Evening star., 1897-02-27

They are not the rich people nor those
who add most to the gayety of nations.
The moneyed crowd to whom a winter on
the Nile counts as little and is had as
regularly as a spring in London are here
in full force. Their manners and their
clothes are the best and the worst one
ever sees. They're a picturesque mixture
of high breeding and loud vulgarity. The
rudeness of the worst of the English is
exceeded cnly by the laughable lapses of
the most ignorant Americans. Yesterday
al the best appointed hotel table in the
east three handsome women who had been
discussing their plans for next summer
a Narragansett Pier for the benefit of
the rest of the guests made US listen also
10 tfeir dir ner reckoning.
Now your BILL said one of them, who
was fair. fat and thirty. is ~ piastres
and ~ for wine, and mine is 80 piastres
and 10 for wine and Ediths is 80 piastres
and Il for wine. shall you give the waiter
anything for pour boire?'
And the waiter. who understands English
perfectly, stood silently at the ladies' back
at length and afterward bowed them out
of the room with oriental polteness and
impassivity.
Fortunately all Americans who winter
In Egypt are not of this type. nor are any
of them so fast as the most rapid set
among the English. whose pace here makes
London diSSipat1onS seem quite Of the slow
coach order by comparison
Tea a Dnhabeah.
AS I said. Cairo is gay. One of the pref
test and most innocent of its diversions
is tea on board a dahabeah. The day
before a boat starts for pleasure cruise
up the Nile it puts on its best clothes
The Arab boatmen scrub the decks. the
long. lance-nke yards are hung with pen
under the awnings. The dahabeah is tied
uD probably just above or below the great
Nile bridge. and over this for a couple of
hours rattle strings of open carriages and
Cavaicafes OF polo ponies. bringing festive
youths in white fiannels and women under
fower-laden hats and ! parasols to taste
the hospitality of the voyagers.
This afternoon boat which flies the
stars ard stripes vas thus en- fete. and
so many spring ne is were in evidence that
il is necessary to make some rote of them.
Cairo gets Paris fashions before Paris
gets them, for II has to have straw while
EUrOpe is still buying fur. a blonde girl
who drove her own trap wore a combina-
tion Of white and purple. Her dress was
of some sort of white yelling with trim
mings of purple ribbons Her hat was a
broad. sunburnt straw, of shape that
promises to he very popular. The brim
turned up at the sides. but not acutely.
The crown was high, but with rather a
broad fat top. and the hat was meant to
De HtTcnstt on the BACK OF the mead. IN
stead of forward. II was trimmed with
punches Of violets nestled al the heart
of huge lace rosettes. Under the brm
whore III" lace touched the hair II was
white: above it was black. but relieved
by white ribbons.
Foot passengers rave no rights in Cairo.
where only the natives walk. and this girl
was complaining volubly that she had
had TO give a smart cut with her whip
to Arab nj.rse boy who was not quick
enough in getting the baby wagon he had
charge OF out of her way.
Another girl. who had two or three~of the
white flannel youths in tow. Wore very
fresh pretty dress of blue chine silk figured
with green, with little touches of pink here
and there. Her waist and throat ribbons
were pink and she carried a bunch of the
small. greenish, cream-colored narcissus
with which Cairo is gay in February Her
hat was a large green straw with wide
f'at brim in front. turning up sharply be-
hind For trimming IL had wreath of
green velvet and pink ribbons. into which
were twisted narcissus stems. Flowers and
ribbon bows stood up behind
4 Brides Toilet.
A bride whose honeymoon is passing in
Cairo wore a round hat OF green straw with
a fat brim. whose shape suited admirably
the young round face, with its low brow
and hair drawn back carelessly in waves
AT the back OF the hat high loops OF cream
colored ribbon stood up in semi-circle On
one sue Ol the br1m lay a bunch of pink
roses. on the other curled a black ostrich
plume The dress that matched this hat
was yellowish, cream-colored chine silk
figured with green The skirt was full
rather longer than skirts have been made
and plain. The bodice was plain and close
hitting also. but almost hidden under a very
deep lace collar the tabs of which were so
wired as TO stand out in half handkerchief
all around a frill of lace at the neck far
Ing over collar of pink ribbon and a mar
row. pointed pink ribbon waist-belt gave
the finishing touches
Tea was served on the upper deck under
the awnings. and here a couple of white
turbaned Arabs. whose feet were noiseless
on the rnattings. handed IL about eastern
fashion. In glasses. People who have moi
been IN Egypt would hardly recognize the
beverage. navored as II is with verbens
and the juice of small green lines The
pretty sister OF the hostess directed opera.
uons IN green gray canvas dress trimmed
about the skirt with three bands of plaided
red and green ribbon. The bands were put
on with deep point in 'front.' and high up.
on the sides to simulate the overdress tha1