The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-01-19
THE JUNGLE BEAUTY
SHE PLucNs FER WARDROBE FROM
IT, TREES AND VINES.

Lace Earl. - TIE s:,ro"itc !fall Dress
Fabric Of ync Scs.i>iv:ii=eG Belle OF
.nc E.c,:. Indies - Living Jewels
Th.. o;:;.S. INC th@ Diamond.
Down IN :ile troD:ca! jilnglcS OF Cen
trail .Ar.crica and lie West Indies the
head OF the f;miiy is not worried by
milllmers' and dresS!nakers bills. Ihe
sen,icivili:cl belle Of these lands knows
how to Get nearly the whole Of her cos
tune from the jungle. She manufac-
lures it herself from the materials she
gathers from nature. Though she may
be able in rare cases to get from the
one shop ten or fifteen miles away 4
few wards Of cloth with which to make
her dress, any trimming she may wish
to put upon it must be searched for IN
the woods.
Lace bark is her favorite material for
making anything light and dainty.
This lace bark is the finn which covers
the heart cf the lace bark tree. The
natives carefully remove it and soak
1t in running water 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
spr;nk!ed now. and then to whiten 1t.
When it has become j creamy white
it is pressed with hot iron or a heat
ed srone ana is ready for~use. 1t has 4
fnc lacy appearance and runs into
more artistic patterns than any manu-
factured article. When made into q
dress it is wonderfully beautiful.
The jungle gir! uses it Sparin5ly Oh
her ordinary clotEeS. but for her bali
dress flounce after tlounce is used to
give a fluffy look to the skirts. She
knows that it becomes her as nothing
else would.
Her iewelry consists Of beautifully
colored seeds strung together In the
form Of necklaces, bracelets and taras.
In addition to these, on the night OF
the ball she catches the brilliant fire
flies which swarm in the jungle and
artistically arranges them in her dusky
locks. The jungle girl would not eN-
change her 'peenie wallahs," as she
calls the frefiies, for the diamonds OF
the northern 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 fancles. She
trims them with the netty fiber Of the
cocoanut palm and the gorgeous wings
Of the mountain parrakeet 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 a big plaintain or banana
leaf does as we'll as anything bought in
the largest stores Of an American city.
a creole belle is as fond Of perfume
as the daintiest American woman and
is lust as particular that it 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, ana
then, by some process handed down
from one generation to another, she dis
ti!lS 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 hc!ders Of the secret are CT
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 them
selves and therefore cannot afford to te
as lavish with it as they wish.
The tropical girls soap is procured
on the way to the bath. AS she walks
down to the river to bathe she stops
here and there to gather soap berries
and cuts piece Of stick called chew
stick" which she uses as toothbrush.
She chews the end Of it until it be-
comes quite soft and froth gathers at
the end. She then rubs her teeth well
with it. This is the best toothbrush on
earth, as it not only prevents the teeth
from decaying, but keeps them oeaun-
fully white and clean. People in other
countries, knowing the value OF this
chewstick above all others as denn-
frice, have it powdered and exported to
them.
In many parts Of South America the
natives cannot buy cloth to make their
clothes, so they have to spin 1t them
selves out Of cocoanut fiber, river
weeds and bamboo fiber. The cloth
woven from the bamboo fiber is very
coft anS silky