McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, December 16, 1937, Image 6
McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK. S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1937
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ADVENTURERS’ CLUB
HEADLINES FROM THE LIVES
OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELFI
j '‘Undress Parade in the Navy”
By FLOYD GIBBONS
Famous Headline Hunter
H ello, everybody:
All aboard! boys and girls. Clamber right up that gang
plank there and make it speedy. We’re bound for the Panama
Canal on the United States destroyer Satterlee. See those big
numbers on the side? You can read ’em a mile away. That’s
our number, 190. But for the love of Mike be careful of those
depth bomb racks on the stern. The World war is just over and
those things are loaded with T. N. T.!
All of which brings us to Frank Edward Hanke, who is taking a bath
in the destroyer’s washroom as our story opens. Frank resides in New
York now. But don’t forget that bath. You see Frank was taking that
bath when he had the most exciting adventure of his entire career! Here
goes the story gang-plank.
Frank has been through many narrow squeaks. But his clos
est shave took place during the joint maneuvers of the Atlantic
and the Pacific fleets in 1920. Destroyers then still carried full
war loads of explosives in the depth charge “submarine killers,"
that hung in racks on the stern of the ship.
The fleets were passing through the Panama canal. At the Gatun
locks, Frank’s destroyer—the Satterlee—had already entered the locks
and was waiting for the U. S. S. Mason to follow her in. The docks were
lined with beauteous damsels come from far and near to get a glimpse
of Uncle Sam’s natty sailors and Frank was primping up in the wash
room with three or four other gobs, getting ready to give the girls a treat.
What If They Should Collide?
Frank glanced through the washroom window at the Mason, which
was flying through the water at a fast clip. He stopped soaping him
self for a second and pondered absently as to what would happen if the
Mason accidentally collided with the depth bombs in the stem. As he
oondered and watched, the commander of the Mason shot his ship into
Fine Wool Robes and Hostess Gowns
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
The Soapy Nudists Bushed for the Stern.
reverse. But Frank, to his horror, saw that the reverse lever or some
thing had gone wrong and the ship was still coming on. A COLLISION
WAS CERTAIN!
In those depth bombs, Frank knew, was enough T. N. T. to
blow up the locks and everything in them. He let out a yell and
.pointed. His shipmates in the washroom saw the danger, too,
and with one common accord they shot out on deck.
Well, sir, Frank says he doesn’t think the explosion itself would
have caused half the commotion his little sailor nudist colony did when
they appeared on deck. The locks are very narrow at that place and it
was just as though they had strolled naked on a ballroom floor in the
middle of a dance.
He and his pals, though, weren’t thinking of that. They had no idea
the sensation they were causing the ladies of the Canal zone. Their idea
and the idea of any self respecting sailor was to avert by any means
possible a catastrophe.
The soapy nudists rushed for the stern of the ship, ready if
necessary to place their gleaming bodies in between the oncom
ing ship and the T. N. T.
Scolded the Girls for Laughing.
On came the Mason while the crews of two ships groaned and the
spectators ashore laughed at the unexpected parade on the Satterlee.
Frank thinks they thdught it all part of the show. He never gave it a
thought in the moment before the collision but as the prow of the Mason
swerved at the last moment and instead of hitting the depth charges
smashed into the heavy four gun mount to one side, he turned and gave
them a piece of his mind for laughing at a tense moment like that!
Then he and his pals went to work at a barked command from an
officer. And they worked hard. On the docks the laughing went on.
Frank looked around for the cause of it. He couldn’t see anything to
laugh at in a collision that might have taken the lives of hundreds of
people and he went right on working and growling at the strange sense
of humor of these Panama Janes.
The collision had been a serious one. It took the combined crews
hours to clear up the wreckage. I’ve got a photograph of it and it
must of been pretty bad. Frank isn’t in the picture or perhaps he might
get a laugh now himself.
Then He Saw the Joke.
Finally when things had quieted down a bit and Frank felt he
had done his duty he reached for a cigarette. Holy Moses! Where
was his pocket? He glanced down at his legs. Where were his
* pants? He looked now with seeing eyes at his pals of the wash
room. They didn’t have a stitch on them! They looked at him!
And were their faces red!
Frank says his nudist detail made one jump for a companion way.
They hit the entrance all at once and jammed. Hysterical feminine
laughter rang in their ears once more and then they tumbled head over
heels below.
Well, sir, Frank and his pals came in for a lot of kidding after that,
but he says he didn’t notice any gobs kidding him at the time of the acci
dent. Officers and men were all so excited at what they knew might
happen that they didn’t even notice any sailors working without benefit
of clothes.
And, come to think of it, I guess most of us would forget all about
clothes if we saw tons of steel speeding toward enough T. N. T. to un
dress the whole navy in one blast!
Copyright.—WNU Service.
“Grapevine Telegraph”
The “grapevine telegraph” is, in
origin, a picturesque brother of the
“underground railway.” According
to the dictionary the phrase was
coined during the Civil war. As the
underground railway was a secret
and guarded means of sending
slaves from the South to freedom,
so the grapevine telegraph was any
devious or covered means by which
news or rumor traveled—by private
letter, by word of mouth, and so on.
Communication was not well organ
ized, and there were many false
war reports afloat, reports not to
be easily and speedily silenced.
Tales and canards of mysterious
Origin were said to have come “by
grapevine telegraph.” The diction
ary still seeks to limit the use of
the term to mysterious rumors and
fabricated reports. But by exten
sion “the grapevine route” is any
means of communication which is
not easily detected or which is able
to smuggle its messages past bar
riers intended to keep them out.
Gorge Sees Only Noon Sun
Only at midday does the sun ever
peep into the bottom of Indian pass,
that narrow, mile-long gorge cut
deep through solid rock between
MacIntyre and Wallface mountains
in the heart of the Adirondack wil
derness a few miles southeast of
Lake Placid. Called by the Indians
“Henodoawda,” the Path of the
Thunderer, Indian pass is one of
the scenic marvels of the Adiron-
dacks. Its walls rise straight up over
a thousand feet. On the western
(Wallface) side the perpendicular
rock face rears itself 1,300 feet into
the air. Near the middle of the
pass, high up on MacIntyre, are two
small springs, so close together that
their waters almost intermingle.
Separating a few feet farther down,
they flow on to the bottom of the
pass in two little rivulets. One rivu
let finds its way south to the head
waters of the Hudson river, while
the other heads north where even
tually its sparkling content mingles
with the mighty St. Lawrence.
CONSIDERING fashion from a
^ fabric angle, the big news is the
outstanding importance attached to
the use of fine wool weaves not only
for daytime clothes, as one would
naturally expect, but that which is
the thrill of thrills is the widespread
use of rich wool materials for the
evening apparel.
If you have the right slant on that
which is truly high style you will
wear over your prettiest formal gown
to the opera, horse show, or to your
favorite dine-and-dance rendezvous,
a floor length cape (three-quarter
length if you prefer) of broadcloth,
duvetyn, or nubby tweed or even
fine jersey, as some few Paris de
signers now sponsor.
For the more casual and workman
like modes, smartly patterned flan
nels are shown in gay young stripes,
checks dnd geometrical designs that
yield to flattering tailored treat
ment emphasizing square-shoul
dered lines with mannish details to
accent, by way of contrast, the fem
ininity of the beautifully molded sil
houette. To the left in the picture
you will see just such a garment. It
is of deep wine flannel with a smart
white pin stripe, the same distinc
tively tailored in a wraparound robe
which is at once chic and practical.
It has broad padded shoulders, slit
pockets and tailored shawl collar
and is built on graceful fitted and
flared lines. A self-fabric sash
is tied casually at the waist.
In keeping with the mood for ele
gance that dominates current
styles, there is a decided tendency
to embellish these lovely at-home
flannels with glistening trimmings
and bright metallic touches also lav
ish embroidery, beading and fringe
that contrasts to perfection the
smooth richness of the fabric. For
closings all the fashion world loves
the new decorative slide fasteners
that run the full length of the gar
ment. See centered in the group the
slender sculptured lines of a fitted
woolen robe in rich blue flannel en
livened with contrasting tri-colored
bands that make a perfect set
ting for the neck-to-hemline slide
fastener that gleams so brightly
against its gaily colorful back
ground.
A diagonal zipper glittering with
gold sequins is striking against the
jet black of a gracefully draped
robe in soft lightweight flannel, as
shown to the right in the group.
From a slender, high-built waist the
wraparound skirt falls in soft flow
ing lines and the well-cut sleeves
are slightly puffed at the shoulders.
Silk cord with gold pointed ends ties
at the neck for flattering effect.
® Western Newspaper Union.
STREAMLINE GOWN
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
Streamliners are what they call
the stunning party dresses that
made their bow with the opening of
the New York automobile show.
The handsomely gowned young
woman here pictured was photo
graphed as she stood admiring one
of the new-model streamline cars.
She is wearing a dinner suit of
uncut black silk velvet with em
phasis on the word silk for there is
an insistent and increasing demand
for materials of sterling quality
that bear an air of distinction. The
smart fitted jacket has appliques of
gold kid flowers. The applique idea
is a fashion highlight this winter,
carried out not only in gold on black
which leads, but other very ef
fective designing is being achieved
with patent leather or suede ap-
pliqued motifs. The hat worn with
this voguish costume is a black Per
sian coronet.
DESIGNER SETS OUT
FASHION SIGNPOSTS
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
From no less an authority than
the renowned Schiaparelli comes
this foreword in regard to fashions
on the way. Says this distin
guished style creator: “Signposts
signal a new class distinction for
black tailored suits, giving them
first place in fashion’s relay.”
They flash “go” to innumerable
jersey stockings to match sports
blouses in same material; pailletted
bowknots; all the tinsel decora
tions of a Christmas tree directed in
fashion channels.
The signals tell us the road lies
straight ahead to long legs, a higher
waistline and a covered throat, to
draped sleeves and draped blouses,
to bust length jackets, to jewels
you never saw before made to flash
from jacket lapels and so the story
of fashion unfolds.
Coat Silhouettes Varied
in Fashions for Winter
Coats for the coming winter have
refused to conform to any one sil
houette. Paris designers show
sheath-like tubular coats that are
sometimes edged with a band of
fox at the bottom; straight, loose
coats that are full-length and occa
sionally made with extra fullness in
the back; or of classic lines, nipped
in at the waist and flared to the
hemline.
Generally speaking, broad shoul
ders have given way to a more nat
ural line, waistlines frequently are
accented, and plain, close-fitting
necklines are new. Fur panels often
give importance to straight-cut
skirts, and lavish use of fur is seen
at all of the leading fashion houses.
Leopard and Green Used
in Smart Paris Costume
Touches of fine fur on wool
dresses are important as trimming
now. One smart form-fitting en
semble seen in a Paris collection is
of soft deep green wool with long
slide fastener closing at the front,
slightly accentuated shoulders and
bows of leopard at throat and belt
fastening. It is worn with boxy
leopard jacket and matching green
turban, leopard trimmed. It is
“sporty” enough to cheer your fav
orite football team on to victory and
smart enough for any afternoon
function.
OP?. SEW
4*"" Ruth Wyeth Spears
Making Over a Chair of the Ginger-Bread Era.
’"pO modernize the old walnut
chair at the right the pieces
under the arms were removed and
most of the carving covered up.
The padding at the back was re
moved entirely and replaced by
a fiber board which was covered
by a loose cotton filled cushion
tufted like cm old fashioned bed
comfort except that the tied
thread ends of the tufting were
left on the wrong side.
This back cushion was fastened
in place with tapes that slipped
over the knobs at the ends of the
upper carving. If the knobs to
hold the cushion had been lacking
it could have been tacked in place
along the top on the under side
by using a strip of heavy card
board to keep the tacks from pull
ing through the fabric as shown
here for tacking the box pleated
ruffle around the seat as at A.
A plain rust colored heavy cotton
upholstery material was used for
the covering.
Every Homemaker should have
a copy of Mrs. Spears’ new book,
SEWING. Forty-eight pages of
step-by-step directions for making
slipcovers and dressing tables;
restoring and upholstering chairs,
couches; making curtains for ev
ery type of room and purpose^
Making lampshades, rugs, otto
mans and other useful articles for
the home. Readers wishing a
copy should send name and ad
dress, enclosing 25 cents, to Mrs.
Spears, 210 South Desplaines St.,
Chicago, Illinois.
National Prosperity
What constitutes national pros
perity? Not wealth or commerce
simply, or military achievements,
but the greatest possible number
of happy, noble and graceful
homes, where the purest flame
burns brightest on the altar of
Family Love, and Woman, with
her piety, forbearance, and kind
liness of soul, is permitted to of
ficiate as High Priestess.
For a Happy Life
Remember this—that very little
is needed to make a happy life.—
Marcus Aurelius.
Belief Necessary
You have to believe in happl*
ness or happiness never comes.-*
Douglas Malloch.
CHEW LONG BILL NAVY TOBACCO
I