The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1899-07-07
Good FORM IN EGYPT.
End Of the Gentry Custom. IN Cairo
Are Funny EROuEh to Make
Mmmy Laugh

Leaving cards is one Of the most seri-
Gus pursuits in Cairo When Thomas
SIeItOn Harrison, our diplomatic agent
and consul general at the Egyptian cap
ital, left recently, on his four months
leave Of absence, necessitated partly by
his private affairs and partly by his
plans to extend the commercial rela-
tons between our country and Egypt,
he had, among other things, to make
out a list of fully zoo persons with
whom his cards had to be left.
The list was headed by the name Of
Lord Cromer, and It concluded with
that Of the humble subaltern in the bar
racks. For i've days the agent and
consul general went about the city in
his carriage, leaving cards at palaces,
clubs, private residences and hotels.
Had he failed to 60 through this for
mality every man from Lord CrOmer
down would have deemed himself NOR
tally insulted and Mr.. HarrisOn's use
fitness to his government would have
come to an end.
Every event that occurs means the
leaving Of a card on somebody. For in
stance, when the French president died
Mr.. Harrison made up little packet Of
his card, the card Of the vice and deputy
consul general, the card Of the deputy
consul general and the card Of his Pri-
vate secretary. Upon each Of these
cards was written in pencil p. c."
meaning pour condOler." Mr.. Harri-
sons open carriage was brought out Of
the stable. The coachman IN his livery
and the first janissary in his gorgeous
blue and gold uniform got up on the
box. Mr.. HarriSOn's secretary took the
four cards, entered the carriage, was
driven to the French agency and left
the little PastebOards with the uni
formed kavass at the door, who received
them with a bow. Then the Harrison
horses and carriage and secretary and
cOachman and janissary returned to
the American agency and consulate
general, and when 1t is remembered
that the French agency is only around
the corner from the American agency,
perhaps less than an ordinary street
block away, It viii be seen what ire
mendOus formality there is about card
leaving.
On the birthday Of the emperor Of
Germany the same proceedings have to
be gone through with, although Of
course there is no ''p. c." on the cards.
When the cards are left the upper right
hand corner has always to be bent In
Cairo it would be considered insulting
not to take this precaution. On or
binary card leaving days the bending Of
the cards alone is a labor. The secre-
tary has to prepare a list, and it is his
duty to go out in the carriage provided
with boxes Of cards. There is one box
for Mr.. HarrisOn's cards, another for
Mrs Harrison's cards, a third for the
vice and deputy consul general, a fourth
for the cards of the deputy consul gen
eral and a fifth for the secretary's cards.
In addition to these there are cards
reading: "AIr. and Mrs. Thomas Skel-
ton Harrison" which are purely per-
sOnal.
Some people are to important that
Mr.. Harrison has to 60 out with the
cards himself, while the ordinary run
Of mortals must be content with the
secretary. The procedure is quite com
plicated. The janissary and cOachman
are on the box, and the secretary sits
in the carriage with his boxes Of cards
i o
Jumps the janissary and rushes up to
the secretary, who hands him % Mr..
HarrisOn's card, % Mrs HarrisOn's
card for each lady Of the family, 90
the vice and deputy consul generals
card, "a the card Of the wife Of the vice
and deputy consul general for each Of
the ladies Of the family, (5) the card Of
the deputy consul general, (6) the card
Of the agent and consul general with
''p. p" (POur Presenter) written on 1t
to introduce the deputy consul general,
who has only just arrived; Cd the card
Of the private secretary, (s) the card Of
the agent and consul general with p.
p.' on 1t to introduce the private secre-
tary, who has also Just arrived
This makes quite a thick pack of
cards Of all sizes and shapes The
ianissary hands the pack OF cards to the
Dutch kavass after receiving them from
the secretary. It would not do for the
American secretary to hand the cards TO
the Dutch kavass. The American
janissary must take them from the
hand Of the American secretary.
When the American janissary has
done this he saIutes the Dutch kavass
and jumps back to his place in the car
rage. on 90 the horses, perhaps only
across the street. Down jumps the
janissary, salutes, gets a new wad OF
cards. hands them over to the man at
the door, jumps back again. The car
rage travels another half block, and
so 1t goes for the best part Of four hours,
when flesh and blood and horses can en-
dure 1t no longer and knock on for
rest.
When Mr.. Harrison has left his cards
in this manner they must be acbnOwl-
edged by the recipients The Dutch
minister duly leaves next day his own
batch Of cards. They are for Mr.. Har-
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