The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-06-17

to drink the mineral water Of the
country through which he is passing.
SIovakian Paper Industry.
Slovakia is not SO highly organized
along industrial lines as is Bohemia
but it has vast forests and already
there are many paper mills, some Of
them still running under the old
Hungarian names. But these are all
small affairs and so far the paper and
wood pulp industry has not been de-
veloped to anything like the proper
tons which could be reached in a
stable, industrious Europe. In Slo-
vakia, too, one may see Brentwood
chairs being made for the American
market.
CZechoslOvakia is short of coal but
this may be a good thing in the long
run, for SlOvakia is one vast store
house Of hydraulic power and there is
enough unused water power among
the Slovakian hills and in the fashion
able high Tatra region to run all the
factories that are likely to be started
for a long time to come. The Tatra
mountains are rivals of the Swiss Alps
for scenery. There the wealth and
~aristocracy Of Hungary have been
accustomed to go for generations for
mountain climbing and other outdoor
recreationS.
While Bohemia, the land Of the
Czechs, is predominantly an industrial
country, Slovakia, the home of the
SlOvak portion Of the partnership is
at present chiefly agricultural. There
are to be found the quaintest and
most artistic of the peasant costumes
Of the republic, which are a never
ending delight. The men wear white
shirts, embroidered at wrists and
throat and faultlessly Numbered, a
thickly braided vest, wide white
trousers high boots, and a round
topped hat circled by a wide figured
band.
How the Women Dress.
The women run the whole gamut Of
I color and q group Of them makes a
picture on which the eye must linger.
Their skirts Of plain black reach only
a few inches below the knees. Just
below the waist is a line Of fine
embroidery. Their stockings are
thick and serviceable. Some have
small square cOlored designs knitted
into the dull black. Their shoes are
stout and usually high cut. High soft
leather boots are worn by some. The
jacket which reaches to the waist may
also be plain except for an applique
design Of handmade lace.
Where then is the colOrfulnesS of
the women's costumes? 1t is in the
gay and striking head-dress and apron.
White and red are the f~avorite colors
for the head shawls, but the aprons
the real adornment for which the
other clothes seem merely the back
ground-are every color under heaven
bright green, changeable to gold;
yellow with q silver overnight, pink.
blue, cerise and all the other colors
that feminine fancy may choose. When
a few hundred of these g~aily-cOlored
aprons are displayed in one moving
picture, the scene Is a charming one
indeed.
The hand-work that of old was put
upon women's costumes, utilizing as
its materials homemade vegetable
dyes, produced artistic results. But
with the growth Of industrialism less
and less Of this old-fashioned work
Is being done. Aniline dyes are being
substituted and machinery is being
called upon to turn out its products
quickly and In great volume. The
factories, too, are attracting to the
towns the women who would have en-
gagged in the home work. Thus gradu-
ally the arts of the past are being
lost.
Even from the tiny villages Of Slo-
vak.a, hitherto the stronghold Of rural
customs, young girls are going to the
cities. They have neither time nor
energy to do the fine needlework that
made their mothers costumes things
of beauty, nor money to purchase SINH
lar clothes made by others. They are
coming more and more to wear white
hats with wide brims. spotlessly white
dresses, and white stockings and
slippers. These newer costumes are
charming but lack the beauty and
individuality Of the old