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“May 29. Went to the Exposition, where met Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Brown.
Went with her to her space in the Organization Room.
She will receive and care for my exhibits.
Saw the very fine collection of club manuals, histories, etc.”
1
“ May 30. Made a little spurt to begin my screed for Aaron Powell's meeting on Sunday.
Went with dear Maud and Helen Gardner to the Fair.
Side-shows as follows: Cairo Street, Cairo Theatre, Soudanese dancers (very black savages wearing top tufts of black hair or wool, clothed in strips of dirty white cotton cloth), old Vienna, dinner at Vienna restaurant....”
“The Cairo dancing was simply horrid, no touch of grace in it, only a most deforming movement of the whole abdominal and lumbar region.
We thought it indecent.
The savages were much better, though they only stamp their bare feet and clap their hands in rhythm without music.
One had a curious smooth lyre, which seemed to give no sound.
Their teeth were beautifully white and regular.
One of them came up to me and said, ‘Mamma,’ as if to indicate my age. Then into a bark hut, to see the Soudanese baby dance — a dear little child that danced very funnily to a tumtur.”
Early June found her back in Boston and hard at work.
“June 8. Finished my screed for the July ‘Forum.’
Subject, ‘ A Proper Observance of the Fourth of July.’
I have prayed over this piece of work as over all the ”
1 Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Brown was at this time president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, and had prepared this exhibit, the first of its kind in club history.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York. 1916.
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