The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-28

Bicycle Races. kite Flying. Bowling,
Emergency Drills and Prize CO.
nundrums Succeed in Keeping "A
ship Load Entertained.
From the Chicago Record.
transatlantic greyhound, that swung
away from her pier last Saturday, carried,
among other passengers. party OF 1--WE
young women who. by special arrange
ment, had their bicycles stored IN their
state-rooms. They managed this by firm-
~ lettering the safeties to number OF
hooks in the walls of their tiny sleeping
apartments.
Now, in reality" saAi a good-naured
stewardess, who had been assisting IN this
operation, those machines ought to have
been Grated and slowed below but the
young ladies' not only wish to have them
handy to strike out on their wheeling tour
directly the vessel reaches her dock, but
they intend to have a race on the ships
deck.
IL will be allowed. the promenade deck
is wide, some afternoon steamer-chair
loungers Will clear away ana the bicycle
race will be welcomed as a delightful con-
trast to the hackneyed concert We had
one the last trip over, in which nearly a
dozen young men and women took part
Everybody bought the right to make
guesses as TO the prospective winning
among the various participants on the
payment Of 25 cents. and the proceeds were
turned into the steamers fund. There was
a huge ribbon badge given the young
man and young woman selected by the
voters TO defend the choice Of the pa -
sengers, and then he and she retained
their badges OF handed fhaua 10, NH
ever proved, against wind and wave TO
be the speediest cycler in the racing con
tingency.
"As far as 1 know bicycle racing Is
about the newest diversion yet offered
Tor amusing our ships passengers" con-
unued the friendly stewardess, for no
matter now quick the voyage, there is
always a great majority, most especially
the young people who, directly they
struggle up from their seasickness, de-
mand recreation In some form or other.
They are not content to roll away in
rugs In a sheltered corner and read nov
els as the Ideal traveller does, but Amer
icanwise demand diversion and exert their
wits to find amusement pretty much after
the fashion Of all land lubbers.
or course, It didn't take long
for the steamship companies to recognize
their duty in this direction, and now all
the popular and properly equipped yes
sels own a wonderful amount Of para
phernaha for occupying the idle hours Of
their valuable patrons. So imperative
has the demand for amusement become
that many of the ships carry besides good
libraries and bands OF music, lockers full
of good deck games, cards and games for
the ladies' saloon, and hear on one line
where some new vessels are planned an
important feature Will be a bit of a dainty
concert nall Whcre chapel service and
amateur theatricals can be held.
The average experienced travellers,
however, who are going TO Europe In a
snug little private party, usually bring
their own collection of piaythings along
and an airgun is sure 70 be one or the
They have the right to store 1t In safety
and use II when they please, while the
ship supplies all the requisites for shut
heboard, ana one on our line has an ex-
cellent arrangement for bowling. good
long bit Of deck is staked off with a move
able wood molding, that forms the boun-
pegged in place, and on a calm day. when
the ship is running on an even Keel, an
excellent game Of ten pins can be played.
Put bowls on that boat during the
last trip fell into absolute scorn and neg
lect before the amuzng interest OF kite
hying. There was party who brought
on board with them wonderful set of
folding French kites, and the third day
out there was scarcely a man, woman or
child who wasn't whiting, passing and
experimenting, with more or less success,
at both the manufacture and sailing OF
those trihing amusing bits Of pSper. Even
the crack shots, who sat glued TO the rail-
ing all day in hopes OF sighting a school OF
nsh or pOrpoise to blaze away at, deserted
their posts to make carrier kites, cover
them with messages and cut them loose
on a strong breeze. Now, there Is a theo-
ny that when properly made these airy
things Will float in the air for weeks and
be possibly overtaken by ship, their
messages read, appreciated and respond
ed to.
Occasionally on a voyage" said the
stewardess, I'VE will happily carry pas
senger who with fertile brains and quick
wits will scheme out diversions enough
to keep in good temper and buoyant spir-
its shipload Of idle men and women, who
by fog or stormy weather are cabin bound.
I'VE once carried a feminine phiianthro-
pist on a slow boat who did so much to
help her companions through a tedious
voyage that she got three cheers and a
tiger when she boarded the tender at
Queenstown, where she left us, and carried
with her round robin OF thanks from
her grateful fellow travellers of 10 tn sexes.
''She began, / remember, by secretly PIN
ming on the jamb of the dining-saloon door
one morning a bit Of paper asking con-
undrum and offering 10 cents to any one
who could guess 1t. Nobody knew her as
the author of the device, but every one
copied down the conundrum, and all the
forenoon men and women sat contemplate
ing bits of paper In corners or muttering
under their rugs. / never saw people work
with such frantic eagerness for q dime,
and the man who discovered the answer
burst out Of his stateroom with a roar Of
triumph, posted his answer on the door
jamb, signed It, Dragged all day, and
found dime in his plate at luncheon. He
was as pleased as IL he had discovered a
gold mine.
well, directly one puzzle or conundrum
was guessed, another was pinned up by the
steward, and for one whole day the pas
sengers were as pleased and well amused
a children over new story books. In the
afternoon the author of the game reveal
ed her identity, and some Of the passen-
gers found they had secured 30 cents or 81
on their exact guesses Most Of them dou-
bled their earnings out Of their own pock-
cts and gave the sum to a sailor injured in
the storm.
'In the evening that woman filed the
salon with people who had joyfully con-
scented to play progressive patience for
prizes. While the storm ragged outside they
sat, every one over mis- or her own pack
of cards, trying to get through any layout
of solitaire preferred. At every twelfth
loot on the fog-horn changes had to be
made. Every one moved on, no matter in
what direction the layout might be, and
undertook to finish up his neighbours
game. Whoever had closed up neatly the
largest number of games within cer-
tain number Of changes received the first
prize, and BOBBY gift went to the most
unlucky player.
"The next day, I remember" added the
steWardness, there was, for the benefit
Of the officers and sailors, a fire and boat
drill ordered, and this enterprsing lady,
not to lose her chance, promptly organ
lied an emergency drill among the pas
sengers. The men and women entered
into the spirit of the enterprise heartily