Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-02-10
THE JUNGLE BEAUTY
Sra PLUCKS HER WARDROBE FROM
THE TREES AND VINES.

Lace Bark L. the FaVorIte Bau Dress
Fnbric"of the Semicfwflized Belle OF
the West Indies Living Jewels
That Outshinc the Diamond.
Down in the tropical jungies of Cen
tral America and the West Indies the
head OF the family is not worried by
r,ill nerS' and dressmakerS' bills. The
semiGivilized belle OF these lands knows
how To get nearly the whole Of her COS
l tune from the jungle. She manufac-
/ lures IL 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 q
few yards Of cloth with which TO make
her dress. any trimming she may wish
10 put upon IL 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 1t and soak
it in running water for three or four
days in order 10 get or the gum and
unnecessary fiber. After that Il is
bleaohed on the sands 10y the river and
sprinkled now and then TO whiten IL.
When il has become n creamy white
it is pressed with hot iron or heat
ed stone and is ready Tor use. 1t has a
fine lacy appearance and runs into
more artistic patterns than any manu-
featured article. When made into a
dress IL is wonderfully beautiful
The jungle girl uses It sparingly on
her ordinary clothes, but FOR her ball
dress fOunce after lounce is used TO
give n fiuny look 10 the skirts. She
knows that IL 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 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 dusly
locks. The jungle girl would not ex-
change her ''pcenie wallahs," as she
calls the fireflies, for the diamonds OF
the northern belle.
The jungle girls hats are a marvel
10 behold. She weavcs 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 aud the gorgeous wings
Of the mountain parrakeet. which is
shot and brought home 10y her father
and brother. Even her parasOl and
umbrella are supplied 10y 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 just as particular that il shall be Of
the best kind. She goes 20 much more
| trouble TO procure il, 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 10 another, she dis
tills st.
The secret method is often known To
only few families, and they would not
give il 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 il as they wish.
The tropical girls soap is procured
on the way 10 the bath. As she walks
down TO the river to battle she stop:
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 IL until IL be
comes quite soft and frOth gathers a
the end She then rubs her teeth wei
with il. This is the best toothbrush OF
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 thi:
chewstick above ali others as n denti
frice, have 1t powdered and exported t.
them
In many parts OF South America the
natives cannot buy cloth to make theil
clothes. so they have 20 spin il them
selves out OF cocoanut fiber, rivel
weeds and bamboo fiber The clotl
woven from the bamboo fiber is very
soft and silky.
Unlike the West Indians the Soutl
American belle wears shoes OF a kind
These are made of a coarse woven ma
terial like sailcloth, which is attached
to soles of rawhide. They are the mos
comfortable shoes imaginable and ar
used by the soldiers Of South Americ.
when on the march. They are Gale,
'alpagattas." and Americans who hav,
Travelled in South America invariabl,
bring them home 10 their wives an,
daughters for bath slippers. Thos
who are lucky enough to have n pal
would not exchange them for any 9th
er slippers, however costly. No othe
footgear equals the "alpagatta" 70
comfort and durability Washington