Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-01-27

An E6Scacious Hair P0tcder-rapc Of The
Locks cct.-We heard an anecdote the other
day of old Shaffer.sof whom so many stories
are told, and who years ago used 10 "cut
up such shines" in and about Boston, which
we believe has never been published No
matter if it has, we give it in our own way
Some years ago, one very hot day in sum
mer, number Of bjac KS, wishing TO wind off
"Boblaion Day. with a dance. went over TO
Roxbury, and wanted Shaffer to letthem have
his hall for alball in the evening. Dis
select company massa Shaver. Of gemmen
and ladies of de first sciety and we want
tings done up nice" "Oh certainly,-cer-
tanly; but, Sligo, can't let you have the
hall exception one condition" Well, what
dat, Mr. ShaverW why. it's the fashion
now to have the hair powdered, and if you'll
all dance with your top pieces whiiened, so
as to be genteel, You may come. and I'll find
the powder to boot" 20 gosheel certainly
Misthcr Shaverl dat be jist what we wanted
TO suggest. We want to take de shine off
your common dancers" "pll suit you then
10 hair" said Shaffer. Things were thus
all settled, and al the appointed time some IF
ty or hundred blacks, in high glee and
spirits, drove up 10 Skaters, with their Dull
cinens, dressed up in all the coors Of the
rainbow. The gemmen' were taken into
a separate room, where Shafier had placed
three or four persons with lots of powdered
lime, with which 10 set off their curly tops in
the "most approved fashion" The lime
was put on pretty considerably Thick rub
bed in. &c, and when their heads were all
" finished" as the writing master says, they
went TO work in the hall, and for about four
hours put the double shuttle and pigeon wing
into the floor "about the slickest" II was
very hot night, and Of course the company
of dancers perspired freely, and for some
reason or other the perspiration appeared TO
take place about the head more abundantly
than elsewhere. This Of course produced
an immense scratching with the hands in the
region OF the upper story. "Holloo there"
bawled the fiddler, Miss Philisy, what be
dat lock OF wool on de floor gosh-guess
all we black birds be goin to shed our feath-
ers" And the fiddler ceased fiddling, laid
down his instrument and began to scratch
and pull away with both hands upon his
head, like all possessed" Of came his
hair in admirable profusian. What was the
matter The dance ceased, and all the dan
GERS came 10 halt The scratching and
pulling Of hair had become general The
poor fellows when they got tired of scratch
ing themselves, bent over to have their heads
rubbed by their "sweethearls," who admin
istered such consolation with the ends of
their fingers and the tops Of their voices a
they could The gemmen" began to per-
spire more freely than ever both from fatigue,
and from alright, fortheir hair began to fall
out so fast and abundantly upon the floor,
that they soon presented the appearance of
baldheaded dancers. "Massa Shaver, what
in de Lords name dis mean-what dam
powder dis here. We be all dropping off at
de head " But Shaffer, having got the pay
for his tickets, was for long time among
the missing. The blacks soon found out
the mystery however-that when they be-
gan to dance and perspire, the lime began to
slack. which in a little while took their hair
off, and tickled their skin rather uncomforl-
ably They soon after departed much light
er than they came Old Shaver said he
suit us to hair" quoih old Sligo hui guess
next lime we know enuf to wear wigs
~ III EaoLe