Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1925)
Page Sixteen fiber or “sliver,” in paralied rows, races into the spinning machine, it is caught between two little V-shaped nipper's, corresponding to the tips of the fingers of a hand engaged in spinning the old- fashioned way. The peculiarity of those nippers is that they can be adjusted to give just enough twist to the twine and no more. If by any chance they are worked at too great a tension, they will put too many twists to the foot, and forever after that twine will “kink,” which, as we all know, is a bad thing in twine or rope. A kink in a piece of binding twine may cause the farmer to stop in the middle of his field, get down and try to adjust the great harvester when, after all, it is really the fault of that little piece of twine. Hence, al though there are from 1600 to 1800 spindels making twine in the factories of which we speak, it is neecssary to tag every bobbin of spun twine as it comes froms the spindles so as to make it possible to locate the source of any defect that may be found. * * * Having been spun the twine is drawn off from the spindles on big machines, not unlike, in general shape, the bobbins on a sewing machine. Each bobbin is weighed, and then a whole truck load of bobbins is taken to a balling room. Here many young women are at work, each placing a bobbin on a steel rod of a machine, and wrapping one end of the twine around another steel rod beneath it. Then a busy apparatus called a “flyer” proceeds to wrap the twine around this latter steel rod faster than the eye can follow, until like magic, the ball of twine begins to make its ap pearance, getting larger and more squar- shouldered every second. When it has reached the right weight — five or eight pounds as the case may be — suddenly the machine stops of its own accord, and the task is accomplished. In the factories where binder twine is made one may witness on a trial plat form similar to that of the harvester, a bundle of grain bound just as it is done in the field. What one sees is a big sickle-shaped needle coming up and around the bundle of loose grain, com pressing it, and at the same time putting a line of twine about it. Underneath the bundle, and operating in just the right relation to the needle, is a sort of me chanical hand, between the two fingers and the thumb of which the twine is taken and tied into a knot, as neatly as ever any women put a knot in her thread. This is the famous Appleby knotter and the knot it makes is finished with a little loop, and then cut off with a quick snap, so that the bundle of grain may be promptly thrown out on the ground. One can readily see why all the operations which have been previously described are necessary, so that nothing may break or impede the action of this knotter and hinder the twine as it completes the great final act of harvesting the grain. THE UNITED AMERICAN MAY 192a LUCK OR FORESIGHT —WHICH? be the same length they have been for the last three years, I am going to be 1VE ARE taught the experience of fair enough to myself to dress in the ’ ’ others. Personal experience seasons most becoming way. our knowledge into wisdom. Almost This is not a talk against bobbed hair, the entire scope of modern education is or dressing “up to the minute,” — not devoted to teaching the past and present a bit of it, — because I feel that a woman experiences of others. to whom bobbed hair and latest fashion Such is its essential form. of dress are very becoming, could not Too little attention is given to training appear so charming with long hair or the mind to use facts of the past and any other style of dress. But, alas, a present to estimate probabilities of the few months later the same woman — by future. Few have any appreciable slavishly following fashion and disregard degree of analytical foresight, that is to ing individual appropriateness, — may say, judgement formed by closely ob look ridiculous, although she may be dressed “up to the minute.” Everyone serving past experiences. Of course, it is not difficult to develop has individuality for dress. Study your foresight or precaution through a severe type, decide upon your style, avoiding personal experience, such for instance extremes, and then stick to it. as placing the hand on a hot stove, but If you are the type that can wear that development is limited to matters filmy, ruffled clothes, — wear them! If of personal safety or comfort. you wish to make yourself appear taller We occasionally note a person of out than you are, don’t wear stripes going standing success and attribute the cause around, but wear stripes going up and to luck, “good guessing,” or something down; don’t wear ruffles; wear long of that sort, which may be right in many straight-line frocks. Study your own particular type, and if you do not know instances. As a rule, however, the cause lies and cannot decide just what you need to deeper, especially if the individual shows obtain the correct “optical illusion,” the consistent and contifiued success, and not next time you purchase a dress, tell the saleslady what effect you wish to obtain, merely a single flash. ask her to help you in the selection That person who displays outstanding and the garment. 'She will be pleased to and consistent achievement is one who of do this and if she thinks you know what studies the probable effect of the events •you want, she will be even more pains of yesterday and today upon tomorrow. taking than if you go into the shop and By careful observation and analysis, he say, “I would like to see your dresses, or she has cultivated to a high degree but. I don’t know what I want.” Try that indescribable quality or sense of this plan the next time you purchase a foresight or judgement on future proba garment. bilities, which you or I may be unable If sport clothes are being worn by to appreciate and are apt, through lack of understanding, to term luck or good every one of your friends and you do not look well in them, wear the clothes guessing. that are really becoming to your par Such a person may not seem to work, ticular type regardless of the extreme or may not work, as hard as you or I; demands of Dame Fashion, and just see but is one who has learned to study and how many compliments you’ receive. If profit much by the experiences of others, you have well shaped limbs, you may and does not brush them aside through wear your dresses short as the present mere pride of personal experience. style with added grace, but if your limbs The consistently successful person are not well shaped do not sacrifice your weighs probabilities as carefully as a individual appearance just to be in style, merchant weighs sugar, and is right the for good common sense should keep you majority of times. The odds fall his from putting yourself to disadvantage way — he succeeds. “Lucky fellow-good in personal appearance. guesser,” we say. Many times — more Did you ever notice that women on times than we would think — our answer the stage follow the styles only so far is wrong. as to enhance their particular type of A great man once said: “Men are beauty, and that they strive to disguise not so much the victims of circumstances, those features which are not so good? as circumstances are the victims of men.” That is the philosophy of success. Not seriously, at least. A young man, springing into an overcrowded train, trod The Art of “Being Well Dressed” on the toes of an old gentleman in a By Mazie M. Weiher corner seat. HE ART of “being well dressed” “I’m very sorry,” said the young man. does not necessarily mean being Old Gentleman (hand behind ear). dressed “up to the minute,” or up to the “Eh?” latest “whim” or “fad,” but rather Young Man (more loudly) —- “I beg being dressed becomingly. If every girl your pardon.” I know or with whom I associate has her Old Gentleman — “Eh-h-h! ” hair bobbed. and wears her dresses to Young Man (shouting)—“I trod on her knees, or touching the ground, as your foot! It was an accident — an Confidentially. Madam — What do you the fashion may deem correct, still if accident.” think of mud as a beautifier? I believe that my hair is more becoming Old Gentleman (catching last word Maid —Well, it hasn’t done much for to remain the same as it was before the only)—“An accident? You don’t say day of the bob and that my skirt should so! Anybody hurt?” the turtle. T