Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
GET CLOTHES EASY
WHERE THE JUNGLE GIRL FINDS
HER WARDROBE.
Lace Bark is Her Favorite Ball Dress
Fabric-Perfume
Receipts.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
Down in the tropical jungles of Central
America and the West Indies the head of
the family is not worried by milliners' and
dressmakers' bills. The semi-civiized belle
of these lands knows how to get nearly the
whole of her costume from the jungle. She
manufactures it herself from the materials
she gathers from nature. Though she may
be able in rare cases to get from the
shop ten or fifteen miles away a few yards
of cloth with which to make her dress, any
trimming she may wish to put upon 1t must
be searched for in the woods.
Lace bark is her favorite material for
making anything light and dainty. This
lace bark is the film which covers the heart
of the lace-bark tree The natives care
fully remove it and soak it in running wa
ter for three or four days in order to get off
the gum and unnecessary fiber After that
1t is bleached on the sands by the river and
sprinkled now and then to whiten it. When
it has become a creamy white 1t is pressed
with hot iron or a heated stone, and is
ready for use. 1t has fine lacy appearance
and runs into more artistic patterns than
any manufactured article. When made
into dress it is wonderfully beautiful.
The jungle girl uses 1t sparingly on her
ordinary clothes. but for her ball dress
flounce after fiounce is used to give fluffy
look to the skirts. She knows that it be-
comes her as nothing else would.
Jewelry Outfit.
Her jewelry consists of beautifully colored
seeds strung together in the form of neck
laces. bracelets and tiaras. In addition to
these, on the night of the ball she catches
the brilliant f1refies which swarm in the
jungle. and artistically arranges them in
her dusky locks. The jungle girl would not
exchange her "peenie-wallahs,' as she calls
far l,a -
ern belle.
The jungle girls hats are marvel to
behold. She weaveS them herself from the
jippi-jappa grass, and can get any shape or
style she fancies. She trims them with the
netty fiber of the cocoanut palm and the
gorgeous wings of the mountain parrokeet,
which is shot and brought home by her
father and brother. Even her parasol and
umbrella are supplied by kindly nature.
When the sun is too hot or the rain too
heavy, big plantain or banana leaf does
as well as anything bought in the largest
stores of an American city.
A creole belle is fond of perfume as the
daintieSt American woman, and is just as
particular that 1t shall be of the best kind.
She goes to much more trouble to procure
it, but then she knows that it Is always
pure and fresh. She first picks her fresh
flowers, and then, by some process handed
down from one generation to another, she
distills it.
The secret method is often known to only
a few families, and they would not give it
away for any sum of money. The lucky
holders of the secret are, of course, envied
by all who know them. Although others
may receive presents of the much-valued
scent from those in the secret. they cannot
make it themselves. and. therefore, cam
not afford to be as lavish with it as they
wish.
Her Soap Berries.
The tropical girls soap is procured on the
way to the bath. AS she walks down to the
Izo<I, CHI cfn
gather soap berries. and cuts a piece of
stick called "chewstick." which she uses as
a toothbrush. She chews the end of it until
it becomes quite soft and froth gathers at
the end She then rubs her teeth well with
it. This is the best toothbrush on earth,
as 1t not only prevents the teeth from de-
caying, but keeps them beautifully white