simple repast was finished, while “the little ones danced and waved boughs in a perfect ecstacy of merriment,” the elder girls, she says, “seemed to find no pleasure so great as following us about, pointing to the flowers, and frequently throwing their arms round us, exclaiming, ’I love thee!  I love thee much!’ with eyes really overflowing with affection.  How often had it been said ‘You can make nothing of Moslem girls!’ but the key of love is wonderfully powerful, and equally so in every land in opening the doors of young hearts.” [2]

[Footnote :1 Bagged Life in Egypt, new ed., p. 29.] [Footnote :2 Ibid., p. 110.]

Meanwhile the beginnings of other Christian work had been made by Miss Whately.  In the early mornings she would drive or ride a few miles out of the city, and seating herself near to some hamlet would enter into conversation with the women and girls, and seek to instil into their dark minds some drops of divine truth.  Much of her time also was spent in visiting the poorer women of the city.

When, at the end of May, both the heat of the climate and family claims necessitated her return home, she placed her little school under the care of a teacher whom the Society for Promoting Female Education in the East provided.

The following winter was passed with some friends at Pau.  After a trip to the north of Spain she spent another summer at home.  In the autumn of 1862 she again arrived in Cairo, to re-open her school, which had for some time been suspended through the departure of the teacher.  Many of her former scholars, hearing of her return, came to give her a very hearty greeting, and were willing to come back to school, bringing their younger sisters with them.  They had, however, forgotten nearly all they had learned, and were at first very unruly.  No assistance beyond that of an ignorant woman to help keep order and teach a little sewing was obtainable, while Miss Whately’s still imperfect acquaintance with Arabic increased the difficulties which are everywhere experienced in the conduct of a ragged school.  The younger children were especially difficult to deal with.  The parents of the Mohammedan children objected to the use of pictures, being accustomed to see them the objects of reverence on the part of the Copts and other Eastern Christians, while the Coptic children were inclined to worship them.  Amusing songs in Arabic, suitable for young children, there were none; and when a little marching about was attempted for the sake of variety, the mothers said, “We send our children to learn, and you teach them to play!  If that is what they go to school for, they may as well be at home.” [1] After a time a young woman was found who could do a little teaching.  Miss Whately had to continue to give all the religious instruction herself.  Yet, despite the many difficulties, the school was firmly established and continued to make slow but steady progress.