Page:Travel letters from New Zealand, Australia and Africa (1913).djvu/211

 than you admire the saving, industrious man who doesn't Mr. Riley is that sort of a fool; and that sort is the very worst kind. The man Mr. Riley was arguing with made a stinging reply, but Mr. Riley is usually so drunk that he doesn't know it when repartee goes against him Next to our table in the dining-room sit a father and mother and their grown son. Every morning the wife and mother gives her orders to her men-folks for the day, and points out what they did the day before that was displeasing. They talk in low tones, but we can generally hear what they say. The son seems to be the principal culprit, as he is paying attention to a certain Miss Helen the mother does not like; but the husband is well trained, for I have noticed that he takes his orders humbly.

—This evening members of the crew gave a concert on deck, for the amusement of the passengers. The concert did not begin until 9 o'clock, as most of the performers are waiters in the dining-room, and they were compelled to "do up" their work before starting As is common at amateur concerts, the stage was the best part of it. There were elaborate lighting effects, including foot-*lights, and much nice furniture, and palms, had been loaned for the occasion. As usual, the disturbance was not ten feet from my door; as a matter of fact, I loaned my cabin for a dressing-room. Toward the sea, the space above the rail was covered with flags, and the result was a very elaborate little theatre. Steamer