Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1936 Adventurers’ Club “Asleep at the Wheel” By FLOYD GIBBONS Famous Headline Hunter H ERE’S Fred Bock, whose address is Brookfyn, but whose home is Route 34, or Route 63, or maybe some other route altogether. Fred, you see, drives one of those big transporta tion trucks that move between one city and another. Those lads might get back to their houses once in a while, but a good part of the time they do their sleeping on the big front seat of a truck parked at the side of the road. That’s the sort of lad you have to catch on the fly. But I’ve nabbed Fred, and here’s his story. On a Thursday morning in November, Fred and his partner Charlie were delivering furniture at various houses in Brooklyn. They went out with a load, delivered it, and finished up about one o’clock in the afternoon. They had some lunch and pulled into the office at two, hoping they were through for the day. But no such luck for Fred. He still had a man-sized job to do that day—and besides that there was a little adventuring to be taken care of. At that stage of the game, though, he didn’t know anything about adventuring. Taking a Load to Washington. After Fred had settled up his accounts, the manager called him into his office and told him the bad news. There was an immediate delivery to be made in Washington, D. C., and Fred had been elected to do the job* They loaded the truck and were on their way. Route 1 was to be their home this time. They picked it up in Jersey City and rolled into Philadelphia along about nine o’clock in the evening. Fred and Charlie knew a good lunch wagon in Philly, and they went there for dinner. Back in the truck again, Fred suggested a nap. They had been up since early morning, and both of them were pretty tired. They lay down on the seat and started to snooze, but not for long. After a brief interval they were awakened by a cop who told them that the main drag of the Quaker City was no lodging house and suggested that they take their big truck out of there. So they started to move. Fred Was Getting Sleepy. They threaded their way through the city, and once more they were bowling along the open road through a cold, bleak November night. The wind swept across the fields in fitful gusts and the road ahead seemed to darken. Fred drove on through the night. The hours rolled by and he was getting more and more sleepy. Along about midnight a filmy haze began to cloud his vision. Says Fred: “The feeling was nothing new to me. It came from staring ahead over long periods, and had happened to me many times before. I knew that the best thing for me to do was pull over to the side of the road for a short rest. I began looking for a convenient parking space, but the minutes fled by without a sign of a place to stop. The road was getting narrower and more gloomy. My eyes seemed to be getting heavy as lead. “We began to roll down hill. Flickering, fantastic shadows danced across the path of the headlights and the robd ahead suddenly in clined in a long, steep, tortuous grade. I looked at Charlie and saw him curled up in the corner of the seat fast asleep. His peaceful repose seemed to tempt me. And then ” Running Wild Toward a Wall. And then, suddenly, Fred’s eyes were shut and the truck was running wild! , Fred doesn’t know how long his eyes were shut or how the truck managed to keep on the road. But something in the back of his brain— some drivers’ instinct—brought him wide awake as suddenly as he had fallen asleep. As his eyes came open he saw in the beam of the headlights a sharp, narrow turn in the road and, just at the beginning of the bend, a white concrete wall. The headlights brought that scene to his eyes with startling clear ness. “It didn’t take me long to realize what that meant,” says Fred. “A narrow bridge spanning—spanning what—was the question. I didn’t know, and for a minute it looked as if I never would know.” In the few seconds Fred had been asleep the speedometer had climbed td forty-five. A glance told him that—and then he jammed on the brakes. “But even as I did so,” he says, “I knew it would be useless. The bend in the road was too narrow to permit a quick turn with a large truck. I couldn’t save myself from crashing into the wall.” Steep Cliff Just Ahead of Them. Fred took a lightning glance to right and left, searching for a way out. There was a clear space at the beginning of the wall. How long it was—what obstructions he might find in it—he didn’t know, but he determined to take a chance and trust to luck that he didn’t run into a tree and pile up. He turned his wheels and headed for the clear space. Then, just as his wheels left the road, the headlights showed hhn what was ahead. There were no trees in his way. There was noth ing. The car was plunging toward a steep cliff, at the bottom of which ran the river! Fred’s hand tightened on the wheel. The top of the bank was ' a scant ten feet ahead, and he knew he wofald never be able to stop that car. With his whole body tense, he waited for the sick ening plunge over the bank—and the end. And then Fred got the surprise of his life. Suddenly, the truck slowed down as the wheels struck something soft and mushy. It moved another two or three feet and came to an abrupt stop. Fred climb 2d out of the cab and jumped to the ground, and heaved a sigh of relief and gratitude. The wheels had run into a pile of sand left by the highway patrol. And Fred says: “As I stood there listening to the swish of water far below it certainly r-eemed to me as if Providence were rid ing with us that night. For if that pile of sand had been six feet to right or left we would have shot over that clearing and dropped <nto the river below.” ©—WNU Service. Most Remarkable Ruin The most remarkable ruin in the West Indies is that of the Citadel La Ferriere at Cape Haitien. Built by King Henry Cristophe to repel a threatened French invasion, it stands on the top of a mountain at 3,000 feet elevation. It has been esti mated that nearly half a million tons of building material were used in its construction, every pound of which had to be carried up the pre cipitous side of the mountain. Ten thousand men were continuously employed in its construction and 20,000 more, it is said, died of ex haustion and hardship. Naming Old Point Comfort The name Old Point Comfort dates back to 1607, when three shiploads of English colonists under command of Christopher Newport first sighted the point after a stormy passage from England. With the storm rag ing a channel was found just off shore, putting the colonists “in good comfort.” The place was imme diately named Point Comfort, and has remained so through its years as a resort. The Colosseum in Rome The Colosseum in Rome was be gun by Vespasian, on the site of part of Nero’s Gold house, and in augurated by Titus in A. D. 80. Originally it consisted of three arc aded stories of stone and an upper gallery of wood. Some time in the Third century this gallery was re built of stone. The Colosseum prob ably seated between 40,000 and 50,- 000 persons. It is elliptical in plan, with its long axis 615 feet and its short axis 510 feet. Its arena is 281 feet long and 177 feet wide. The top of the stone screen wall is about 160 feet above ground. Butterflies Cover Continent Up from the South, where they pass the winter clinging in great masses to the trees, there fly each spring time enormous numbers of Monarch or Milkweed butterflies, laying their eggs as they go and populating th j whole of North Amer ica as far as Hudson bay with theii kind. In the autumn all still sur viving collect in great bands and migrate South to begin the cycU anew.—Gas Logic. Period Influences Superb Fabrics By CHERIE NICHOLAS CORMAL gowns for the ^ midwinter social sea son are said to be the most sumptuous and extrava gant seen at any time since pre-war days. The “dress-up” movement is growing more and more so with each passing hour. , From style cen ters come reports that an astonish ing number of formals are selling this season and that the call for handsome afternoon towns in rich metallics, velvets and laces is reach ing far beyond the usual. Gorgeous, glinting, gleaming, sparkling and arrestingly colorful are the fabrics and laces that are fashioning the luxury apparel noted at fashionable gatherings. Then, too, the trend to greater elegance is expressed in the emphasis placed on luxurious accessories, on flatter ing little dinner hats and elaborate evening headdress. Even more thrilling than the ele gant materials and the vainglorious accessories that distinguish this sea son’s formal modes are the various period influences that mark their styling. Designers, seeking inspira tion for the costume creations, are delving into fashion lore of centuries past as they never delved before. The picturesque Tyrolean and Dal matian mood is expressed in terms of colorful embroidery, fvhich is generously used at present, and in other intriguing details that are adding greatly to the gaiety of cur rent fashions. Boleros are flourish ing in the mode both day and night, and in the evening the latest is to throw a lace mantilla over head and shoulders and wear a red, red rose for corsage—fashion has gone as picturesquely Spanish as that! One of the most outstanding ges tures toward recapturing styles of the past is the reincarnation of the lovely Empire gowns taken from the days of Josephine and Napole on. The stately and very beauti ful dresses worn by the standing figures in the illustration bespeak the new Empire move as interpreted by designers in the style apparel creator group of the Chicago whole sale district. In these gowns we see the modem woman transformed into a glamorous true-to-tradition Napoleonic type. The silhouette, as you see, achieves a fashionable fig ure launched with a new profile of erect carriage and imperious dig nity, accenting a high bust and waistline, flat diaphragm, deep dec- olletage, short puff sleeves and long graceful skirt. Superb lame weaves gleaming with gold and silver and striking color are used for these gowns. The gown to the left is of an eye catching metal brocade in an allur ing tangerine color. Handsome lame in a vivid emeralU green fash ions the center dress, with narrov r green-metal ribbon accenting the high bust line. The spirit of embellishment and splendor, in keeping with the new luxury trend, has invaded the lace realm also. Very lovely Chantilly laces have their floral patternings outlined in metal threadwork, while some laces add a decorative touch of embroidery or perhaps are starred with sequins, pearls and such. A dinner and evening ensem ble stressing the vogue for the jack eted formal gown is attractively ex pressed in metallic-outlined Chantil ly as worn by the seated figure in the picture. The neckline of the dress is square and the jacket ties softly with a bow. Which is the same as telling you when you buy lace for your frock it is not enough, you must allow an extra length for a jacket. In this way it serves a twofold purpose—with the jacket informal enough to wear to the sim ple dinner party, without the jacket a gown formal enough for the most pretentious evenjng occasion. © Western Newspaper Union. LACE MANTILLA By CHERIE NICHOLAS White meiallii..ci silk moire lor a picturesque wide - skirted formal evening frock with a Spanish man tilla c f black silk lace gracing shoul ders and head, here indeed is the costume-ideal for the debutante to wear to mid-winter festivities. Such grand silks as we have with us this season! The silk moires are beloved indeed and they are lovely in white or colors. White shot with silver is supremely chic. And the new silk brocades! One can’t describe them for their beauty is beyond word pic tures. These brocades are stun ning for princess evening coats that button down the front. HATS NOT BECOMING TO AVERAGE WOMAN The selection of becoming hats promises to be more difficult than ever this season. Seldom has there been such a generous choice, as far as actual style trends go, but most of the numerous different shapes prove unbecoming to the average woman. Height still reigns supreme, al though many milliners have tried to retain the more moderate, rounded and shallow crown. The tall crowns, still shaped like inverted flower pots, prevail on every type hat, but the turban. Some of these felts seem to be inspired by early Pilgrim days in America, while others look more like modern Alpine hats with taller crowns. Adding Accessories Gives New Effects to Costumes If you know your fashion arith metic you will discover that one costume can be made into two by the addition of the right acces sories.* Take those black suits, for example, which have a modest bit of/Persian lamb trimming on col lar,' cuffs and pockets. It doesn’t matter whether the jacket is short or long, or whether it is fitted or swagger—the choice of a blouse, hat and gloves determine the ensemble’s perfection. For afternoon and informal eve ning needs there are elegant blouses of metallic fabrics and satins, while for tailored needs the shirtwaist blouse with studs is the smartest you can find. Light glovec, dark gloves or bright gloves have their advantages as do hats of felt or vel vet. Skirts and Sleeves While there are exceptions to this rule, in most cases plain sleeves are used on dresses when the skirt is flaring, and full sleeves on dresses having narrow skirts. r ^ h - * .• % * Pleasure #> Talking to Advantage of Others and Joy to Ourselves in 1937 'T'ALKING is the recognized medium of communication be tween persons who are together br who, being absent, use a tele phone. It is unfortunate having such a marvelous medium at our command that we so often fail to put it to the use worthy of its value. It is possible to send a glow of happiness through the lis tener when we speak merited words of appreciation. It is pos sible to solace those in sorrow by words of comfort spoken from the heart. It is possible to make joy doubly gladsome by expressing our happiness in the good fortune of others. Through talking to our children we can spur them on to do fine things, or encourage them in worthy resolves. In short the good we can do by talking in the right spirit is inestimable. By talking in the right ‘ way we bring good to others and joy to ourselves. “Too Much Talk” It is when we swerve from the Here's a Smart Rug That's Easy to Make Just a simple square, repeated and joined together forms this smart rug. You’ll love doing the colorful squares in varied colors, and, in no time at all, you'll have Pattern 5699 enough completed to make this stunning rug. Here’s one way to turn useless rags into something worthwhile, though rug wool or candlewicking may also be used. Done in Germantown the squares would make a handsome cushion or chair set. In pattern 5699 you will find complet instruc tions and charts for making the square shown; an illustration of it and of the stitches needed; ma terial requirements. To obtain this pattern send 15 cents in stamps or coins (coins preferred) to The Sewing Circle Household Arts Dept., 259 W. Fourteenth street. New York, N. Y. Write plainly pattern number, your name and address. best use of tne spoken word that we drag it down and harm both ourselves and our hearers. Ther® is an expression “too much talk” which is significant of this very thing. The words speak for them selves, declaring that it would bo advisable to cease saying tho things we are. It is never said of good words. Of them we could say: Let us have more talk of tho same sort, it is needed. Many Words Have you ever considered how much is said when derogatory talk is going on? Words are spoken and reiterated over and over again, as if by repetition the uiw pleasant things would be in. creased. Unfortunately this io what happens. Unkind or unfriend ly conversation, by some perverso twist of human nature, is suro to be repeated, and usually with embellishments. Either the ono who repeats it cannot believe her ears, and wonders if anyone elso knows about the unfortunate cir cumstances, or else she finds a strange pleasure in repeating slander. It may be the derogatory words are against someone she dislikes. It may be they are about a total stranger. If the talk was commendatory repeating it would foster fine things. Good things should be given frequent repetition. Pleasure Giving in 1937 ‘ We all could add so much to the pleasure and joy of living during the new year 1937, if we would set a watch on our talk, and by a wishful determination use this great means at our command to help others. It is one of the things that costs nothing and yet which can do such an endless amount of good. It is a way open to all alike. 6 Bell Syndicate.—WNU Servica. Continuity of Life The purpose of culture is to set you free from the present moment, and give you a sense of the continuity of life; the essence of vulgarity is to be wrapped up in the concerns of your own time, accepting its standards as per manent.—Upton Sinclair. When Women Need Cardui If you seem to have lost some of your strength you had for your favorite activities, or foryour house work . . . and care less about your meals . . . and suffer severe dis comfort at certain times . . . try Cardui! Thousands and thousands of women say It has helped them. By increasing the appetite, im proving digestion, Cardui helps you to get more nourishment. As strength returns, unnecessary functional aches, pains and nervousness just seem to go away. FROM WATERY HEAD COLDS • Because of their "balanced medica tion,** just two drops of Penetro Nose Drops help to open up your nose, soothe inflammation, let fresh air break through the watery mucus. Contain ephedrine and other approved medica tion. 25c, 50c, $1 bottles. Trial size 10c. For free sample of Penetro Nose Drops, write Dept.D-26, Memphis, Tennessee. To relieve chest colds, rub with stainless/ snow-white Penetro — especially before you go to bed. fPENETRO^ ywosiE propsy A PRODUCT OF PL0U9H INC, MEMPHIS-NEW TORN DOLLARS & HEALTH The successful person is a healthy per son. Don’t let yourself be handicapped by sick headaches, a sluggish condition, stomach "nerves” and other dangerous signs of over-acidity. TAKE MILNESIAS Milnesia, the original milk of magnesia in wafer form, neutralizes stomach acid. Each wafer equals 4 teaspoonfuls of milk of magnesia. Thin, crunchy, mint-flavor, tasty. 20c, 35c & 60c at drug stores. HEARTBURN? Its surprising how many have heart burn. Hurried eating, overeating, heavy smoking, excessive drinking all lead to heartburn. When it comes, heed the warning. Your stomach is on a strike. SLEEP SOUNDLY Lack of exercise and injudicious eating make stomachs acid. You must neu tralize stomach acids if you would sleep soundly all night and wake up feeling refreshed and really fit. Milnesia, the original milk of magnesia in wafer form, neutralizes stomach acids, gives quick, pleasant elimination. Each wafer equals 4 teaspoonfuls milk of mag- nesia.Tasty,too. 20e,35c&60c everywhere 35c A 60« bottles 20c tins The Original Milk of Magnesia Wafer* -■w- iY\r' s* r f • „ *