muniti-
cence of the Khedive's welcome may be
understood when it is considered that
these royal perSonages found in the
apartments appropriated to them in
the palace an exact reproduction in
every instance of the rooms occupied
by them in their individual and respec-
tive homes At an enormous expense
and trouble ISmail had contriyed this
Surprise-he had secured secretly the
designs of the various apartments. the
furnishing, hangings, etc. and had
reproduced them, the only difference
being That The reproduction was much
richer than the original
The bedroom Of the Empress Eu-
genie was twenty-four feet high. and
furnished in light blue silk The cell
ing bore an elaborate painting of Au-
rOra. the bed was envcl0pcd In cur
tainS of satin gauZe. and draped in
most costly lace. The furniture was in
rosewood. embellished in gold bronze.
and ornamented with mcdallons in
Seyres porcelain. The Khedive had
shown the thoughtfulness to place in
this room bust Of the Emperor Napo-.
leon III. and also caused to be made
a silver reproduction Of the statue of
the Prince Imperial, the original ere
ated hy CarpeauX.
"Desirous of having these royal
guests know more of his principality
than a mere sight of Cairo could i'm
part, the Khedive planned one fete af-
ter another until it seemed that exist
ence were dream and the glorious
skies of Egypt looked down upon no
other occupation than pleasure. Among
tile excursions was trip up the Nile
4 fleet of gorgcously adorned daily
hcahS fi0ated along the river, the sun
shaded by SiIken CanOpies. and when
night came there appeared along either
shore thousands of Nubian slaves who
held flaming fiambeaus alOft, and who
Wadpd into the water mp to their neCkS
holding these torches at arms length
above their heads, and the glare light
ed up the stream for hours making the
weird landscape more romantic in the
uncertain glimmer."