The Penn's Grove record., 1893-05-26
coMFoRrAr SEA.
By MRS. TALBOT COKE.

III n bOAou AAcAS - t1S 49,
enforced idleness ON shore-ls in itself
q treat. and partly because, to my
mind, the utter absence of the onven
tionality which overn society on
shore is not always refreshing but in
structiye to one whose delight it is to
study the ''little ways" Of her fellow
creatures. But 1t is not of board
ship and customs, not OF
the maDy kindnesses met With, not of
the pleasant friendships made when
'%'aioat," that 1 would write to day,
but of prosnic precautions OF various
kinds which shall insure comfort, as
far as rude Boreas" will allow. in
ones cabin.
And here let me say l write for bad
sailors; for to thye happy people who
''rathcr enjoy rough weather" most of
my hints will be regarded with pitying
contempt. But / am sure | touch a
responsive cord in ome of my readers
when l recall the hopeless despair OF
hsving-on a morning when ''there is
a good roll onto hunt wildly
through ones cabin trunk for ga set
OF clean Clothes" or even ones collar,
cuffs, handkerchief, or what not, the
very fact OF stopping to draw the box
from beneath the berth being often
duite enough to make one feel squeam
ish.
The great point, then, is to arrange
matters so that you need go to your
cabin trunk as seldom as possible, and
neUer in rough weather. Now as my
sea-going readers know, 1t is only
IN the newest ''hoating palace"
steamers that one can hope to find
even tiny drawers for ones odds and
ends, and ones refuge is therefore the
old-fashioned insufficient ''eabin-bag."
This-was supposed to hold brush,
comb, hsirpins, and such like, but
experience has taught me that, to be of
real service, it should be made on a
much more comprehensive plan, 1. e.,
with three tiers Of pockets, the depth
varying according to requirements.
For instance, let us take the size of
the whole affair to be 2 it. across by Q
#. 6 in. long If would run a bamboo
cane through the hem at the top, to
which also firmly sew q brass ring at
stretched ''taut" from the wall rack
which is fixed in each cabin. You
can make a bottom row Of deep peck
els for brush, comb, clothes brush,
shoes, andtwo or three pairs of stock
ings. The next row of pockets can
bold collars and cuffs, handkerchiefs,
hair curriers', a bottle of salts, q tin of
mustard leaves, invaluable on a really
bad day, bottle Of eau. de-Cologne, or
any other special fad of the owner.
This collection once started should be
renewed when necessary on a calm
day.
Fol our first long voyage | invested
in q most beautifully lifted Gladys
companion" little guessing the time
would come when the having to undo a
tidgety steel spring, unwrap a packet
of needles, and, after unwinding a
smart pearl win6er, thread oneN"with
q sea on') would make even the sewing
of frilling into a gown q veritable
weariness to the flesh.
Experience-surest of teachers-has
shown me that the best plan for COM
fort is to have a reel of black cotton
and a reel of white, shut in a little box
Just large enough to hold them, with
four needles threaded OF to the end of
each reel, 80 that you can, by pulling
through as much cotton as You want
each time, always have a needle ready
For duty, at any rate for some days.
And here let me say that really bad
! sailors should keep one or two "sets"
of underclothes tied up ready for use,
and should never attempt to wear col
lars and cuffs; anything tight round
the neck is conducive to squeamish-
ness, and the changing of studs and
! putting on of a collar, ETC., causes a
.n-ats~-a IAlax- ~. IN ron-h ronrnnr
when you feel "the one chance" is to
get on deck as quickly as possible.
As to scissors-wlich have a knack
of vanishing even on shore-a wise
woman will have a pair "~nickelled 3"
Ito prevent rust; it is a comfort also to
have some needles thus treated) and
tie them by a ribhos of convenient
length, to the stem of the swinging
lamp, where also her pincushion should
hang.
As regards food on a rough morning,
anything kippered, or smoked, with
dry toast-no butter-and either iced
or very hot water instead of tea and
coffee. is safe; and while on the sub.
ject of food, too great stress cannot be
laid on the fact that there is, ~curiously
enough nothing so good as well-made
hot anchovy toast and a glass of
good champagne. A word as to dress.
l often think in reading articles, or
answers on "drsss at tea," how mis-
le ldiDg to bad sal ors are the words,
"any smart tea-gown will serve you for
dinner wear" for we know that too
often such n garment "takes a lot Of
getting into" where ls the perfection
of all boardship garments should lie in
the q~uickness with which they can be
donned and dotted.
A tea-gown should therefore, how
ever lovely in coloring and drapery,
be arranged to fasten easily; moreover,
q smart tea-lacGet for rough nights is a
great comfort. Sensible women, young
and old, usually yea navy blue or
black sci ge gowns with loose coats on
board ship, and on q rough night the
fact OF not having to take of and hang
up one skirt, and take down and put
on another, may Just make all the
difference of being able to 20 to dinner
or not, and, with a plainly made dark
with iull black lace sleeves does not
look at all bad.
For girls, quite the prettiest substi-
tuto IOf d ttd Jhchet Is n variety Ol
well-fitting and 6oned-silk blouses,
with broad folded Charles ii. waist
belts. and large irllled collars, or
revers.
L cannot too strongly warn baI-or
even AUTHORIZATION against going
to sea without a long deck chair.
Never be persuaded that San ordinary
sling canvas chair is Just Us good, and
you Can always put your feet up on a
ships carpet stool"
The long curve shape of the proper
deck char supports the spine as moth
ing else can, and l can recall tue day
when we iran into rough weather.
1. e., on which 1 am sure I could never
have dressed had the day begun thus
badly, yet lying as fiat as possibly on
my deck chair (the latter being dashed
to the brass rail outside the saloon to
prevent ''sliding with the roll'), and
getting q trusty friend to bring ur my
1ok~ hoo -rsto Ar ~