For instance, Miss Spinster is one of the best-bred, best-informed, most charming ladies imaginable.  But her mania for people cannot fail on occasions to put her in a position to be snubbed—­never seriously because she is too obviously a lady for that.  But to see her trotting along the deck and then darting upon a helpless reclining figure, is at least an illustration of the way some people make friends.  It can’t be done, of course, unless you have once known the person you are addressing, or unless you have a friend in common who, though absent, can serve in making the introduction.

As said in “Introductions,” introducing oneself is often perfectly correct.  If you, sharing Miss Spinster’s love of people, find yourself on a steamer with the intimate friend of a member of your family, you may very properly go up and say, “I am going to speak to you because I am Celia Lovejoy’s cousin—­I am Mrs. Brown.”  And Mrs. Norman, who very much likes Celia Lovejoy, says cordially, “I am so glad you spoke to me, do sit down, won’t you?” But to have your next chair neighbor on deck insist on talking to you, if you don’t want to be talked to, is very annoying, and it is bad form for her to do so.  If you are sitting hour after hour doing nothing but idly looking in front of you, your neighbor might address a few remarks to you, and if you receive them with any degree of enthusiasm, your response may be translated into a willingness to talk.  But if you answer in the merest monosyllables, it should be taken to mean that you prefer to be left to your own diversions.

Even if you are agreeable, your neighbor should show tact in not speaking to you when you are reading or writing, or show no inclination for conversation.  The point is really that no one must do anything to interfere with the enjoyment of another.  Whoever is making the advance, whether your neighbor or yourself, it must never be more than tentative; if not at least met halfway, it must be withdrawn at once.  That is really the only rule there is.  It should merely be granted that those who do not care to meet others have just as much right to their seclusion as those who delight in others have a right to be delighted—­as long as that delight is unmistakably mutual.

=STEAMER TIPS=

Each ordinary first class passenger, now as always, gives ten shillings ($2.50) to the room steward or stewardess, ten shillings to the dining-room steward, ten shillings to the deck steward, ten shillings to the lounge steward.  Your tip to the head steward and to one of the chefs depends on whether they have done anything especial for you.  If not, you do not tip them.  If you are a bad sailor and have been taking your meals in your room, you give twenty shillings ($5.00) at least to the stewardess (or steward, if you are a man).  Or if you have eaten your meals on deck, you give twenty shillings to the deck steward, and ten to his assistant, and you give five to the bath steward.  To any steward who takes pains to please you, you show by your manner in thanking him that you appreciate his efforts, as well as by giving him a somewhat more generous tip when you leave the ship.