Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1920 — Page 3

A WILDERNESS AND THOU

By JESSIE DOUGLAS

<£X 1920, by lieClur* Newspaper Syndicate.) Alice Dlsbrow looked down at the girl who sat on the railing of the rode camp. “Isn’t It funny that I should find yon here?" she asked In her high-fluted -voice. “How have you ever stood this wilderness ?” “I think It’s funnier to see you here," the girl on the railing answered. She looked at Alice with an honest admiration. Alice was in all things her opposite. She was slender and -delicate and fair; she had the look of a wild-flower In her pale blue frock and the wide hat with its Icngyelvet streamers. Under the hat, Agatha Holmes saw the eyes that looked like forget-me-nots, with the penciled brows above them, the white skin, the scar4et of lips that was not quite natural. That was why Alice Dlsbrow seemed *o out of place here, she decided. She was no more an accompaniment to camp life than an orchid. Her frail dress, her high-heeled suede slippers were not made to tramp these woods. Agatha looked down at her own high, Tough boots, at her tweed skirt, her brown hands, with a sudden distaste. For one Instant she longed for all the artificialities that, made the other girl so charming. But they would not have suited Agatha; she was too simple, too sincere, to resort to subterfuge In cover her lack of prettiness. Besides, she thought ruefully, nothing could make her pretty. Her fine, strong white teeth, and her eyes, large and gray and honest, were her only good features.

"I like the wilderness,” Agatha said simply. I’d been working so hard that Just to get away and smell the breath of the forest and drive my canoe across the lake has made my life worth living again.”" r “Oh, my dear, how do you stand working? I never could. There are so many nice things to do, when there are men, dancing and flirting and —” she mocked the other girl out of the corner of her blue eyes. “Then I shouldn’t think you would want to come up here!” Agatha said honestly. “You’ll hardly see a man all season, unless you mean the guides or the men who only stop to get a meal on the way with their camping outfits.” Alice was silent. She studied the other girl as a possible adversary. Then complacently she took out her t 7 tiny vanity case and powdered her pose in the very sight of the forest aisles. Alice knew that Jere Warren was coming up here; that was why she had chosen to come. She had wanted him to know all winter. Wasn’t he the most prominent of the young illustrators, and hadn’t people told her time and again that she was Just like the illustrations of his prettiest girl? Alice studied the watch on her white wrist, and then she said: “I’ll leave you now” —and trailed into the camp. She had staged too many scenes to miss the chance to play this one artistically. So it was Agatha Holmes, who, still sitting on tfce railing of the camp, met the dark eyes of a stranger as he came pp the trail. His first look of surprise at seeing the girl in this wilderness changed to one of pleasure when he he met her friendly eyes. ‘This Is Humphries’ camp?” he asked In a pleasant deep voice. “I wonder if he is expecting me. I walked over from the stage and left my duffle to come behind.” , “Humphries is out catching, fish for dinner now,” Agatha smiled. He stood beside her on the rough veranda of the camp and listened to the modulations of her voice. She would be a very pleasant companion, he thought, to go tramping with, to hunt out the secrets of the forest with. Then Jere Warren turned to see an-' other girl come singing through the doorway. She lifted blue eyes of surprising innocence to his, and dimpled: “Oh, I didn’t mean to intrude—” “By Jove, she’s lovely!” the man thought in his one swift glance. Agatha Holmes introduced them, feeling awkward somehow, and as though she were the intruder, when she, heard Alice say: “Oh, you are Jere Warren, the illustrator? If you knew how I admire yous drawings!” Jere Warren seemed flattered at the girl’s words; and Agatha blushed hotly, for she remembered the scrapbook she had at home with his illustrations pasted in it! But the words she wanted to say would not come, and she stood there feeling more an outsider as she saw Jere Warren lose himself In admiration of the other glrL Agatha stole away in a few minutes. It was Jere Warren who insisted that they three should dine at one •rated them" from the guides and tappers who were getting ready for the ■“season.” Agatha, watching the other two with her clear gray eyes, wondered how a man like Jere, who was so clever in his could be fooled by the empty little tricks of Alice Dlsbrow. Bat die was tye first to agree with Jere when be sang the praises of the other’s loveliness In her ears., She had fought against her Jealousy, and won. She acquiesced with more pain than pleasure in his proposal tint they three take a tramp to a trout stream be had discovered pot far away. t.-.- - •- t -' - - ■ - ■ • •

. Ts the walking's too hard, m carry yon,” he smiled to Alice Dlsbrow. “Ob, Mr. Warren, bow can yon say such things?” Alice pouted. Jere and Agatha waited before the camp for Alice. When she appeared Agatha beard the man draw in his breath. Agatha was charming in her white serge skirt and short coat belted In scarlet Her tiny white felt hat with its pheasant’s wing and her high boots of white suede made her more than ever one of his Illustrations. In a few mlnntes they left the trail that led away from the camp, and struck Inward through the forest. They walked on and on until the light sifted down dimly through the treetops. but they did not strike the stream. Agatha turned when she heard a falqt cry. Alice had slipped ana twisted her foot on a hidden stone. When she reached her the girl was suddenly sick find dizzy. ‘The stream’s only a bit farther. You stay with her and I will get some water.” the man said. When he came hurrying back to dash some of the water on the girl’s face she turned away pettishly. ‘There’s no reason to ruin my dress,” she complained. “Oh, it hurts so,” she began to cry weakly; while the tears made furrows down her pink cheeks and left the rouge showing in grotesque spots. “We’d better get back,” the man said, “before It gets dark.” The three made their way slowly toward the trail, with Alice limping painfully between them. Agatha fancied she heard Jere give a muttered “damn” when Alice wept. “Oh, I don’t see why you brought me on this horrid walk! And now you don’t know how to get back!” The darkness had fallen suddenly, as It does In the north woods, and Jere was doubtful of his direction. He looked comically at Agatha and her gray eyes broke Into a twinkle of laughter. “We may have to make a night of It,” the man apologized. “Of course, they’ll send out for us when they discover we’re lost. I ought not to have brought you, but I don’t dare take the risk of leading you through this wilderness without more light.” “I should say you shouldn't have brought us!” Alice cried, her pretty voice sharp now. “I think it’ll be rather a lark” The man heard the smile in Agatha’s voice. Agatha helped him gather some dry twigs for a fire and soon they lighted the woods with a bright blaze. Alice sulked In the background; when she did come near enough for the fire to show the ravages tha't a few hours had made in her appearance Agatha was filled with pity. The water dashed on her so unceremoniously had taken the careful wave from her hair, and her white cheeks were stained with tears. And now that she had ceased to be piquant and flirtatious, her charm was gone. Alice refused the chocolate that Agatha had stuffed In her pocket and drew away from the firelight Jere and Agatha before the blaze sat munching chocolate, and tj»e man looked at his companion with new eyes. She ‘was Just as fresh as she had been when they left in the early afternoon. Her eyes gleamed across at him with their friendly frank gaze, and the heat had lighted a rosiness in her clear brown skin. It was so dark now that the fire alone lighted the woods with eerie shadows. Agatha. looking behind, saw Alice huddled In a little heap asleep. Jere Warren took ofT his coat and laid It over her gently. When be came back to Agatha there was a long silence. The man, lighting his pipe, frowned down into its bowl before he spoke. “I’ve been a fool. Miss Holmes,” he said. “I took the glitter for the gold, and novf 1 wondei v — Oh, I’m not good at that sort of thing, but I mean I wonder if a fellow would have a chance to be —your friend?” The rosie in Agatha’s cheeks deepened before she answered, and her eyes were no less friendy If they held a new shyness. “I should think so, Mr. War-renr-lf that girl was I—” Far off they heard the sound of « faint “Hallool Halloo!"

REAL “FATHER” OF REVOLVER

Bamuel Colt Acknowledged Originator of Idea That Revolutionized Weapons of Warfare. The first patent for a “revolving firearm" issued by the United States was to Samuel Colt, a Connecticut youth, and bore date of December 28, 1835. Colt was a native of Hartford. He worked for a time in a factory and then ran away to sea. It was during his leisure hours on the long voyage to India that he developed -thr idea which resulted In the Invention of the revolver. He made a model of wood while he was a fifteen-year-old sailor boy: On his return to America fie accumulated funds and went to England and France to secure patents on his. idea before he patented them in his native.land. A company was organized on this side of the Atlantic to manufacture his weapons, and a plant was established at Paterson, N. J. Colt revolvers were first used In warfare duning the Indian conflict .in Florida in 1837. The Mexican war led to a great demand for these weapons and brought them into general use.

What Courtesy Overlooks.

One way to make sore that yogn maintain amiable relations with your Immediate neighbors is not to permit yourself to take advantage of their close proximity to you. There are always little things that you can learn about your neighbors that It is tbs part of courtesy to oraiicAk.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

Bamboo Forests of the Punjab

ONE of the greatest drawbacks of a forester’s profession is that he rarely lives long enough to see the results of his labors. This is particularly the case in India, where a forest officer hardly ever remains more than five years In one division. And what is five years in the life of a tree? But with bamboos it is different, for the shoots attain their full dimensions in the course of a few months and are ripe for felling after three years, says Country Life. It is this that makes the bamboo one of the most interesting species the Indian forest officer has to deal with, for he can literally watch its growth and observe with certainty the results of his care and attention. In many places, where distance from the market makes it valueless for export, the bamboo is still looked upon as a weed cumbering the ground beneath more valuable forest trees. But elsewhere it is one of the most valuable forest products. Indeed, few forests in India can show a net revenue of nearly a pound an acre per annum, which is what is now being derived from the Hoshiarpur bamboo forests in the Punjab. These two forests —Karnpur and Bindraban —situated at the eastern end of the Siwaliks, overlooking the Beas river as it passes from the hills into the plains, cover altogether an area of 6,000 *>cres,; of which nearly 4,000 acres comprise almost pure bamboo. ■ a— iimiiiimiii m iii'ii miiii rrrni i

Bamboo Cutting.

For many years these forests were worked on what Is known as the “royalty” system. That is to say, each year the right of felling was put up to tender, the would-be purchasers offering to fell a minimum number of stems during the season and paying for the earnest a fixed rate per hundred for each class of bamboo, the classification being made according to size. The large bamboo traders of the Punjab are, however, all more or less closely connected with one another. Many of them are intimately related, and they made it their business to insure that there was little or no competition for the contract. Year after year they offered the same rates, and the number of stems they agreed to fell was never more than that for which they already had an *■ assured market They were woefully lacking in enterprise, and took no steps to create a larger market for their produce. In consequence nothing approaching the full possible turn-out was ever obtained from these forests under the royalty system, and while the more accessible portions were continually overfelled, the outlying tracts were hardly ever touched. Taken Over by Government. j It was decided, therefore, .that AS, soon as the necessary labor and transport arrangements could be made, the department should take over the entire exploitation of these forests. A beginning was made in departmental working during the winter of 1917-18, and the success which has followed has ter more than justified the change of policy, for during the last three

Carting Bamboos to the Railhead.

years the revenue obtained from these two forests has Increased fourfold, while the actual net amount now received for every hundred bamboos is more than double what was previa ously paid by way of royalty. In the Punjab the felling season for bamboos is a comparatively short one. Operations do not commence much before October and have to be completed by the qnd of January, although another month’s work can be got in between May 15 and June 15. There are thus only five months in the year In which fellings can be made, the reason being that stems felled at any other time of the year are very liable to be attacked by the bamboo borer, a small insect which eats away the inside of the stem and renders It useless for anything. To fell more than a million stems during flvd months requires, however, a large amount of labor. Fortunately, there Is a fairly large local population in the neighborhood of these forests who, being for the most part agriculturists, have little to do In their fields during the winter months. When the work is in full swing as many as 300 or 400 men are employed on felling alotfe. How the Bamboo Is Handled. For felling a primitive form of billhook Is used, which Is exeremely useful for getting among the crowded stems at the base of the clump, though in unskillful" hands a great deal of damage may bq done to other shoots In the clump. The bamboos, having been felled, are next roughly dressed of their side shoots and tops, and are then tied into bundles of five, ten or twenty, according to size. For the time being these bundles are thrown out on the compartment lines, but at the close of the day’s work are collected together and carried on the coolies’ heads to the forest depots. Here those which are to be manufactured, that is, fired and straightened, are put on one side, while the others which are to be marketed green are loaded into carts and sent off to the sale depot at the railhead.

Making up the green bamboos into, maybe, tent poles or lance staves is by far the most Interesting part of the work in these bamboo forests. The first stage in making up is carefully to clean off all the knots. This Is usually done by a gang of small boys armed with sharp adzes. They soon become clever at this work and rarely spoil a bamboo by making a bad shot and damaging the skin. The poles are then cut to length, according to the purpose for which they are required, and handed over to the skilled workmen,. known as kamaggars, tor straightening. Each pole is now put through a hot wood fire. This not only makes it supple, but also gives it a rich brown color, and by melting the dirty waxy covering gives it a clean and highly polished appearance. After this alt curves are removed by bending the stem with some force in an opposite direction. The instruments used for this are either an upright pole planted in the ground, with slanting holes bored through it to take the bamboos, or & small implement held in the hand, which Is used only for small stems and delicate work, such as lance staves.

Shortly after the birth of Liberty bonds, the principle of them was being explained to a group of people around ,a first Liberty loan booth. After the explanation of the fact that they earned 3% per cent Interest; were nontaxable, etc., the solicitor continued: ’These bonds are issued la all denominations." . ~ ' woman In the rear of the crowd, who had been hesitating for some time, then stepped to the front, saying Til sign up for a hundred-doilar Baptist bond I”

“Yon will be able to see Mr. Bilton Is a few minutes,” said the private secretary. * ~ T~~ r "~ • -v “Thanks,” replied the persistent visitor. “As Mr. Bilton Is a man of snch large affairs, I was afraid I would not be able to get an interview so easily." “Oh, Mr. Bilton will be leaving for the golf links. He told me ter tell you to take a good look at him as he passed out."— Birmingham Age-Herald.

Loyal to Her Church.

Fleeting Glimpse.

Paris Turns to Old-Time Ideas

French dressmakers are turning their attention to old-fashioned materials as well as to old-time designs. This is evinced, notes a Paris fashion writer, in the showing of spring and summer models in Paris. Never before has taffeta, a very old-fashioned material, enjoyed such a long and pronounced vogue. Fabric makers are improving taffeta. The only real objection to it in times gone by was that its stiffness made difficult the task of evolving graceful models. Now taffeta is being made thin and soft like satin, some of it having a highly glazed surface. Then it is being embroidered in various ways. Especially interesting among the new taffetas is one that has a coin dot embroidered in bright colors. Paris is adopting these new taffetas, and a great many mid-season models are being made of this fabric. A frock developed from a quality known as dlamontine in a soft gray is embroidered in raffia strands that are not dyed but treated by a process of glycerin finish which makes them as pliable as silk.

Fur Is Used at Random. To make these taffeta dresses more becoming the Paris dressmakers often line the collar and cuffs with a soft fur, such as petit gris. The fact that fur is becoming more expensive every day does not deter the French couturier from making what might seem to the casual observer unnecessary and unseasonable use of this precious trinlming. Madeleine et Madeleine have made a taffeta dress that takes somewhat the form of a draped polonaise, though frankly cut in two pieces. The waistline is low and loose-fitting and the draped skirt is joined to it under a group of minute tucks which extend across the center of the back and front only. A similar group of tucks gives fullness across the bust line; these tucks stop short of the armhole and lose themselves in a sort of drooping blouse fullness.

The bodice is finished without sleeves, the armhole being surrounded by tiny points, or dents, embroidered in copper color silk. There is, however, an accompanying guimpe which carries short balloon sleeves, also tucked. The skirt of the polonaise has the disappearing tucks and the scalloped embroidered edge. It forms a jabot drapery at the sides and is hung over an extremely narrow underskirt. The bodice finishes with a straight, round neck, but there is an extra collar ruff which stands very stiff and is centered*by a band of copper colored embroidery which falls at the back in two “follow-me-lads” ends. Dross Harks Back to the Thirties. Another polonaise dre6s developed in cashmere serge of fine quality and trimmed with cerise satin cire is em

Taffeta Dress With Sleeveless Armhole* and a Guimpe With Bhort Balloon Sleeves. The Neck Ruffle Is Detachable and the Dress Finished to -v be .Worn Without It I# Desired. -~J

broidered In gold and copper threads and dyed raffia strands. The waistline Is low, the front fastening decidedly at one side. The embroidered revers form a round yoke at the back, which, deseendin# over the tops of the shoulders, gives a sort of 1830 back. This model Is very well thought of by mid-season buyer*. Every Frenchwoman who makes any pretense at an to a smart wardrobe includes among her dresses one of black satin regardless of what other

materials may be in the limelight of fashion. Mma Jenny has made sous* especially beautiful frocks of blaCk satin for her customers to wear at the resorts, such as Nice and Monte Carlo. For these models she favors the flounced skirt. In fact, this may be said to be the most pronounced feature of her satin dresses. These deep flounces make the entire skirt. Instead of having a hem on the bottom of the flounce, a facing of black velvet to about the depth of a hem is used. The idea of the

Street Dress of Blue Cashmere Berge Embroidered With Red and Copper Colored Threads and Dyed Raffia Strand*. „ . , *

flounced skirt comes from the French stage. Many of these stage frocks, which are having so pronounced an influence on all fashions, were designed by this great dressmaker. Gray, too, is a favorite color for satin frocks. One of these gray dresses Is made almost exactly like a redingote, which is worn over an overdress of gray georgette crepe. The coat is slashed at the side to reveal the underskirt. Three-Piece Bult, Hem of Lace. Mme. Jenny is not the only designer who does nnnsual things to hems. Bnlloz has introduced the lace hem. He used it with good effect on a black suit, which is accompanied by a long accordion plaited cape. Both the cape and skirt have this remarkable hem, which is formed by inserting scalloped lace, the irregular side of the lace going toward the top of the gai> ment. It is a three-piece suit, the third piece being a blouse of whit® brocaded silk. It is, of course, a typical formal afternoon costume. It Is Interesting to note that these three-piece costumes are even more pronounced for .spring than they were for autumn. Women delight in threepiece affairs as offering a great advantage over the old-time suit consisting of a skirt and coat oily, which had to be completed by a blouse picked up at random and which did not always make a good-looking dress when the coat was removed. Among the practical suits carrying out this idea are those consisting of a simple dress and a somewhat long coat rather on the order of a redingote. These are not always made of doth; silk features prominently in these new costumes for spring. Evening dresses are not quite ad prominent in the new showings of clothes as they were in those of last season. While the elaborate evening dress is not In such general use as the short skirted dancing frock, the Paris dressmaker feds the necessity of including in her collection very dressy and extrteme models devdoped in handsome brocades. Hats From Paris Paris is experiencing a veritable craze far embroidered hats, which may be made of almost any fabric, with the embroidery of raffia, artificial silk or metal threads. It Is very smart to have an embroidered puree exactly matching the hat. The raffla embroidery is effectively used on the underbrim of hats as a means of introducing a becoming bit of color as well as an Idea that is entirely new. The latest novelty is to use cellophane as the foundation for the embroidery. This highly glased composition has taken stojm As> tissue is interesting, but without or- . »_ n — Allfftflih lift KftfMM i —■—— —