Well, dear readers… what a day it has been! I don't mind saying that never in my life have I seen so much going on in such few hours. My head has a perpetual buzz in it. Which is probably from all the whistle blowing (one can feel those things rumble to the very depth of you). At any rate, now it's to be a peaceful overnight run to Queenstown, so all should settle down. I could go on about the food and luxuries we've enjoyed, today, but I'm sure there will be plenty written about that, once we get to New York. What I want to tell you about most is the people.
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| Lucy in her traveling days, but of course she has to wear a uniform while serving aboard the TITANIC. |
First of all, there is a wonderful cabin stewardess for my section, named Lucy Snape. She was kind enough to go out of her way to bring me hot water for tea, knowing I was working late, and we shared a few moments of interesting conversation, together. What an adventurous person (I can spot them, easily, being so enamored by adventure, myself)! Only twenty-two years old, and she's already seen and lived in such exotic places as Singapore and Hong Kong, while married to her sea captain husband. He became ill and died, however, and she has bravely set out to support herself and small daughter on her own. Of course, she had to leave the little one behind with her parents for this voyage, but the fact that she chose such a path tells more than words. Something quietly brave about her. At any rate, I hope we will be able to talk more. Being a cabin stewardess is no easy task, though, so it will have to be in brief snatches.
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| Edith Russell... Oh, that we could all look so good in pictures. |
At Cherbourg, we took on quite a few passengers, and I did get my interview with fashion writer, Edith Russell. She is occupying cabin A-11, off the Promenade on the starboard side (just in front of the first smoke stack). She also has cabin number E-63 (behind the third smoke stack), for…are you ready for this? Just her clothes. That's how much she's bringing back to the states from France. Nineteen trunks, I believe she said. This because, while she still has a successful buying and consulting service based in Paris, she is also designing her own popular retail line of clothes, called Elrose, for Lord & Taylor, in New York. She is fashion, itself, ladies, so if you want to know what styles are coming up next, keep your eye on Edith. She did mention one thing I found oddly interesting, though. While nearly everyone was praising the splendid luxuries of our floating palace, she made the remark, "Everything feels rather stiff and cold up in first class. No coziness to it, at all."
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| The Marconi Room |
Well, I shall definitely have to check into that tomorrow, when I join the Strauss's for tea. But right now, I have to get this information over to the Marconi Room, so that Mr.Jack Phillips can send it out to the paper. He wasn't exactly happy about sending something this long, as he much prefers the short "Having a grand time, wish you were here," reports people like sending for mere fun. And such a pile of those he has to send, too, so I can't really blame him. "This is not just fun, this is news, Mr. Phillips," I told him. "There are people all over America who would like to hear it."
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| Jack Phillips, Senior Wireless Operator aboard TITANIC. |
"Lady, this job doesn't pay me enough to…"
"How about I bring you a chicken sandwich and coffee around eleven o'clock?"
"Deal," he replied.
That quick and that easy. Not another complaint, and I think we might even end up friends. If it's one thing I know, is that "a gift makes a way." I also know the value of a hearty snack during the darkest hours of a night shift. Now, I'm off to fulfill that promise. So, dear readers, until tomorrow, when we take on the Irish… blessings!
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