The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-06
THE LOT OF A STEWARDESS.
WHY SHIP SERVICE Is STUNNED BY
WOMEN.
Wages Are Small and the Work Is
Hard, Yet the Elements of Good
Luck and Romance brighten the

big ocean EfeyhOunGs, only TWO are uA-
| tives of the United States. The salaries
| paid by the steamship companies are evil
| IDENTIFY not thought sufficiently remaner-
| alive, considering the discomforts Of the
| calling.
| As matter of fact. a Stewardess' sal
| airy is not much more than that of an or
| binary housemaid. and often is much less
| Those passenger ships sailing 10 English
| ports pay not over SIS or SIC a month 10
| the head deck stateroom siewardess. and
| less TO her assistants. while on these yes-
sells plying between New York and con-
tinental ports stewardess receives at the
| end of a round trip tritie in an envelope
| that amounts TO something less than 81.
| The company does not supply her with
| anything above and beyond the salary ex-
| cept her tiny little bunk and her three
| meals a day while the vessel Is at sea.
| The bunk is usually slowed away in some
corner, rather black and airless, on the
| same deck with the passengers. and. while
! the ship is at sea. the stewardess lives
| quite of the fat OF the land. She has her
| share from most of the dainty dishes, but
/ in port. IL she stops on board the noisy
| boat her fare is the hard simple rations
| of the workmen, watchmen and the few
employees who must remain with the ship.
| In winter. when every transportation
| line lays by a number of vessels fer re-
| pairs, the stewardess goes home TO her
of summer travel
| The big mail steamers carry corps OF
six or eight stewardesses, while some of
| the ocean palaces are obliged. In the busy
| season, 10 take ten or twelve along, and
| to secure berth as a stewardess a woman
/! must be first Of all healthy, active and alb
solutely impregnable TO seasickness. She
| Is required, moreover, To be stout OF limb.
| cheerful, respectful. sympathetic. good
| deal of philosopher. ready 10 bounce out
| OF bed at any time of night and she must
wear a neat black dress trim white
| apron and tidy cap.
| She is quite a superior person to the
| bedroom steward who makes beds and
| does general housemaids work in the
| sfaterooms. Her mission is to see that
| no ladies come TO grief through the rough
pleasantries of old Father Ocean, 10 stand
| by and cheer the sufferer through her most
awful moments of renunciation attend the
! needs OF patients too feeble to leave their
pillows. nourish and console the despond-
| ent, help to dress the more vigorous who
| are able to creep on deck, draw baths for
the sturdy of stomach. and turn up with
| smile and optimistic views of the wealth
| er whenever the electric bell summons
| her.
| On a stormy passage q stewardess earns
! her wages, and her tips, too. for then by
! night and day she is in constant demand.
/ and scene resembling a battlefield, both
/ In sight and sound, is presented by the
! first-class passengers gtateroomS. 1t is
| after a rough summer voyage, however,
| that the stewardess receives her testimon-
! ials of good conduct from her patients.
| One and all of these good women attest 10
| the generosity of the homecoming Amer
| leans in the autumn season. Then the big
gest tips are given. for not only is the
| American piously glad TO anticipate terra
| firma in few hours, but there Is a gush
| of sentiment on returning home that acts
| all in the stewardess' favor. The lowest
| tip on a fashionable ship Is $50, while
| generous American fathers are known TO
| slip as much as So into the stewardess'
! hand because Of her good offices among his
PROSTATE women folks.
! In good season, with a full passenger
! list no matter what the weather may be,
a stewardess will pick up not less than 50
In fees. Often she will get more. but so
unequal are the earnings in this way
among six or eight women-some falling
( heir to a batch of very poor sailor women,
while others have the i'll luck to have care
OF only most robust travelers-that there
is a movement on foot for the steward
esses TO pool their tips and then divide the
comfortable little jackpot equally among
themselves. as the restaurant walters and
diningroom stewards do.
But besides the earnings in ready money
every stewardess stands chance Of 9TH
or perquisites. The American usually sets
of on her travels loaded UP with bonbons
fruit, boxes of fancy biscuit. champagne
and what not as testimonials from he,
friends. If she lakes TO her berth early
in the voyage these treasures grow hate
full 20 her sight, and they are promptly
given over 10 the smiling creature who
helps her over her worst interviews with
the little tin BASIN Added 10 this, the
stewardess has a right 10 anything she
81 q Gf
offs OF the rich American Traveller are,
often enough quite princely.
There are many extravaganza women who
leave behind them all the garments worn
during a voyage, declaring that clothes
worn on ship possess ever afterward "a
unholy smell. Hats. wells. capes, cloaks,
skirts and bodices, shoes and gloves ars
tossed aside in favor OF a special costume
when the traveller leaves the ship. To
such an extent Is this habit carried that
one American bride presented the steward
ess VITO attended her with a most g0r-
geous golng-away gown she had worn only
OF her way from her home Ia New York
City 70 the ship.
The beautiful cloth c0stume--rich with
lace and sabie-had been pat of directly
the ship started, and the poor ltsle bride.
from her couch Of suffering, gazed. during
seven awful days, at her dress hanging
opposite her Till she learned 70 hate IT,
and. Amerfcan-wiSe, presented tho whole
costly combination 10 the FIRST woman who
would take IL Oft her hands lauk. severe,
but shrewd Old Scotch stewardess.
Though the life OF a stewardess rs scarce
ID one Of ease (and most Of them are the
feminine relations 81 seamen retired on
pensions or injured Ia the steamship conn
panies' employ once weIl placed on a
vessel they rarely desert their posts.
They often develop a Tremendous pride in
rolling up records for voyages. There is
a woman on one OF the English boats who
believes She holds the record FOR the great
est number Of crossings. having sailed 80
times between Queenstown and New York
Beneath e smiling exterior there IS a
good deal % heroism in these aumbie SER
viiors. and now and then q little sunshine
q romance and good luck falls TN their
way. stout. to9uact0us old woman on
ore OF tbs French steamers holds her place
10 longer by virtue Of her great uss-