Letter from Dora Giffen to her family, May 26, 1922

34 Geziret Badran,
Shubra, Cairo, Egypt
Friday, May 26, 1922

Dearest Ones:

I will start this tonight and finish it tomorrow after I get my package. Mother's letter, mailed on May 6th, reached me yesterday, May 25th. In it you said, Mother, that you had mailed a package to me. Well, this evening Edna was over at the Mission House and while there she phoned over to me that a package slip was there at Alexanders for me. So tomorrow morning I am going over early to get my package. The Post Office may not be open all day tomorrow, since it is the last day of Ramadan. These poor people that have had to leave water alone during these scorching hot days! It has been an unusually quiet Ramadan. You know people in Egypt are settling down quite a good deal now. When an Egyptian's pocket-book is touched he is touched, and only during the past day or two have we been surprised to hear certain Egyptians, who have just recently been strong Nationalists, speak of wanting the English to stay in Egypt. Probably the reason is that there does not seem to be much demand for Egyptian products this year. Just this week, an Englishman, who was serving the Egyptian Government as a policeman, was shot and killed in front of Cannon Gairdner’s house; and several Egyptians, who were ready to kill the English last January, have expressed themselves as being sorry that such a thing happened. In this particular instance an English girl was riding her bicycle near where the shot was fired and saw the man who fired the shot. Unbeknownst to him she followed him to his house (he was in a carriage) and got the number of his house, so that he will be caught, if he has not been yet. I am sure I would not have had her nerve.

I went to the British Museum this week. During this whole year and a half this was the first visit I had paid to it. I have been wanting to go very badly ever since my trip up-country this year, so when Edna said she wanted to go I went with her on Wednesday morning. Hazel (Mrs. Henry) and Edna Henry were with us. I was very glad I went with them for they all made good guides. It was very hot when we left the Museum so Mrs. Henry took us all to Lipton's Tea Rooms and treated us to ices; then Edna and I went shopping and I went back to Henrys to dinner and to stay until my afternoon class. When it was over I went to Ezbekieh to see Aunt Elizabeth and we went for a walk. A full day!

Mrs. Alexander had a big tea for Aunt Elizabeth on Thurs. afternoon. Mrs. Henry went but Edna had a good deal of sewing on hands and stayed in to do it. I took those napkins that you gave me in America, Mother, and which have not yet been made-up, over to Henrys with me, and Edna and I spent the afternoon sewing. Imagine my spending the afternoon sewing and enjoying it; but I did. I did not have a class that afternoon for the Effendi said he would not be there.

The latest about Aunt E’s and Edna’s sailing is that they will go on the City of Melbourne due in Port Said June 2nd or thereabouts. Dr. Frank Henry is coming home tomorrow so Edna will be moving over to Miss Buchanans since the Henrys have no spare bed-room. I am sorry that there is no room for Edna here. Susannah is here and occupying the spare-room now and Miss Marie Rankin, teacher of the missionaries’ children in Assiut, is also here visiting Martha Glass. The Hutchisons shipped their goods to Tanta yesterday, then they were both here all night last night, and Harry left on the seven o'clock train this morning for Tanta. Susannah Is going to stay here until the exam the end of June.

Esther Finley Is in Cairo now. She came this morning and is staying at the McClenahan's. Hazel Henry is having a tea for her tomorrow afternoon. Martha, Marianna, and I are invited from this house. Marianna, however, is in Tanta, visiting Constance Garrett who had an operation last Saturday and is getting along very nicely. Mrs. Coventry stayed with her until Tuesday.

Mrs. Ewing is not expected to live long period she had to be helped to bed from the supper-table yesterday. She has no 2) especial ailment. Her body just seems to be worn out. She may live only a few hours, a day or two, or a week. It is wonderful the amount of vitality that she has had during these last years. Mrs. Birdwood came this afternoon. Until she arrived Mrs. Coventry was helping to wait on Mrs. Ewing, in bed and unconscious a good deal of the time.

Miss Mabel Dickey of Assiut had a breakdown a few weeks ago, which seems to have affected her mind, but don't spread this broad-cast. They brought her to Cairo from Assiut yesterday. she has had charge of the Khayatt School, which has had some rather serious problems to settle this past year.

I suppose when you receive this letter, the 1922 Muskingum Commencement will be a thing of the past. I hope, Mother, that you get a nice rest. Thank you for sending the money to the Prohibition Ass’n.

I do not think that Aunt Elizabeth would be satisfied in New Concord with Mrs. Sleeth. She will want to be where “Betty” and “Eddie” (as E. calls them) are and New Concord will be no place for Edna to stay. She has had a good deal of experience and ought to get a good position in Cincinnati.

Now I must say Goodnight. I have been writing this in bed under the mosquito-net where the mosquitoes cannot find me, and I have gotten quite sleepy, altho it is not late.

Sweet Dreams and Goodnight Kisses to each one from Dora.

Saturday P.M. dinner is over, I have just pressed my two new dresses and tried them on; also my new waist. They are just lovely, Mother. Thank you, Oh So Much, for them; but you just must not make dresses for me again. I know that I have more time to see about sewing than you do, for you just must be so busy. I think probably, or rather I am quite sure, (I should say), that it is not nearly so hard to get sewing done out here now as it was when you were in Cairo or when you left Egypt even. but my telling you not to make any more dresses for me, does not mean that I don't appreciate the ones you have already sent. I think they are simply wonderful. They (the two new ones) are just in style in Cairo this year, which leads me to the conclusion that American styles and Paris styles must be very much alike this year. The darker one fits perfectly and is such a pretty color, as is also the other pougee. However the lighter one must just be altered a little for it is a bit too large. I am just wondering about yours. I am afraid it will not fit you or suit you either one. Please tell me if it does not.

That package made splendid time to get here as soon as letter post and I had no trouble at all in getting it out of the post-office this morning. There were in it the two dresses and one white waist, two programs, and a piece of net for a waist front. They were very mussed (when the package was opened in customs, I suppose) but they are not now.

Susannah, Clarice, and I were down in the Muski this morning and had a good time. I stopped to show Aunt E. my new dresses. Edna was there and they liked them very much.

Mrs. Ewing is much better this morning. She knows everyone and seems to be getting entirely over this “spell.”

I must get dressed now for the Henrys Tea.

Lots and lots of love to each one of you from Dora.

I was so glad to get that snapshot of Willard and his Ford am looking forward to getting the one of Mother and Martin. Father, where are you?