Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-01-28
THE JUNGLE BEAUTY
i6hE PLUCkS HER WARDROBE FROM
THE TREES AND VINES.
Lace Bark Is the Favorite Ball Dress
Fabric of the Semicivilized Belle of
the West Indies Living Jewels
That Outshine the Diamond

head of the family is not worried by
milliners' and dressmakcrs 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 ii 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
sprinkled now and then to whiten 1t.
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
dne lacy appearance and runs into
more artistic patterns than any manu-
AdSAuTet1 uTllCle. w uen mauo INTO q
dress 1t is wonderfully beautiful
The jungle girl uses 1t sparingly on
her ordinary clothes, but for her ball
dress tlounce after founce is used to
give a fluffy look to the skirts. She
knows that 1t becomes her as nothing
else would.
) Her jewelry consists Of beautifully
.colored seeds strung together in the
form Of necklaces, bracelets and t1aras.
In addition to these, on the night Of
the ball she catches the brilliant fire.
flies. which swarm in the Jungle and
nrtisucally arranges them in her dusky
locks. The jungle girl would not ex-
change her "peenie wallahs," as she
calls the fireflies, 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 fancies. 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.
\ 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 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 dis
tills it.
The secret method is often known to
only 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 i'll
the secret. they cannot make 1t them-
selves and therefore cannot afford 10 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 bathe she stops
here and there to gather soap berries
and cuts Il piece of stick called Chew
stick" which she uses as a toothbrush.
She chews the end of it until IT be-
comes quite soft and frolh gathers at
the end She then rubs her teeth We'll
with It. This is the best toothbrush on
earth. as it not Only prevents the teeth
from decaying. but keeps them beauu-
fully white and clean. People in other
co,ntr ripS knowing tie NaIue OF TINS
chewstick above All offers - dentI-
frice, have it powdered and exported to
them.
In many parts of South America the
natives cannot buy cloth To MAX" lHtiF
clothes. so they have to spin 1t them
selves out of cocoanut hter, river
weeds and bamboo fiber. he tielH
woven from the bamboo the1 IS very
soft and silky.
I Unlike. the West Indians. the SouiH
American belle wears shoes OF KIND
These are made of a coarse woven ma
+or;al like sailcloth, which is attached
to soles of rawhide They are 'he Hio>'
comfortable shoes imaginable ana are
used by the soldiers of South Ainerlca
1vhen on the march. They are caiieo
...,nagattas." and Americans VINO nave /
nrnvaled in South America lnVarlaol!
hrinp them home to their wives ana
aanghters for bath slippers. 1hose
who are lucky enough to nave par
-ould not exchange them iof any oen-
o. .,inDers. however costly. NO o'neF
e.,+oaar EQUALS the "alpagatta lor
eo-4 and durability Washington