The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-10
Ti0enfiefh Century Egypt
M-- Cairo as a Social Center
B Frsdsrie J. Eia.lin.


 i these persistent sraftsrs Is a null sance.
 Dancing is the chief feature of so- cial life in Cairo. The stranger with In the gates who stops at the right hotel may go to a ball almost every night in the week. Next morning as he takes his coffee and eggs he may read that he was among those pres- ent" at an affair at which, Judging from the list of titles, half the aris- tocracy of Europe disported itself But unless he finds q friend who has been properly introduced he meets no one, and Is lucky if he can even find out who's who" as he occupies seat in q corner.
 If tht tourist wishes to avoid the ultra fashionable hotels he may go to modest pension, where the pro- prietor bids for the patronage of shirt sleeve" nation by announcing that evening clothes at dinner are optional" He finds that the obnging host who suspends a convention of Cairo to allow him to dine in his sack suit" speaks seven or eight lam suages in addressing his guests. his servants and. his tradespeople. Per haps mine host could not write good letter in Italian or Spanish, but the Italian or Spaniard will be un- derstood when he complains that his chop Is underdone. So will the Greek whose forefathers have resided on the since the days of Cleopatra, or the gentleman in baggy trousers and red tarboosh just arrived from Con- stantinople or Smyrna.
 The Duke and Duchess of Con- naught brother and sister-in.iaw of occasional visits to Egypt. Some- times they. with Prince Arthur and the Princess Patricia. join Mir. and Mrs. Iddings of the American Consulate as sponsors for an Anglo-Amarican ball for the benefit of charity Tour ists in Cairo who are willing to in. vest in ticket to the ball may have a glimpse of the royal party. Princes and prineesses from the various Eu- ropean countries. and persons and personages of varying importance from east of Suez, form part of the throng. There are more Americans among Cairo's winter population than persons from any country save Eng land, and each year finds the terraces more like Broadway, where, 1t Is of- ten said. no American fails to meet an acquaintance.
 Not the, least interesting segment of society in Cairo Is that composed of clever adventurers who live by their WlkS, hOM6IlIueS most luxuTlOuSiys An American meets titled European who speaks half-dozen languages, and is far more affaple and generally agree able than other persons of title whom our American has met or failed to meet. The American may show signs of being as well-to-do as Europeans suppose all people from the United macy develops rapidly. Over the care table or at the races 1t develops that the "aristocrat' is a card sharp or tout. Not a few American girls win, tsring in Cairo have discovered the "Vicomte" or the Baron" or ever the Prince" to be spurious. Chauf feurs. valets. coachmsn --clever imitat. ors of the manners and mannerisms of their n1asters--have exploited them- selves in Cairo in the hope of swind. ling an American millionaire or marry, ing or blaekmailing an American heIress.
 Golf, with Arab boys for caddies, races at Helouan and Ghizireh with real Arabian horses for which no American thoroughbred would have any respect. horse show and other outdoor amusements keep social Cairo upon the move from morning till evening. When there is not ball or confetti battle at one of the large ho- tels in the evening 1t Is Sunday, and upon Sunday there is often carnival or "battle of nowers' in the EzbekieI gardens to fill the gap between tho regular week day festivities.
 Uneaualled. in point of spectacular brilliancy by any other Cairo social affair, and hardly approached by any entertainment in any other capital, Is a state ball given at Abdin palace hv His Highness, the Khedive. The Gov ernor generals ball at Algiers is the only function" west of Suez which approaches it's magnihcence. It brings together notables from four continents, officers of the Egyptian army and the British army of occupation and dipio- matic representatives of all of the in- portant countries of the civilized world. Not the least numerous. and not the least picturesque of the guests, are mudirs and omdehs from Upper Egypt and Bedouln sheikhs from the desert provinces. Formerly the Khed- i've gave a ball every year, but recent ly he has given official entertainments too Infrequently to meet the demands of persons who spend their winters in his capital and would appreciate invi- tations under the Khedival crest.
 Copyright. 1908. by Frederic J. Has,
 kin.)
 Tomorr0yv.-Twentteth Century Egypt. XII--The Romance of the Suez Canal.