The Cairo bulletin., 1907-10-29
W0MENONsHIPB0ARD'
THEIR vAGARTEs PLAINLY TO
BE NOTED WHILE AFIoAr.
An Unexplained Scramble to Dine At
the Captains Tablc--How 70 Lo-
cate the "Belle Of the Voyage
When Close Friends Disagree.

| Wnen OIOSe frlenus DishSrcc.
II was luncheon hour. Just after
the big liner had left the Liverpool
docks. and the cynical second officer
at the head OF his long table. sur
veying the captains table near by.
crowded with women. turned to the
man next him and said, with a sigh
of relief: There's just one com
persation that 7 can see In being
second officer instead OF captain. One
doesn't need to have all the fool wo-
men who cross sitting at his table,
Youll find most OF them breaking
their necks and emptying their pock-
etbooks to the saloon steward after
lunch to get seats near the captain. I"
And he was right, for the passen-
ger lingering near the dining saloon
that afternoon had his curiosity
rewarded by overhearing such
speeches as, But ! wrote to you
about 1t from London. l always sit
at the captains table. I'm sure it's
very strange that can't this trip"
or But I've crossed with Capt. x
three times and he's personal
friend. l shall speak to him about
1t" and others OF like tenor
The successful we're smiling COM
posedly and wore their prettiest
gowns to dinner until they vanished
into their cabins. the victims of the
first storm. Why Is 1t. one wonders,
that almost the initial thing re-
turned woman traveller has to say
about the voyage is: And we sat
at the captains table," as II that
were the height of the voyager's am
bition.
AS Ia usual the world over, brass
buttons prove as attractive on ocean
steamships as at an army post or on
the policemans beat. From Bridget
In the kitchen to lady Of the haut
monde, the natty suit OF blue with
the sheen OF well-burnished metal
plays havoc with the feminine con-
tingent. So one OF the types to be
found on every ship is the woman
who scrapes acquaintance with each
uniformed man on board, and retails
to admiring friends on landing her
flirtations with the doctor or purser.
To the student OF human nature who
finds the promenade deck an excell
ent field for observation, 1t is often
a marvel that these besieged gentle
men respond with so much gallantry
to thea advances that their admirers
make openly.
Among other feminine foibles
noted by the observing ocean voy-
ager Ia the tendency to indiscreet
chatter. IL there is one place more
than another where walls have ears
1t is on board ship. Even In the
kind Of summer cottage where parti-
lions extend but threefourths OF
the way to the ceiling 1t Is no easter
to lcarn the most intimate details
concerning your next-door neighbors
do you SUPPOSE. queried an In
quisitlve lady to a stewardess as she |
waited for her bath to be filed, that |
the stout woman In the room next to
mine colors her hair?"
'She does. madam" came an icy |
voice from the next bath, risir above |
the hiss OF the steam and the splash |
of the water. "and II you remind me
later III give you the name OF the
place In New York where ! have 1t
done. Your own needs improvement.
I've noticed"
To pick out the belle Of the oy-
age is not a difficult matter to the
Initiated. The inexperienced usually |
select a girl whose beauty Is OF the
refined type. coupled with charm Of
The girl in well-cut blue
frock and neat toque,
with a delicate blonde beauty and
the polse OF thoroughbred, should
be the cynosure OF masculine eyes.
the beginner would say. But not so
The ships belle Is more apt to be
the girl who comes on board In
hat Of the most exaggerated type and
with much noise and clatter.
All the way over her toilettes are
The talk of the ship, and she lives In
the public gaze. She Ia chummy
with every man on board who III
permit II. and has selected with WELL
trained eve the most retired corner
Tor her chair.
Two friends OF years standing left
New York for Glasgow, intending 10
be together as far as Paris where
hey we're to separate. In less than
4 week they did not address each
other. except as the exigencles OF
a CABIN demanded CONVERSE
lion, and when the Scotch port was
reached one stayed over night at the
station hotel TO avoid further necess-
~ for intercourse.
II simply couldn't stand her sell
Ssh monopoly Of the best Of every
hing" she confded to a sympathetic
passenger. She IL the most migrate
nj creature. After all I've done for
her. wasn't expected TO touch even
, hairpin that happened TO be On her
II IL not easy to sur
rive the test OF close quarters and
he sharing Of the few convenlences
sfateroom affords. and those who