The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-03-11
THE JUNGLE BEAUTY
SHE PLUcKs HER WARDROBE FROM
THE TREES AND VINES.

Lace Bark Is the FaV0ritc Hall Dres.
Fabric of the SemiciviIizcd Belle OF
the West Indies - Living Jewels
That Outshine the Diamond.
Down in tie tropical jungleS of Cen
trail America and tGr West Indies the
head of the family is not worried 10y
milllnerS' and dreSSmakerS' bills. The
sen!icivili.:ed belle of these lands knows
how 10 get nearly the whole OF her COS
IuInc from Iii" jungle. She manufac
lures ii herself from the materials she
gathers from nature. Though She may
he able in rur. eases 10 get from the
one shop ten or fifteen miles away 4
few yards of cloth With which to make
her dress, Amy trimming she may wish
10 put upon it must he 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 carefully remove it and soak
it in running water for three or four
days i'll order TO get off the gum and
unnecessary fiber. After that it is
bleached on the sands by the river and
Sprinklcd now and then to whten it.
Wien it has become IL creamy white
It is pressed with Il hot iron or Il heat
cd stone and is ready for use. 1t has IL
fine lacy appearance and runs into
NOR" artistic patterns than any MANU-
20
dress it is wonderfully beautiful
The jungle girl uses it sparingly on
her ordinary clothes. but for her ball
dress ti0unce after tiounce is used to
give fluffy look to the skirts. She
knows that it becomes her as nothing
else would
Her jewelry consists of beautifully
colored seeds strung together i'll the
form of necklaces bracelets and tiaras.
In addition to these. OH the night of
the ball she catches the brilliant fire
flies which swarm i'll the jungle and
artiStically arrangeS them i'll her dusky
locks. The jungle girl would not OK
change her 'peenic wallahS, aS she
calls the iirrflics, fUr the diamonds Of
the northern belle.
The jungle girls hats are Il marvel
to behold She weavcs them herself
from the iippi jappa grass, and can get
any shape or style she fancicS. She
trims them with the nctty fiber of the
cocoanut palm and the gorgeous wings
of the mountain parrakect, which is
shot and brought home by her father
and brother. Even her pariSol and
umbrella are supplied by kindly nature.
When the sun is too hot or the rain
too heavy Il big plaintain or banana
leaf does as we'll rs anything bought il
the largest stores of an American city.
4 creole belle is as fond of perfume
as the daintiest American woman and
Is just as particular that it shall be- Of
the best kind. She goes 10 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 dis
tills it.
The secret method is often known to
only Il 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 them
selves and therefore cannot afford TO be
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 battle 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 beauti-
fully white and clean. People in other
countries, knowing the value Of this
chewstick above all others as :: denti-
frice, have 1t 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 it them
selves out of cocoanut fiber, river
weeds and bamboo fiber The cloth
woven from the bamboo fiber is very
soft and silky.
Unlike the West Indians, the South
American belle wears shoes of kind.
These are made of a coarse woven ma
terial like sailcloth, which is attached
to soles of rawhide. They are the most
comfortable shoes imaginable and are
used by the soldiers of South America
when on the march. They are called
"alpagattas," and Americans who have
travelled in South America invariably
bring them home TO their wives ana
daughters for bath slippers. Those
who are lucky enough to have pair
would not exchange them for any 9th
er slippers, however costly. No other
footgear equals the ''alpaSatta' for
comfort and urability.-WashinSto
Star.