The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06
a FLY brush FORTUNE.
cid Time Peacock Feather Brushes
Back Into Favor

Back Into Favor.
Aiken S. c., May 1.-The old fashioned
fly brushes of peacock feathers are COM
ing back into fashion and one woman
near Aiken, s. c.. is making a snug little
income by the manufacture and sale of
them to northern visitors.
"of course, the feathers must be pluck
ed in May or the early part of June If
you wish to have them in the best condI-
ton" said this maker of Ieaccck fly
brushes, whose name, by the way Is Mrs.
John Jones. After that time the fowl be-
gins TO shed them and they are not so
good. j sometimes pluck a part of a tail
and let the bird go for another week be-
cause find all the feathers are not ripe.
How can l tell? Why, when there is the
slightest blood at the stems. When per-
fectiy ripe they come out easily and The
stems are not the Slightest bit discolored
In price, my brushes range from TWEEN
ty-five to fifty dollars. These at the first
n9me1 prize contain only the feathers
from one fowl, while the more expensive
ones have carefully sorted feathers from
half a dozen tails
I'm making l begin with the handles,
the foundation of which are of some
strong, ligft wood. Over this wooden stick
l fit the long stems of the best tail feath-
white Then I weave back and forth over
and under these stems, black ar dark
green braid about an inch in width The
effect Is very pretty and 1t will last as
long as there is a feather. The lower end
of this handle ] finish by neat cap of
leather, the color of the braid
II next prepare TO put on the brush. Tn
the smaller or upper end of the slick I
have cut three grooves, on the upper of
these l fasten funnel SHAPED pie q Ct
pasteboard-the small end Just fitting the
stick-by wrapping with a strong flax
thread. This done, put on the first row
of feathers. Selecting the long ones fit
the stems around the funnel carefully
keeping the feather ends on line and the
eyes turned out. Then tie them first at
the groove where the funnel Is tied ana
then In the groove below, clipping the
stems off just below this second wrapping
Next, with coarse needle and some of
the fax thread, string these feathers
and tack firmly 10 the pasteboard funnel
about a half inch from the upper edge
Remember that the success of your brush
depends on the security with which this
first row is attached to the stick and the
pasteboard funnel Between the top Of
this pasteboard and the eyes of this row
the feathers must be strung three times
and the thread firmly tied.
1.-THE next row is put on about the same
come far enough down TO show the eyes in
the first row. while the stems are wrapped
in the middle and lowest grooves The
succeeding rows are much more easily fit-
ted in as there are but three points TO OBJ
serve; first, let the eyes of the preceding
row be plainly visible; second, wrap the
stem ends firmly, and third string them
IN such manner that the threads Will
not show. A brush so made will show
succession of peacock eyes and the effect
is exceedingly rich.
Now to cover the wrappings where
brush and handle meet, / either put on
a tapering leather cover to match the cap
at the lower end OF the handle or cover
a piece of stiff canvas with the breast
feathers and put that on. The breast
feathers, think, make the handsomest
and the most appropriate base from
which the tail feathers appear to spring.
sometimes cover the handles with plait-
ed leather or with che palmetto, but most
of my orders have been for stem and
braid coverings.
pea fowls are not numerous as they
lay very few eggs. The first year a hen
lays only two eggs, and then one more
for every year after. The young are very
delicate but when matured think they
almost never die. Two Of my cocks, am
sure, are twenty-five years old. They are
very useful on a farm as they brighten
away hawks, thus protecting the other
poultry, and the negroes and many we'll
informed whites have great faith in them
as weather prophets.
II have ten cocks, consequently have
only ten tails a season Of my own raising,
but buy those OF other farmers wives
all through the state paying from two
to five dollars, according to the quality o.