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