Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-07-16
WOES OF THE PURSER
He Has Troubles of His Own on
the Trip Across the Atlantic.
MUST HAVE A GOOD TEMPER.
His Time Wasted by Foolish Cues
lions and Trivial Appeals, Mainly by
Women Passengers. Yet he Has TO
Be Always Polite and Agreeable.

Be Always Polite and Agreeable.
Yes" said the purser on one OF the
big liners recently TO the writer who
happened to be taking trip from Lv-
erpool to New York. I'VE have our
own troubles. I can assure you, and I
sometimes envy the captain his soil
tary enjoyment OF the bridge. even
during a sixty mile gale. Passengers
seem to think that the purser is put
on n 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-
malnder In English silver coins, pre-
sumably for tips, Is 1t any wonder that
we occasionally lose our tempers?
And then. again. the purser is al
ways appealed to for the most trivial
things. A woman passenger comes To
the window. and II II is closed she will
bang on 1t till II is opened, no matter
IL the sign is there as large as life that
the Office hours are from IL to and
to O'Clock and she is honorlng me
with call at 3 p. m. Then. when the
window ~ raised for fear she will
smash II to smithereens. she says.
with sweet smile: oh, Mr. Purser,
l am SO sorry to disturb you. I know
Ii is not your hour of business. but
could You tell me If we will really
land next Thursday. as ! told my
brother we would. and know be will
be waiting for me on the dock
''Of course | am polite, but i have
some difficulty I'm persuading her that
l 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 1t Will be my fault II
we do not arrive at the time appointed.
+ Il remember on one trip when the
weather was particularly stormy
woman passenger knocked at my door
after Office hours, OF course-and
begged that she might speak to me for
few minutes. politely asked her
to enter. and then. her eyes starting
out OF her head with the excitement OF
suppressed emotion. she inplored me
to draw up her will. protested that
l was not n lawyer. but do you think
she would be satisfied with that ex-
cuseI Not much! There and then 1
had TO draw up document ~ the
best legal phraseology could muster
When II was finished and and my
assistant had signed 1t she gave the
young fellow u sovereign for his trou-
bic, and as for Newell, she took OF
q very handsome ring and insisted on
my accepting il. have that ring yet,
but what became OF the donor I never
knew. for when the storm abated aud
we We're safe I'm port she never so
much as babe me goodby. though 1
had repeatedly asked her to take back
her ring. She vas 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
a receipt. Some nervous women seem
TO think that a strong room at sea il
not 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 u recent voyage by taking her
vaiuables 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.
xayha oh faIA
that was impertinent and she would
inform the captain. believe she did
SO. but'the captain gave her a word or
two OF advice regarding the implicit
trust which should be placed In
purser. and this Quoted her. In fact.
she afterward came to me and apollo
gized for her seeming rudeness.
las rule. conduct church service
on board. as the captain does not en-
Joy the work. but prefers TO remain on
the bridge. Many a funeral service
also has fallen to my lot. and l have
even otficiated at q christening. ! am
usually the one to whom q passenger
fiies when he is dissatisfied with his
cabin. though the duty Of changing q
stateroom really rests with the head
steward. Then. again. It ia the pnrser
who is appealed to when the passep-
gers elect to hold concert, and the
young folks usually rush to him also
when they want to have a dance on
deck. A purser can be very popular
or the reverse, and unless you have an
excellent temper you stand a good
chance OF being the reverse
1.-The funniest experience had was
on a recent trip. when there was on
board little girl about twelve years
old. She struck up a warm friendship
with me aud would walk the deck for
miles If would only accompany her.
She fell very I'll during a storm and
refused to be comforted. Her mother
asked her II there was anything she
could do which would ease her suffer
ing. and the young imp said there was
II she would only 'skidoo' and let the
purser read q book to her she wouR'
feel better. And the indnlgent mother
came TO me. stated the case. and-well.
] complied with her request and read
TO the child for a little while each day
until she was well enough to come ON
deck again."-London Tit-Bits.