Evening journal., 1904-02-12
THE JUNGLE BEAUTY
BHE PLUcKs HER WARDROBE FROM
THE TREES AND VINES.


Lace Bark Is the Tavorite hall Dress
Fabric of the semiciviIixed Belle of
she West Indies - Living Jewels
That outshine the Diamond.
Down in the tropical jungles of Cen
trial America and the West Indies the
head Of the family is not worried by
miliners' and dressmakers bills The
semicivilized 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 a
few yards 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 film which covers
the heart of the lace bark tree. The
natives carefully remove il and soak
It in running water for three or four
days in order TO get of the gum and
Unnecessary fiber After that it is
bleached on the sands by the river and
sprinkled now and then TO whiten t.
When it has become a creamy white
1t is pressed with a hot iron or a heat
ed stone and is ready for use. 1t has a
fine lacy appearance and runs into
more artistic patterns than any manu-
featured article. When made into a
dress it is wonderfully beautiful
The jungle girl uses it sparingly on
her ordinary clothes. but for her ball
dress founce after flounce 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 in the
form of necklaces. bracelets and tiaras.
In addition 20 these, on the night OF
the ball she catches the brilliant fire.
flies which swarm in the jungle and
nrtistically arranges them in her dusky
locks. The jungle girl would not ex'
change her ''peenie wailahs," as she
calls the frehies. for the diamonds OF
the northern belle.
The jungle girls hats are marvel
to behold She weayes them herself
! from the iippi jappa grass. and can gel
any shape or style she fancies. She
trims them with the netty fiber of the
eocoanut palm and the gorgeous wings
Of the mountain parrakeet. which Il
shot and brought home by her father
and brother. Even her parasol ant
f umbrella are supplied by kindly nature
e When the sun is too hot or the raiI
Z too heavy a big plaintain or banans
leaf does as well as anything bought il
the largest stores Of an American city.
A creole belle is as fond of perfum'
: as the daintiest American woman anG
: is just as particular that It shall be o
the best kind. She goes to much NOR
). trouble TO procure it, but then sh
u knows that il is always pure and fresh
She first picks her fresh flowers, an
IS then, by some process handed dow
+ from one generation to another, she dis
tills it.
The secret method is often known [
only few families, and they would nc
give it away for any sum of money
IS The lucky holders Of the secret are Q
r course envied by all who know then
is Although others may receive present
!. Of the much valued scent from those Il
the secret. they cannot make it them
selves and therefore cannot afford TO b
as lavish with it as they wish.
The tropical girls soap is procure
Z on the way to the bath. AS she walk
down to the river TO battle she stop
Z here and there to gather soap berrie
and cuts a piece of stick called Chew
stick" which she uses as a toothbrush
She chews the end Of it until 1t bs
comes quite soft and froth gathers a
the end. She then rubs her teeth we
with 1t. This is the best toothbrush o
, earth. as it not only prevents the teet
. from decaying, but keeps them beaut
fully white and clean. People in othe
y countries. knowing the value Of thi
y chewstick above. all others as a dent
frice, have it powdered and exported
them.
In many parts Of South America th
!, natives cannot buy cloth to make thei
: clothes, so they have to spin it then
! selves out Of cocoanut fiber. rive
, weeds and bamboo fiber. The clot
4 woven from the bamboo fiber is yer
soft and silky
Unlike the West Indians. the Sout
American belle wears shoes of kin,
These are made Of coarse woven m'
terial like sailcloth, which is attache
to soles OF rawhide. They are the MOI
/ comfortable shoes imaginable and al
used by the soldiers of South Americ
when on the march. They are Gale
"alpagattas." and Americans who hay
Travelled in South America invariabl
bring them home to their wives an
daughters for bath slippers. Thos
). who are lucky enough to have pa
would not exchange them for'any oil
3 er slippers. however costly. No oth'
h footgear equals the "alpagatta" Il
i comfort and durability. Washingto
7. Star