Adventurers
Club
“77ie Iron Mouth”
By FLOYD GIBBONS
Famous Headline Hunter
NOW here's a yarn that just goes to show what an age
of progress we live in. You know, thousands of years
ago, when the cave men roamed the primeval forests the
boys who made the Adventure club were the ones that came
running back to the family campfire and told Ma Stone
hatchet and the kids about how one of them just missed
being gobbled by a dinosaur with a mouth big enough to
take him all in one bite.
Well, the dinosaurs died off and you don't see them any more, except
stuffed ones in museums, but you can still have the adventure of being
gobbled by a mouth as big as a prehistoric monster’s because nowadays
we manufacture them—make them out of iron, and put rows of sharp
teeth in them, attach them to great mechanical animals and send them
out to bite people like David J. Hanlon of Belmar, N. J.
Dave had his run-in with one of those steam-powered man
eaters at three o’clock on a cold October morning in the year
1927. Dave was Just out of high school then, and working at his
first real full-time Job. It was the Job of laborer on the state
highway bridge over Shark river between Belmar and Avon, and
Dave was working on the night shift.
Most Dangerous Job to the Youngest.
Dave says it was an adventure all in itself to be staying up all night,
working with a crew of grown men. He was the youngest one in the
crew and also the smallest. As a result, the foreman had given him
the easiest Job on the bridge. That foreman might have thought he was
doing Dave a favor, but it so happened it was the most dangerous job
on the bridge us well.
The crew had run a temporary trestle out over the water and out
on that trestle they had rolled a big crane with which they were ex
cavating holes for the big concrete piers which were to form the bridge’s
foundation. The crane was equipped with a clamshell scoop—two great
Jaws with sharp teeth set along the edges, hinged at the upper end. The
crane dropped that scoop deep in the mud and silt of the excavation.
The Jaws closed on a mouthful of the muck, and the scoop was hauled up
and dumped on the other side of the trestle.
There was a caisson of heavy planking built around the edge
of the excavation to keep the sides from caving in, and down
near the bottom of the hole carpenters had built a wooden ledge
that a man could stand on. It was Dave’s Job to stand on that
ledge, wait for the clamshell to come down, and push it to a spot
where it could get a good big bite of the mud they were dredging.
llow the Huge Scoop Worked.
It took three men to work that job properly. Jerry, operator of the
crane, w'ould drop the b g scoop down to within a few feet of the slimy
mud, and then stop it. Then, to make sure it got a good mouthful, Dave
would push it to the desired spot. When he got it there he’d yell, "Oke.”
That was a signal to Sam Smith, the boss, standing directly above him
on the edge of the caisson. Sam would relay that signal to Jerry with
a motion of his hand, and Jerry would let the big scoop fall and gobble
its mouthful of mud.
"Time and again." says Dave, "Jerry would drop those half-ton
Jaws and they’d eat up more mud. We soon attained a certain rhythm
at it, and all night long it was ‘Oke—splash! Oke—splosh!’ so steady
and monotonous that we could have done it in our sleep.” And the
whole trouble was that those three birds almost did do it in their sleep,
and a big iron monster is something a man ought not to fool with UN
LESS HE’S WIDE AWAKE.
The planking Dave was standing on was narrow, and time and
again he almost lost his balance and fell in. And then, somehow, Dave
did slip and fall. “I’m not sure how it happened,” he says, "but all
of a sudden I was falling, and the next minute I was on my back in the
mud, right under the gaping, six-foot jaws of that half-ton clamshell
scoop. It was probably only a couple of seconds that I lay there, trying
to get my wits together, but I remember thinking of what would hap
, pen if that scoop should fall and the teeth close on me.”
Steel Jaws Closing on Him.
And then, suddenly it began to look as If Dave was going
to And out. Up above he heard Sam give the signal. Oke! It was
purely mechanical on Sam's part. lie had been giving that signal
at a certain Interval for so long that now he was doing it with
out thinking. Then—Sl’I.ASH! Down came the scoop right across
Dave's body!
The jaws landed on either side of him and sank deep into the mud.
They hadn't hurt him because his body lay in the triangle up at the
top where the two parts were hinged together. But in another second
or so those two parts would begin to come together!
"There wasn’t much use in trying to yell,” says Dave, “for down there
in the muck, under that great steel shell, my voice would be smoth
ered and drowned by the clatter of the machinery and the noise of the
pumps. Beside that, there wasn’t time. I could see, to my horror, that
they were going to close over my head and my feet which stuck out
at either side!”
Those jaws were almost on Dave now. He gritted his teeth
and shut his eyes. In another moment it would be all over. He
drew in a deep breath—and thought to himself that it would prob
ably be his last. And then—
And then, all of a sudden, the great jaws stopped closing. Up on the
caisson, Sam Smith had looked for Dave and hadn’t been able to see
him. He knew something was wrong and gave a signal that stopped
the closing of the scoop. "He did it calmly and easily,” Dave says, "but
I’ve often wondered what would have happened to me if Sam had been
one of those excitable fellows. If he had lost his head then, I am
pretty sure I would have lost mine, too."
©—WNU Service.
Nature Supplies Power
and Ice From Volcanoes
Sometimes Nature supplies power
for nothing. The people of Larder
ello, in the Province of Pisa, Italy,
live at the foot of an active volcano.
Every unit of heat, power, and
light used in the town is obtained
from its fiery interior, thus saving
the citizens endless expense and
taxation. In addition, commercial
borax is obtained from “blow
holes" in the hillside, relates a writ
er in London Answers Magazine.
The people of Styria, Austria, live
beside another kindly mountain.
This is “Der Erzberg,” the Iron
Mountain, which is 5.000 feet high
and contains about 300,000,000 tons
of iron ore—fifty per cent of its vol
ume.
There is another iron mountain in
Sweden—Kiirunavaara—which is 2,
455 feet high and contains more
high-grade iron than any other
equal area on earth, for seventy
per cent is pure iron.
Needless to say. both these moun
tains have been exploited by the
communities who live in the vicin
ity.
Nature has also her own gas
works. Medicin Hat, in Alberta,
has for years obtained gas and light
from inexhaustible subterranean
generating stations. There are a
number of wells which supply fifty
miles of houses and streets.
Welland. Ontario, also has a nat
ural gas supply, and so has some of
the Mid-Western of the United
States, but in the latter case gas is
sent by pipeline from Texas—where
the wells are—800 miles away.
Mexico has a volcano that pro
duces ice. This is Colima, which
sometimes bursts into activity. By
some freak, huge hailstones fall
continuously round the crater.
These are collected in special bins,
conveyed to distant towns, and sold
in cafes and hotels.
Chameleons
The change of color in chameleons
and certain frogs is a very interest
ing phenomenon in nature. Many
complicated factors enter into these
color changes, but in general, they
are caused by the expansion and
contrrction of the pigment cells
in the superficial layers of the
skin. The cells are linked up with
the sympathetic and central nervous
system by means of nerve fibers,
and they all act in harmony as the
result of a common stimulus, which
may be due to moisture, light, or
temperature conditions, cerebral ex
citement, food, or the creature’s
physiological condition; or the sur
roundings acting through its eyes.
“Say It’’ W ith Frilly Neckwear
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
YES, indeed, fashion is in an ut
terly feminine romancing mood
and flowers and laces, suits pretti
fied with the daintiest frilliest lin
gerie blouses worn for years,
dresses of prints so flowery and
multi-colorful as to dazzle the eye
and that which is a sure sign of the
return of romanticism in the mode
—the revival the laciest, the dain
tiest, the most adorable fluffy-ruffle
neckwear and dainty snowy lingerie
touches that even the wildest flights
of one's imagination might ere de
vise.
And now that we know that frilly,
ultra-feminine neckline and wrist
line fantasies are going to be the
very thing let’s look up some of the
entrancing things which shops are
showing this season. The group pic
tures is typical of the many charm
ing, flattering jabots, collar-and-culf
sets and “bibs” that smart women
are wearing to give an extra spring
like touch to their tailored silk and
their sheer wool dresses.
In the first place there’s nothing
smarter than finely pleated laces
for neckwear. The good-looking col
lar and cuff set that gives so keen
a fashion touch to the simple crepe
frock worn by the young woman
standing below to the left in the
picture is of a rather heavy lace
in a dark shade of ecru. The V
shaped collar is extremely flattering
and together with its wide cuffs
makes a "picture.’’ With this lace
three-piece you can give infinite
variety to a winter-weary wardrobe
or it will enhance your newest frock
to a glamorous degree.
See to the right below in the group
Claudette Colbert wearing a stun
ning collar made of an interesting
silk-drawn novelty lace fluted row
upon row as you see. This actress
favors a combination of the collar
in Peter Pan effect, the jabot at
the front and a tiny bow of dark
plain material to match her dress.
An entirely different type of lacy
neckwear is the “bib” or yoke effect
pictured left above. It is one of
those exquisitely fine and beauti
ful accessories that you can wear
with your very best gown in most
ladylike fashion. The lace is a
choice Alencon type with insets of
hand-embroidered batiste as del
icately sheer as chiffon. The lace
is cut in a square with a circular
lace ruffle at the top and another
ruffle following the square outline of
the bib.
Above to the right lavish embroid
ery edged with dainty val lace adds
charm to a band collar with its
tiered ruffles of permanent Swiss or
gandie beautifully flower-embroid
ered. Fine as a cobweb, this im
ported organdie is decidedly prac
tical in spite of its fragile look.
Bows, too, are going to be worn
a lot this season. In fact snowy,
lacy lingerie accents are register
ing for a tremendous vogue, be they
collars, cuffs, dainty gilets with
waistcoat belts that button around
the waist, “bibs,” jabots or any ac
cessory item made of lace, of Swiss
organdie, of washable mousseline de
soie or of any delicate sheer and
these will carry a wealth of em
broidery or hand stitchery in many
instances. The new bows now show
ing in endless variety are cunning
on tailored dresses. If they are
not of mousseline or organdie with |
lace edgings then they are apt to be
entirely of heavy laces like Cluny
or Irish.
© Western Newspaper Union.
SMART FOR SPRING
II; CIIKRIK NICHOLAS
Capes, capes and more capes,
thus does the parade of spring
suits announce a vogue of tremen
dous importance this season. Even if
you buy a jacket and skirt suit you
are supposed to buy a stylish smart
ly tailored wool cape to wear over it.
The new ensembles are that way—
skirt, plus jacket, plus cape. The
one shown here is of a stunning
black wool fabric for skirt and cape
with jacket of black and white loose
ly woven worsted. The scarf is coral
colored.
SAILOR HATS AND
TURBANS IN STYLE
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
Where there’s new fashions there’s
always new thrills. Just about the
most exciting thrills registering on
the new season's program are the
“nifty” little sailor hats and tur
bans that are made of bizarre plaid
or stripe crepes or taffeta silk.
These are the sort that the moment
you see them you make up your
mind in a flash that your happiness
depends on acquiring just such a
chapeau. The sailors are covered
as smooth as glass with the striped
silk (or the plaid) with perhaps a
little whirli-gig of ribbon for a finish
or a rakish wee feather; and then as
if that is not enough to entice you,
more than likeiy a matching scarf
adds to the allure, or if not a scarf,
one of the new romantic gypsy
sashes that ties so nonchalantly
about waistlines these days. Cast
your plainest dark crepe (rock un
der the witchery of these plaid or
striped silk accessories and it will
take on untold glory and glamor.
Tunic Dresses Are Worn
for Daytime and Evening
Mainboucher, who first launched
the tunic dress, makes use of them
for every occasion in his winter
collection.
One of the new Mainboucher tunic
dresses is in black wool crepe. The
top. which ends in a flaring basque
at the hip. has been caught into a
diamond-shaped pattern which is
studded with brilliants. The skirt is
of plain wool crepe.
Outstanding is a black satin tunic
evening gown which comes to the
knees in front but extends down
ward in back to form a train. The
underskirt is black tulle, gathered
very full
I AROUND
the HOUSE
Items of Interest
r
to the Housewife
Protecting Buttonholes—A row
of machine-sewing around button
holes in knit underwear prevents
stretching and makes them last
longer.
* *
New Hot-Water Bottles—Have a
little glycerine added to the water
with which hot-water bottles are
filled for the first time. This will
make the rubber supple, and the
bottle will last longer.
* * *
Preparing Salted Nuts—Here is
an ideal manner in which to pre
pare your salted nuts at home:
Take blanched nuts, salt and
oil. Sprinkle nuts very lightly wdth
oil, using not more than one tea
spoon to one cup of nuts Spread
in one layer in a baking pan and
brown delicately in a moderately
hot oven — 375 degrees — stirring
occasionally that they may color
evenly. Sprinkle with salt after
removing from the oven, and
spread on crumpled unglazed pa
pei to absorb any surface oil.
* * *
Care of Shoes — The preserva
tion of patent leather shoes pre
sents difficulties because, by the
very nature of >.he hard finish, it
will crack eventually. But the
fateful day may be delayed by
occasionally applying just the
smallest touch of pure vaseline
and rubbing it in well with a soft
cloth. Patent leather shoes should
be polished by rubbing with a
soft cloth only.
* * *
Shrink the Cord — When loose
covers for chairs, etc., are being
made, boil the piping cord before
using. This little precaution pre
vents unsightly puckers after the
cover is washed.
* * *
Salmon in Rice Nesis—Two
cups of rich cream sauce, one
egg yolk, two teaspoons lemon
juice, one pound can salmon, one
sn all can mushrooms, one cup
rice, two hard cooked eggs. Beat
egg yolks slightly and add to the
Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets made of
May Apple are effective in removing
accumulated body waste.—Adv.
Law of Sacrifice
In common things the law of
sacrifice takes the form of posi
tive duty.—Froude.
hot cream sauce \yith the lemon
juice. Add the salmon and the
sliced mushrooms and heat
thoroughly. Boil the rice, drain
and form in mounds on plates:
then make depression in mounds
to form nests. Fill with salmon
mixture. Cut hard cooked eggs in
quarters lengthwise and garnish
each serving with one.
* • •
Boiling Old Potatoes—Old pota
toes sometimes turn black during
boiling. To prevent tjiis add a
squeeze of lemon juice *to the
water in which they are boiled.
* •- *
For Steamed or Boiled Pud
dings—Puddings will not stick to
the basin if two strips of grease
proof paper are put crosswise in
the basin before the mixture
is poured in.
* * *
Removing Stains on Hands—
Vegetable stains can be removed
from the hands by rubbing them
with a slice of raw potato.
* * *
For Good Gravy—Did you know
that gravy, to be served with
roast meat, will taste much nicer
and contain more nutriment if it
is made with the water in which
the vegetables have been boiled?
WNU Service. '
Illimitable Ideals
It is by believing in, loving, and
following illimitable ideals thA*
man grows great. Their very im
possibility is their highest virtue.
They live before us as the image
of that into whicl. we are to grow
for ever.—Stafford Brooke.
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• The Vegetable Fat in Jewel is given remarkable shortening
properties by Swift’s special blending of it with other bland cooking fats.
Jewel Special-Blend actually makes lighter, more tender baked foods, and
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-RUCK JONES
GRAPE-NUTS FLAKES PRESENT BUCK JONES — FIGHTING
CQWBOV OF THE WEST— IN A SERIES OF THRILLING ACA/ENTURES
^ Vs/HV NOT BEL ^
SQUARE WITH \
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WORTH A PLU£6EO\
NICKEL, WITHOUT j
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GOOD MEWS
.TiDRED/
BUCK JONES SAYS:
"boys. GIRLS.—JOIN MY CLUB! 41 FREE PRIZES! )
Join Buck Jones’ Club—and get the
dandy membership pin shown here and
the Club Manual, illustrating 41 swell
free prises. Just fill in the coupon and
mail it to Buck with one red Grape-Nuts
Flakes box-top.
And takeit from Buck,Grape-Nuts
Flakes sire a real he-man treat 1
So crisp and crunchy—they’re
the tastiest breakfast grub you’ve
ever eaten. And served with whole
milk or cream, and fruit, they pack
more varied nourishment than
many a hearty meal. So ask your
mother to get Grape-Nuts Flakes
right away.
A Post C#r#al—mods by Gonoral Poods
Club Membership Pin. Show the world you’re
a member of Buck Jones’ Club. Gold and red fin
ish. GOOD LUCK horse-shoe design. Free for 1
Grape-Nuts Flakes box-top. Mail coupon todayl
v5i is/ Club Membership Ring.
w w Its a beauty! 24-carat
gold finish. Adjustable — fits any finger.
GOOD LUCK horse-shoe design. Free for
3 Grape-Nuts Flakes box-tops.
j BUCK JONES, c/o Grape-Nuts Flakes
Battle Creek. Mich. W^)«.J4.»|
' I enclose.Grape-Nuts Flakes box-tops. Please send me
I free the items checked below. (Put correct postage on letter.)
□ Membership Pin and Club Manual. (Send 1 box-top.)
| Q Membership Ring. (Send 3 box-tops.)
I Name----»
j Address
| Town— -State
t Offer expires Dec. 31. 1937. Good only in U. S. A.