The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-17
WOES OF THE PURSER
lie Has Troubles Of His o,Am on
the Trip Across the Atlantic.
MUST HAVE A GOOD TEMPER.

His Tire Wasted BY Foolish Cues.
tions and Trivial Appeals, Mainly By
Women Passengers. Vet He Hes 70
BE Always Polite and Agreeable.
Yes" said the purser on one Of the
big liners recently to the writer. who
happened 10 I've taking trip from Liv-
erpool to New York. we have our
own troubles. I can assure you. and I
sometimes envy the captain his soli-
tary enjoyment Of the bridge. even
during a sixty mile gale. Passengers
seem to think that the purser - put
on q ship simply to answer foolish
questions.
"Of course there Is a good deal
which we have to put up with ms be-
ing part OF our legitimate duties.
though when n passenger brings NJ Q
hundred dollar yellow back and asks to
have it changed into English. French.
German and Spanish money and stipu-
lates that there must be twice n much
French as German and half the re-
mainder In English silver coins. pre-
sumably for tips. 10 Il any wonder that
We occasionally lose our tempers:
''And then. again. the purser II Al
ways appealed to for the most trivial
things. A woman passenger comes to
the window. and II It II closed she viii
bang on 1t till 1t is opened. no matter
II the sign Is there as large rs life that
the ONCE hours are from IL to and 4
to O o'clock and she IL honoring mo
with call ut 8 n. N. Then. when the
window Is raised for fear she viii
smash II to smithereens. she says.
with sweet smile: oh. Mr. Purser.
I am SO sorry TO disturb you. know
II ID not your hour Of business. but
could you tell me IL we will really
land next Thursday. as I told my
brother We would. and I know - WIN
be waiting for me on the dock
"Of course I am polite. but 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 I am keeping so0e-
thing back and II will be my fault II
We do not arrive at the time appointed.
Il remember on one trip when the
weather was particularly stormy q
woman passenger knocked ut my door
after ONCE hours. Of course-and
begged that she might speak to me for
q 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
to draw mp her will. protested that
was not . lawyer. but do ron think
she would be satisfied with that ex-
cuse? Not much: There and then
had to draw up q document In tho
best legal phraseoloGy could muster.
when 1t was finished and ! and my
assistant had sigoed Il che gave the
young fellow sovereign for his troo-
bic. and a. for Newell. she took o.
q very handsome ring aud insisted ON
my accepting IL. ! have that ring yet.
but what became Of the donor never
knew. for when the storm abated and
We were safe N port she never %
much as bade me goodby. though I
had repeatedly asked her to AXE back
her ring. She was q very rich woman
evidently. and the .beQuests' In that
will drew up made my eyes badge.
..AIost passsngeFs when We have besn
q day or 20 out bring the pursef all
their valuables. for which they receive
q receipt. some nervous women seem
to think that . strong room ut sea Il
not y very secure place for their Jew
els. and they insist on seeing their
an passenger made my life burden
during . recent voyage By taking her
vaiuables out and putting them =
again three times day until ] told hes
that the next tune she called tor them
/ would mt take them hack again.
whereat she told me. with sour look.
that was impertipent and she would
inform the captain. believe she did
90. but the captain gave her wocd OF
two Of advice regarding the implicit
trust which should b placed IN .
purser. and this Quieted her. In fact.
she afterward came to me and apollo
gized for her seeming rudenesA
las 4 rule. conduct church service
on board. AZ the captain does not en-
Joy the work. but prefers to remain on
the bridge. Many q funeral service
also has fallen to my lot. and have
even oficiated at christening. am
usually the one to whom passenger
dies when be IL dissatisfied With his
cabin. though the duty Of changing Q
stateroom really rests with the head
steward. Then. again. II - the purseR
who II appealed to when the passen-
gers elect to hold q concert. ana the
young folks usually rush to him also
when they want TO have Q dance on
deck. A purser can be very popular
or the reverse, and unless you have IN
excellent temper you stand . GOD
chance Of being the Teverse.
The funniest experience ! had wos
on . recent trip. when there was on
board q little girl about twelve years
old She struck mp q warm ffiendship
with me and would walk the deck for
miles IL I would only accompany her.
She fell very III during q storm and
refused to be eomforted. Her mother
asked her II there was anything she
could do which would ease her suffer
ing. and the youns imp said there was.
II she would only -skidoo' and Iet the
purser read q book to her she would