The Virginia enterprise., 1904-09-16
HOUSEKEEPING IN EGYPT.
Some Points Of Information for Those
!: Who Contemplate a Visit to
T. :.. That Land. -:

qulred fund of information concern
ing manners and customs in the land of
the Pharaohs, says the Brooklyn Eagle,
gives the following points about house
keeping in Egypt:
Before embarking on housekeeping,
it is advisable to gain some little ex-
perience of the ways of the country and
above all of the ways of the willy ma
tive;' she says. "A few weeks in a
boarding house, or better still, as the
guest of friend, would be by no means
ill-spent. 1t pays best to adopt the
methods in vogue; a hidebound adher-
ence to English ways spell disaster,
especially to beginner. A practical
Arab phrase book is great help, and the
numerals especially should be mastered
The coinage is complicated and difficult
to Identify, wherein lies golden oppor-
tunity for the populations of the domes-
tic staff; therefore, the mysteries of big
piasters, little piasters fuddehs, and mil
liens must all be conquered
"A house should be chosen in as airy
a position as possible and fashionable
quarter is not fashionable quarter for
nothing; it generally implies salubrity
If fiat be in question, the top story is
the best (and generally the dearest), ,
the ground floor: being considered un-
healthy. Plain painted furniture is the
most serviceable, and the house can be
made pretty and cozy with curtains,
cushions and draperies that are easily
picked up at leisure in the bazars. Iron
bedsteads and mosquito nets are essen
tial; mattresses are usually stued with
raw cotton, and should be periodically
remade. whilst loose rugs are better than
laid carpets.
"Crockery, glass and kitchen utensils
are best bought in Egypt, but linen may
we'll be brought from home, and will suf-
fer little deterioration, for (peace to ho-
tel guests, who tell another tale) laun-
dry work is a fine art in Egypt and by no
means over-expensive. Muslin dresses.
blouses, etc., can be got up to perfection
and regular customer can arrange for a
fixed price per dozen articles, exclusive
OF elaborate garments.
AC oOA VoAI 4uSIlOu Is pIOVtIDldlly
a vexed one, all the world over; but with
a little study and management and a
fair average of luck, it need not be unduly
harassing in Egypt. Men are employed
for all domestic service. with the excep-
tion of children's nurses; and as there
is no caste system one or two men are
quite sufficient for small household.
Most people keep cook and a suffraggi
Tor Waiter), with house boy for general
service; but many manage quite COM
fortably with only one man. English
maidservants, with the possible excep-
ton of confidential maids or nurses. are
seldom satisfactory. and nearly always
an anxiety.
Among the strong points of an Arab
servant are his silence and self-oblitera-
tion. his automatic performance of his
daily work. though some count this a
Disadvantage, and his willingness to
accept responsibility 1t is great COM
fort to be able to say: Get this done,
and don't ask me how The Arab be-
comes great man directly, and by in
genlous shifts, known only to the native,
will manage and contrive the impossible.
He is delighted to do the fussing. and
the mistress can sit still and await the
results.
Even the novice had better avoid
English-speaking servants; there are
exceptions, but as rule they are imper-
tinent and overbearing The language
is not an insuperable difficulty; the i'm
perative mood is all that is required. and
much can be conveyed by the aid of
'sighs and wonders But it saves
trouble to have a man who is used to
English ways and has served in an Eng
lish family.
The cook does the catering: he goes
to market every morning. and brings
back just sufficient for the days re-
qulrements. AS check on his expendi-
ture the mistress should herself occa-
slonally visit the market, or compare
notes with friends. English groceries
she will probably prefer to buy herself.
at an English shop, and the baker and the
milkman will call daily. With regard
to milk it is impossible to be too care
1ul. The very best English laterie
should be patronized, and the milk de-
livered in sealed bottles. All milk
should be boiled before use Water
should be boiled and filtered for the
table, but nearly every one takes bot
tied drinks. The expense of life IN
Egypt work out at about two-thirds in
excess of corresponding style in Eng
land.
House rent is high. The rent for
slx-roomed unfurnished fiat in a good
position in Cairo is upward of ESQ a
year. all included. A cooks wages are
anything from G2 a month upward: a
houseboy gets from S. 1Os, and a suf-
fraggi nearly as much as the cook.
Arabs make excellent cooks and are
very clever at using up unconsidered
trif1es
Success in housekeeping in Egypt, as
elsewhere, demands a little care and
trouble at the beginning; the first fort
night is everything. The regime once
established-and let no personal incon-