The times., 1898-02-20

tients too feeble to leave their pillows;
nourish and console the despondent; 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
weather whenever the electric bell sum-
mons her.
On stormy passage stewardess
earns her wages and her tips, too, for
then by night and day she is in constant
demand, and a scene resembling a bat
tlefield. both in sight and sound, is pre-
sented by the first-class passengers
staterooms. 1t is after a rough summer
voyage. however, that the stewardess
receives her testimonials of good con-
duct from her patients. One and all.
these good women attest to the gener-
osity of the homecoming Americans in
the autumn season. Then the biggest
tips are given, for not only is the Amer
lean p!ously glad to anticipate terra
firma in few hours, but there is gush
or sentiment on returning home that
acts all in the stewardess's favor. The
lowest tip on a fashionable ship Is $3.50.
while generous American fathers are
known to slip as much as S25 into the
stewardess's hand. because of her good
offices among his PROSTATE women folk.
In good season, with full passenger
list, no matter what the weather may
be, a stewardess will pick up not less
than $25 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 batch of very poor
sailor women while others have the ILL
luck to have care of only most robust
travelers-that there is a movement on
foot for the stewardesses to pool their
tips and then divide the comfortable lit
tie jackpot equally among themselves as
at.
stewards do.
money, every stewardess stands a
chance of other perquisites. The Ameri-
can usually sets off on her travels loaded
up with bonbons, fruit, boxes of fancy
biscuit champagne and what not, as tes-
timonials from her friends If she takes
20 her berth early in the voyage these
treasures grow hateful to her sight and
they are promptly given over to the smil-
ing creature who helps her over her
worst interviews with the little tin ba-
sin. Added to this. the stewardess has
a right to anything she finds left in
stateroom, and the castoffs of the rich
American traveller are, often enough,
quite princely.
There are many eXtravagant women
who leave behind them all the garments
worn during voyage, declaring that
CfOtHeS WOIll vi d snip pOSScSS ever dl-
terward an unhoIy SMELL Hats, wells,
capes, cloaks, skirts and bodices, shoes
and gloves are 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 stewardess, who at
tended her, with most gorgeous going
away gown, she had worn only on her
way from her home in New York city
to the ship. @
The beautiful cloth costume, rich
with lace and sable, had been put off
directly the ship started, and the poor
little bride, from her couch of suffer-
ing, gazed, duringi seven awful days,
at her dress hanging opposite her till
she learned to hate 1t, and, American
wise, presented the whole costly COM
bination to the first woman who would
take it off her hands, lank, severe,
but shrewd old Scotch stewardess.
Though the life of q stewardess is
scarcely one of ease (atld most of them
are the feminine relatives of seamen
retired on pensions orr injured in the
steamship compapiesl employ. once