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The congress of women held in the Woman's building, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, U.S.A.,1893 : with portraits, biographies, and addresses, published by authority of the Board of Lady Managers / edited by Mary Kavanaugh Oldham Eagle
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242

THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

Occupation, the Egyptian army and navy were there to guard .the interests of Egypt. Young Englishmen of noble families dance and flirt with English girls at private balls and clubs. Social rivalries and social mistakes in a system not yet crystallized con­ventionally make as much gossip as when Caesar and Antony and the Romans entered upon the social platform before the Ptolemies had departed.

While I was in Egypt a censor came from tingland to review the armies and to define some lines of military and social etiquette, which caused unreserved comment. But the highest power had spoken, and though a Briton may scold yet he obeys. When the Duke of Cambridge, the commander-in-chief of the English armies, repri­manded a young officer who forgot to order his company to salute, saying,You spend time in dancing which should be spent in studying your tactics, all the army approved. When he said to the pretty wife of the general commander of the Army of Occupation, who drove upon the parade ground with a young girl in a pony cart, Madam, you are the wife of the highest military officer in Egypt. You represent the women of England, and you should sustain the dignity of the situation. In this pageant on this day only Lady Baring should precede you. Your equipage, with all the pomp you could command, with your runners and your mounted postilions, should have been next to hers, and preceded Lady Greenfel and all others. You must acquaint yourself with the rules, responsibilities and duties public and social of your position; and, Madam, if you flirt, which I suppose you must, let it be with your hus­bands equal, a major or a generallet it not be with your husbands aid-de-camp. I did not hear it, but authority and all Cairo affirm that her ingenious reply was, I do not know what your grace can mean!

At the time of my visit there were sojourning in Egypt very many American ladies, some who had filled at home the highest position which society and the gov­ernment can give. One had entered the White House at Washington a young girl, and taken position, not as wife or daughter, but niece of the President of the United States. No authority ever gave a reprimand to her, no censor ever found a flaw in her administration.

Egypt is now trodden by women, and one who has just departed this life, Miss Amelia B. Edwards, has done more to discover and reveal to others the interesting story of this land than any other woman who ever lived.