Milford chronicle., 1909-07-16
WOES OF THE PURSER
He Has Troubles of His Own on
the Trip Across the Atlantic.
MUST HAVE A GOOD TEMPER.

''Yes," said the purser on one Of the
Dig liners recently to the writer, who
happened to be taking a trip from Liv-
erpOol to New York, 1--WE have our
own troubles, can assure you, ana
sometimes envy the captain his soil
fary enjoyment OF the bridge, even
during a sixty mile gale Passengers
seem to think that the purser is put
on a ship simply to answer foolish
questions.
"Of course there is a good deal
which we have to put up with as be-
ing part Of our legitimate duties,
though when a passenger brings us a
hundred dollar yellow back and asks to
have 1t changed into English, French
German and Spanish money and stipu-
lates that there must be twice as much
French as German and half the re-
mainder In English silver coins pre-
Sumably for tips, is it any wonder that
we occasionally lose our tempers2
"And then, again, the purser is al
ways appealed to for the most trivial
things A woman passenger comes to
the window, and If It is closed she will
bang on 1t till it is opened, no matter
II the sign is there as large as life that
the Office hours are from II TO and 4
to o'clock and she is honOring me
with a call at p. N. Then, when the
window is raised for fear she viii
smash 1t to smithereens, she says.
with a sweet smile: oh, Mr.. Purser,
am so sorry to disturb you. know
II is not your hour Of business, but
could you tell me if we will really
land next Thursday, as I told my
brother we would, and know be will
be waiting FOR me on the dock
"Of course I am polite bb have
some difficulty In persuading her that !
am not running the ship, and neither
can l control the elements. She goes .
away with an expression that clearly .
shows she thinks l am keeping some
thing back and it will be my fault if
we do not arrive at the time appointed.
Il remember on one trip when the
weather was particularly stormy a
woman passenger knocked at my door
after office hours Of course-and
begged that she might speak to me for
a few minutes. / politely asked her
to enter, and then, her eyes starting
out Of her head with the excitement Of
suppressed emotion, she implored me
20 draw up her will. / protested that
was not a lawyer, but do you think
she would be satisfied with that ex-
cuse? Not muehl There and then
had to draw up a document in the
best legal phraseology l could muster
when it was finished and l and my
assistant had signed it she gave the
young fellow sovereign for his trOu-
bic, and as for newell, she took off
q very handsome ring and insisted on
my accepting it. l have that ring yet,
but what became Of the donor l never
knew, for when the storm abated and
we were safe in port she never SO
much as bade me goodby, though 1
had repeatedly asked her to take back
her ring. She was a very rich woman
evidently, and the bequests' in that
will drew up made my eyes bulge.
Most passengers when we have been
q day or so out bring the purser all
their valuables, for which they receive
9 receipt. Some nervous women seem
TO think that strong room at sea is
not a very secure place for their jew
els, and they insist on seeing their
treasures at least every day. One wom-
an passenger made my life a burden
during a recent voyage by taking her
valuables out and putting them in
again three times day until told her
that the next time she called for them
would not take them back again,
Rhereat she told me, with sour look. !
that ! was impertinent and she would
inform the captain. l believe she did
70, but the captain gave her a word or !
Two Of advice regarding the implicit {
trust which should be placed in a
Durser. and this quieted her. In fact. S
ihe afterwaTd came to me and apollo s
gized for her seeming rudeness. e
"As a rule, l conduct church service ]
IN board, as the captain does not en- Q
10y the work, but prefers to remain on q
he bridge. Many a funeral service a
llsO has fallen to my lot, and 1 have '
wen oficiated at a christening. am o
Usually the one to whom a passenger
iAeb Wueu ne IS ulSShLlSueu Win us
abin, though the duty Of changing a
tateroom really rests with the head q
teward. Then, again. it is the purser I
VhO is appealed to when the passen- q
'ers elect to hold a concert, and the u
'oung folks usually rush to him also y
Vhen they want to have a dance on q
eck. A purser can be very popular q
r the reverse, and unless you have an u
xcellent temper you stand a good p
hance Of being the reverse. =
''The funniest experience I had was y
q a recent trip, when there was on
card a little girl about twelve years
ID. She struck up a warm friendship =.
nth me and would walk the deck for =
liles II would only accompany her d
be fell very I'll during a storm and :.
sfused to be comforted. Her mother q
sked her II there was anything she -
IRld do which would ease her suffer
9, and the young imp said there was
abe would only 'skidoO' and let the n
lFser read a book to her she would N