The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-28

brown ha1r. .............,.. lO9, 44O
black nalr ...................lU Z96I
Tcu Halt. oC,i4V
Although, however, there is great difference in
the number, there is little or none in the weight
for some hair is much coarser than others.
The manner in which the hair from which wigs
are made is procured is both curious and interesting.
Little do some of hairless friends imagine that
the artificial scalp which covers their barren crowns,
is adorned with the luxurant growth Of some buxom
French or German peasant girl, or the first tender
crop of childhood. Europe has her harvests of hair
as well as her haryests Of grain, as the stubble
heads Of thousands Of her people bear witness.
traveller visiting the villages and hamlets Of France
or Germany cannot fail to observe the closely cut
hair Of many of the people, and, if any way inquis
tive, will be informed that the hair pedlar has paid
his annual visit. There are hundreds Of these itine.
rant hair mongers in Europe, who, If they do
not live by the wits Of other people, certainly live
upon the product Of their heads. These ped
dlars set out from Paris, Berlin, vienna, and
other principal cities, at stated times every
year, and visit those localities where they sure
of getting the best description Of hair. An expe-
rienced pedar is as well acquainted with the quality
of the hirsute crops of different parts of that con-
tinent as an ehnoogis is with the character Of the
different races who people it. Sometimes he fills his
pack with the most attractive ewelry, with which he
intends to dazzle the eyes Of the village madens,
not forgetting however to follow the advice of Iago
to Roderigo and put money in his purse for those
who prefer its solid ustre to the glttering orna-
ments. The fne soft, silken locks Of childhood
more priced than the hair Of grown person; and
mother with large family of young children will
houd nY, thp
has attained the required growth the scissors are ap
piled, and the head which, but few minutes before,
shone with golden stre, is left as bare field Of
wheat after the sickle Of the reaper has passed over
it. is laid past until the peddar makes his appear
ance, and then it is sold for as high price as
he is willing to give, or as low ashe seller is will
ing to take. 1t not unfrequently happens that
difference arises on the question of its value On
such occasions the peculiar merits Of the hair
discussed and canvassed with as much earnestness
as if crown were at stake. The pedlar, however,
generally comes of with the hair, and the same
scene is enacted, perhaps, hundred times over in
the course of his peregrinasions As yellow, or
what the poets call golden hair is highly priced,
we may imagine that there are many Jasons among
the hair peddars whole year is often spent in this
hair hunt at the termination of which the peddlars
direct their wandering steps towards Leipsc, at
which great fair is held once q year, or to
Paris, Vienna, and other principal cities. Here they
dispose Of their gatherings, consisting Of the shorn
locks of villages to another class of men called hair
merchants Brown hair, black hair, yellow hair, fair
hair, and every kind even that most unpopular Of
all, red hair are brought to this great fair to be
sold tons Of it are there offered for sale Of it
perhaps destined to cover the bald pate of aged
nobility.
After it into the possession Of the wig makers
it has to undergo various processes Of cleansing be-
fore it can be used in wig making. 1t is first
sorted according to its shade and length, then
washed, and finally rolled upon small round pieces Of
wood resembling pipe stems, on which it is allowed
to remain from two 10 twelve months. When it il
taken off these "ppes" they called, from the
fact Of pipe stems having been first used for the pur
pose, it has beautiful curl, which it generally re-
tans for months after. All hair used in wigs is
curled in this manner, except the long hair from
which ladies' wigs are made.
Sometimes the peasantry sell their hair to BARRIERS,
who again dispose of it to the peddars For one crop
Of particularly fine hair as much as four and FIVE
dollars is paid, but the common price paid
is about fifty cents Gases have been known
is considered by some to be superior to that oh
tanned from the living scalp. As the prisoners in
European penitentiaries and iails have their heads
shorn at the beginning of their confinement the ped
lars generally visit them their way for it matters
little to them what the'moraty Of the man may be,
so long his hair is good. The hair Of consump.
tive person is much sought after, as it is finer
and softer than any other except childrens.
There are no hair merchants in this country, the
hair being imported entirely by Dealers from whom
it s purchased by the wig makers. When it is very
fine it is sold for two dollars and two dollars and a
half ounce, which is about the weight of the hair
on the head Of a child three or four years old
Some years ago New York was infested with
peculiar class Of thieves, who confined their
thests to the hair OF children. When they
could prevail upon them, by some little present
to go with them to their place of concealment, they
would cut off their hair and then send them home to
their astonished parents. most merciless war was
waged upon the heads of the poor children and
many brigbthared lad, who rose in the morning
rejoicing in his waving czrls retired hairless to bed
The thieves, like death, selected the fairest for
their victims. They have latterly given up this Pc
culiar line Of tbieving, however and betaken them
selves to some other branch of the profession. Per-
haps it didn't pay we'll perhaps the parents Of
New York became more vigant and wary; or again
perhaps they found 1t more profitable to turn their
attention from the locks of youth to the locks Of
doors. Certain it is however, that they have left
the hair Of our children TO riot and run wild in I'M
cropped luxuriance as the heads of the rising gener
alton bear ample evidence.
| Wig makers are called upon occasionally to make
false mustachjos for women! This will no doubt as
tonsh the more delicate and sensitive of the fair SEX
but we assure them it IL fact that there women,
and some Of them married too, who promenade
Broadway in open daylight in mems attire, with