Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-25
CHEER AT SEA
Provision Made by Ship Owners for
Passengers and Crew.
ALL GIVEN A MERRY TIME
what Happened Daring YuIetIde 60
Foriorn Traveller Between Two
POrts--ssnta Claus on,
the steamer.

Nobody who could help Il would think
OF spending Christmas AZ sea. away from
home and friends. But every year there
are certain unfortunates who cannot helm
themselves. and when December a, with
all lie good cheer and fesuvity. draws TO
its twilight on some great ship. between
port 20 port, these expatriates think for
iornly Of all the happiness from which
they are separHted-that II, II they had
no previous experience OF Christmas a.
sea The experienced voyager 81 not for
lorn, because, for one thing. he knows
that even though the Yuletide Joys OK n
great steamship may not be so fasci-
mating as thoze OF home. they have still
a good cheer all their own.
On al steamships carrying passengers.
and particularly those on the transatlan-
tic runs. the celebration OF Christmas IL
Ecrupulously observed. This IL partly be-
cause the keynote OF the policy OF the
big steamship lines Is 20 make their pas
eengeTs as comfortable as is possible, and
partly because among searuen the eeie-
bration Of Christmas is always popular
livery steamship that sails from Ameri-
can or European ports late IN December.
ule viii keep Il at sea over the 18th. car
Yies among the other tons Of good things
5n It's hold a fun complement Of Christ
snas trees for the passengers OF every
class and for the different messes OF the
crew. Plenty OF Vermont and Rhode
Island turkey. mince pie. goose. plum pud-
ding and the "flxings" that go 10 make
Christmas dinner what II ought 10 be,
are stored In the larder.
The most lavish OF all high-sea Christ
mas celebrations are those on the Ger
man ships. for. although the English
make a great deal OF the feast. after all
lit is the Germans who celebrate II most
On the English ships Christmas II more
or less OF the staid function that II r. in
all respectable British homes. On the
German ships everybody aboard. from
captain down 10 the poorest steerage pas.
lsenger. including the wealthy occupant OF
the royal suite" Joints heart and soul
in the festivities. There IL a spontaneous
exuberance about the days events. Teu-
tonic and immitable.
For the ChsIdren on the ships.
Children are always at a premium on
the ships Of both nations. In fact, the
HbhiueHtt UNoat albHANFh ocean tIuy~
hound" skipper. with his gold-laoed uni
form and Commander. r. N. r." after
his name. will get down on his knees in
The middle OF the saloon floor on a stormy
Christmas morning. up where the 'roar-
ing forties dip 10 the NORTH" and explain
the intricacies OF theseiectrical apparatus
which lights the Christmas tree 10 some
tiny youngster whose unaffected Joy in
the unique entertainment has gripped the
entire company. This IS a fact Any one
can witness such a sight. unnatural as II
may seem TO those who have only seen
the skipper on the bridge OF his ship.
There was once a man who had ceie-
brated Christmas In many strange places,
bat never at sea. He was In London,
living all alone az a club. with only men
like himself for company. and n cable
message came, bidding him start at once
Tor the states. He wandered through the
club all that day, remarking that II was
q beastly bore having 10 travel az Christ
mas time" Why he said this II would
be difficult to explain, for Il had been
years since he had really known what
Christmas meant at home. il was Just
that he disliked the idea OF being away
from fixed customs on the day OF days in
the year.
The man went on board his ship at
Liverpool. along with a meager company
Of unfortunates. who, like himself. we're
condemned to travel IN the holiday sea-
son. Before the ship had passed Holy
head. the man had found another man IN
the smoking room with whom he could
bemoan misfortunes And other people
IN the dining saloon that night said the
same thing. What should they do. they
asked each other7 Certainly. they ought
10 get together and arrange some sort OF
8 celebration. II just 90 break up the
routine OF the voyage.
50 one OF them went 90 the purser and
told him their sad tale. and the purser
smiled. A good purser viii always smile
~ any hard luck story.
My dear sir" he said, don't you
worry about Christmas. Wen give you
as fitting celebration as any you ever
had IN your life.''
TidinEa OF Peace.
During the next two days the prepara-
lions began 90 take shape. Stewards
broke out OF the cargo holds sturdy fTr-
trees, one for the cabin. ono for second
class and one for the steerage Other
stewards unearthed quantities Of greens.
holly and mistletoe. which were draped
about the cabins, In smoking rooms. card