The Newtown bee., 1904-01-22
COUNTY
REDDING.
GEORGE BANKS ABROAD.

GEORGE A. BANKS ABROAD.
 Editor Smith, Dear Sir: Items are so scarce this cold weather have sent you letter from my brother-in-iaW, George w. Banks of Philadelphia, who is native of Redding and has 1,a travel ,ast 3o ed all over the world fot the last 2O years. MT Banks has many friends in Danbury, Bethel, Bridgeport and Red ding. MT Banks spends few weeks every year in Danbury and with uS.-- [George A. Sanford. Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo, December 27, 1903.
 Dear George: I fear l am a little mixed in my letter writing but 1t seems to me 1 mailed you scraWl at Naples where We found all the steamer ac- commentators taken up after Christi mas and so we decided to go right on, which we did by French steamer, the "EQuateur," and it was the naStleSt old boat we ever traveled on, DuG strange to say the meals were we'll cooked and well served. The steamer was almost F hours behind time ana so we waited in Naples all day as we did not leave the wharf until almost II o'clock at night. Now this was Saturday night, the 18th of December, and on Sunday, the 2Oth, we sighted Stromboli, which is off the coast of Sicily and seems to be one of the vol canic mountains which seems to be very nearly related to Mt Etna, and when one is violent the other is very inactive. Stromboli was smoking away at a great rate and the day was perfect. Then we ran along the coast and through the straits of Mess1na ana past the city of MeSsina and then came Taormina and then old Etna which was covered with snow as far as we could see to the base. All along the coast of Sicily was very familiar to me as we had travelled the entire distance by rail and we were the only ones among the passengers to whom the scenes were familiar. Now on the other side of the straits of Messlna IS Italy, the main land which seems to be we'll cultivated and great quantities of the olive trees. Fortunately, we had comparatively smooth seas until the last night, Tuesday,, when things were little upset by rough water and a desire on the part of the captain to make up his lost time in one night and how they did crowd on the steam. But we reached Alexandria about 10 Z a. m., but missed the F o'clock train to Cairo on account of our delay in the custom house, so we had our luncheon there and then drove around the city. However there is not much to be seen there as the city is modern after the bombardment by the English. Very little is to be seen of the ancient walls. Then we. took the 4 o'clock train and reached Cairo about 7.3O o'clock in the evening and made our way to this ho- tel, so famous to travellers all over the world. We have pleasant room that faces the south and large bath rooms, ,. take coffee and rolls in our room about 9o'clock a. m., luncheon in the dining room at o'clock, and dinner at 7.3O o'clock in the evening. l should say the managers were Swiss but don t know. The servlce is good, the meals satisfactory and all very elaborate, Had Christmas tree in the Turkish room about 20 feet high, lighted by scores of little electric lights, in all the colors, should say, eyer heard of or ever dreamed of. And then aside from that the decorating was in gor. geous colOrS and in Egyptian style.
 Well, of course it is all strange, but like Japan, a change is continuously going on here and some of the habits and customs of the people have passed wayand England has firm grip or the government and the poor Khedive himself. We do not leave for the Nile trip until the l2th of January and we have not seen much of Cairo as yet. y can, as l shall always be anxious tt hear from you both. With much love for Carrie and yourself, sincerely [George.
 LOCAL NOTES.
 Miss Janette Glider and niece, Mis- Jones, of New York, spent Sunday al Miss J. H. Sanford's.
 Randolph Bradley is suffering witt severe carbuncles. Dr Smith attend him.
 Prof K. J. Perrine of New York ha been a recent guest at Emory P. San ford'S.
 Miss Belle Sanford entertained friends from New Haven on Sunday
 Miss Jessie Sanford has returned tt Brooktield, having recovered from he attack of quinsy.
 Rev and Mrs Jepson are entertainin