St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1909-07-23
WOES or 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.
tions and Trivial Appeals, Mainly by
Women Passengers, Yet He Has to
Be Always Polite and Agreeable.

uons anu 'T'Ndi NPPta's, malny W
Women Passengers, Yet He Has to
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 Llv.
erpool to New York, eve have our
own troubles. can assure you. and
sometimes envy the cnptnln his soil.
tary enjoyment of the bridge, even
during n sixty mile gale. Passengers
seem TO think that the purscr is put
on n ship simply TO answer foolish
questions.
"Of course there Is good deal
which we have TO put up with MS be
Ing part of our legitimate duties.
though when passenger brings MS
hundred dollar yellow back aud asks to
have It changed into English. French.
German and Spanish money aud stipu-
lates that there must be twice as much
French ns German and half the re-.
mninder in English silver coins, pre-
sumnbly for tips. is II any wonder that
we occasionally lose our iempers?
And then. again. the purscr is nj.
ways appealed to for the most trivial
things. A woman passenger comes to
the window, and II II Is closed she will
bang on Il till II IL opened. no matter
n the sign IL there as large MS life that
the Office hours nrc from II to and :
to o o'clock aud she II hOnorlng me
with n call nj y. m. Then. when the
window IN raised for fear she Will
smash II 90 smlthcrccns. she says.
with n sweet smile: oh, Mr.. purscr,
am so sorry TO disturb you. | know
it In not your hour Of business. but
could you tell the II we viii really
land next Thursday. ns told my
brother we would. aud I know he Will
be waiting for me on the dock
"Of course am polite, but | have
some difficulty IN pcrsundlng her that
nm not running the ship, aud neither
eau I control the elements She goes
away with nn expression that clearly
shows she thinks ! nm keeping some.
thing back aud Il will be- my fault II
we do not arrive nt the tlmc appointed
II remember ON one trip when the
weather wns particularly stormy n
woman passenger knocked nt my door
after office hours. Of cOursc-and
begged that she might speak 10 mo for
n few minutes. politely asked her
TO enter aud then, her eyes starting
out Of her head with the excitement of
emotion. she implurcd me
60 draw up her viii. protested that
! was not n lawyer. but do you think
she would be satisfied with that ex.
cuscf Not much! There aud then !
had 10 draw up document In the
best legal phrnseology could muster.
when II was finished aud ! aud my
assistant had signed II she gave the
young fellow u sovereign for his trou'
Bile. aud ns for Newell, SHE took OH
u very handsome ring and Insisted ON
my accepting II. ! have that ring yet.
but what became OF the donor | never
knew. for when the storm nbaiod aud
we were safe Ia port she never ~
much m bade me goodby. though l
had repeatedly asked her 10 take back
her ring. She was n very rich woman
evidently. aud the 'bcquesls' Ia that
Will drew up made my eyes bulge.
Most passengers when We have been
u day or 80 out bring the purscr all
their ynluables. for which they receive
u receipt Some nervous women seem
10 think that strong room at sea II
not very secure place for their jew
els. aud they Insist ON seeing their
treasures nt least every day. one wom,
an passenger made my life n burden
during recent voyage by taking her
yaluablcs 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,
whereat she told me. with n sour look.
that | was impertinent ana she would
inform the captain. believe she did
so. but the captain gave her n word ur
two OF advice regarding the Implicit
trust which should bc placed In Il
purser, and this quieled her, In fact,
she afterward came TO me aud apollo
gized for her seeming rudeness.
AS a rule. conduct church service
on board. as the captain docs not en.
Joy the work, but prefers to remain on
the bridge. Many n funeral service !
also has fallen 10 my lot, and | have |
even ofllclated at a christening. am
usually the one 10 whom a passenger |
dies when he IN dissatisfied with his |
cabin. though the duty of changing n |
stateroom really rests with the head |
steward, Then. again, II is the purser
Who Is appealed "a when the passen-
gers elect To hold concert. and the
young folks usually rush 10 him also
when they want 90 have dance ON
deck. A purser can be very popular |
lr the reverse. and unless you have an
excellent temper you stand good
,hance Of being the reverse.
"rhe funniest experience | had was
IN recent trip. when there was ON
board a little girl about twelve years
I'D. She struck up "A warm friendship
with me aud would walk the deck for
niles II ] would only accompany her.
She fell very IN during a storm and
'ef,ised 10 be comforted. Her mother
Isked her II there was anything she
'ould do which would ease her suffer
ng. ana the young imp said there was.
Z she would only 'skidoo' ana let the
'urser read book To her she would
eel better And the indulgent mother
ame TO me, stated the ease, and-weu.
complied with her request aud read
o the child for little while each day
Until she was well enough TO come on
leck again."-London TitBlts.
POISON OAK POISONING.