Letter from Dora Giffen to her family, November 11, 1922

American Mission
Girls’ Boarding School,
Tanta, Egypt
Sat., November 11, 1922

Dearest Family:
I have just been getting out most of my winter clothes in order to be ready for winter when it comes. Since Thursday of this week it has been quite noticeably cooler in the evenings, although still quite warm during the day. Somehow it has to take quite a stretch of imagination these days for me to picture the cold days you are likely having at home at this time, with fire in the furnace inside and snow and ice outside.

Mrs. Moore called for almost an hour this morning. It was the first she had been over since I came. She has kept busy, with both housework and teaching to do. The family is well now and she is not looking nearly so tired. Dr. Moore is up at Assiut for a few days’ rest. The Hutchisons expect to go up to Assiut for at least two weeks at Thanksgiving time. Sara Adair expects to visit Miss Thompson and myself at Thanksgiving for a day or two.

I bought myself a new Waterman’s Fountain Pen when I was in Cairo this week, which with the new ink I bought makes writing much easier. It, the pen, cost four and a half dollars. This is the first I have used it and I like it. I bought quite a few things this week. A new winter hat of Pan velvet, with a black crown and a tan rim, which I paid three dollars seventy-five cents for, I am quite pleased with. Hats are much less expensive here than they were last year. Then I bought some writing paper, a knife, Arabic Grammar books, a hair brush, etc. for myself, besides doing some shopping for the school. Every moment in Cairo was filled full.

Lucia Dwight and I went up Tuesday afternoon, arriving at three fifteen. I took a carriage to Mrs. Finneys, left my suitcase there and went over to the Young Ladies’ Household for a rehearsal at three thirty. The Caldwells were also staying at Mrs. Finneys, so we went over together. Roswell Caldwell married the couple, Janet Caldwell was flowergirl, Clarice Bloomfield was Maid of Honor, Rev. Gilmor gave the bride away, and Rev. James Pollock was the best man. At four thirty On Wednesday the bridal procession began to form upstairs while I played “Flowers in Spring.” as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs Miss Frances Patton signalled to me and Lohengrin's Wedding March was played until the bride reached an altar of palms, ferns, and flowers, when Hearts and Flowers was played very softly. As soon as the ceremony was over I played Mendelssohn's Wedding March. The piano was in the big front “fessah” and the bridal altar was in the drawing room. I suppose about forty (?) guests were present: those with whom Betty and Mr. McGeoch Had lived in Cairo, Alexandria, and Zakasig, the older missionaries, (Alexanders, Harts, Mrs. Finney, “Aunt Callie,” Mrs. Harvey, and Miss Anna Y.), And a few others. The decorations were white and yellow and things looked very nice. Miss Roxy Martin had charge of the decorations. After the ceremony, ice-cream and cake were served.

Mary Thompson took a sick headache when she was in Cairo on Tuesday for a committee meeting, so she had to stay in Cairo overnight. On Wednesday morning she and I went shopping, then I went with Florence White and Lucia Dwight to the American consulate to fix up some papers for the Misses Hamilton, for which Lucia and I had had to make two “carriage” trips on Tuesday to the hospital here in Tanta before we left at two, P.M., on Tuesday. On Thursday morning Sarah Adair and I shopped together, then Sara went to Mrs. Finney’s to dinner with me and we left for Benha on the 4:15 P.M. train.

The Finney-Buchanan household are 2) all well but very busy these days. Aunt Callie and Davida Finney are meeting with an International Committee on Christian Literature in Moslem Lands. Dr. Zwemer of course is the authority in attendance. Other noted missionaries from China, India, Arabia, Turkey, etc. are present, altho the committee is not large, there being only about one from each country, except Egypt, in attendance. Aunt Callie is a member of the committee but Davida Finney is only there to help in the preparation of certain reports. I enjoyed so much hearing about the work of the committee.

Mrs. Reynolds is very much interested in a Child’s Welfare Station which Aunt Callie has started in the western Boulak district. The day that I left Cairo Mrs. Finney was having a women's meeting at her house in the morning and a Women's Temperance meeting in the afternoon. Just as we were having tea before Sara and I left, Sitt Regina Came for the Temperance Meeting and apologized for coming so early by saying that she had just been to the station to meet her sister-in-law, Victoria, and had come there straight from the station.

I went down with Sara to Benha on Thursday at 4:15 PM and stayed until the same time Friday. Sara is staying at the Walkers until a house can be found for her and Miss Holland, and she is liking it very much. (Little Beth Walker is such a sweet little girl.) I visited classes all Friday morning and was very much pleased. They have about the same number of school rooms that we have in our Tanta School and yet only have about a hundred girls. I don't see the sense in our taking in so many girls when we have no room for them. There is a possibility that our new school will not be begun this year, altho Mr. Hart when he was down at Benha on Friday thought that it would be. Walter Hart is here in Egypt now and can help the building committee out.

Sara and Beth came to Benha station to see me off and Mary Thompson and Susannah met me in Tanta. Susanna had just finished giving the girls their cooking lesson.

By the way, there was a good picture of Sara in this October's number of the Women's Missionary Magazine on page 144. In No. 1, the Teachers of Cairo Girls’ College, Sara is the fourth from the left of those seated. I suppose you recognize Ruth Mitchell who is third from the right end on that same row.

I saw the Duffs when I was in Cairo but I had no time to visit. Mrs. Duff, nee Ella Clark, said she saw you just the week before she left. I wish I could have talked with her more. She is not taking Arabic yet, but hopes to get a nurse for their baby before long and then she hopes to take lessons. To my mind she is much superior to him.

That was a good picture of Uncle John in the missionary magazine. It is just like one that Aunt Elizabeth gave me, framed.

This last week Miss Helen Martin gave me a pair of black silk stockings which Edna had sent out with her. They are lovely.

And Fay Ralph brought down to Cairo for me your package which Rev. Reed had given her at Beni Suef. Thank you so much. The Muscoljuan It's such a pretty book this year, that is, the binding is so pretty, and I do enjoy immensely looking through it. I am so glad it was dedicated to the Laytons. What does Martin think of Prof. Layton’s substitute this year? Is he good?

Your October 20th letter was waiting for me when I got back home. Miss Smith and Miss Dwight live almost directly behind where the Murches used to live, and Mr. Boyd lives on the same street as the Murches lived on but a little nearer the station. Our school is back about three blocks(?) northeast of where the Misses Smith and Dwight live. I hope election reports are encouraging.

When I was in Benha, Bobbie Walker was wanting to get a Youth’s Companion subscription in order to get an engine like Willard got once. Since I want the Youth’s Companion I am going to give Bobbie my subscription to send off. Lots of love to you all. I hope you keep well. Thank you again for the Muscojuan and cards. Ever and ever so much love from Dora.