The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-01-12
Tho Fashion Of Red Hair.

A French ulltcr--M JULES sOESIZHr-ha1 HrltLen
IN article ir Paris journal under tho title OF
''The Revenge OF the Hcd-Headcd," in which ho
discusses prevailing continental fashion, and
gives some Interesting information. Going back
10 Romo in tho time Of the C.ESAEs lie reminds
his countrymen that in those days tho mad and
tho bad among women were ordered by the edle--
or. as NJ. DESIzEr says, the project OF polce OF
tho period-to wear red hair. Red hair, then,
was mark of degradation but all this l5 changed
now. N. DENIZEr says:
The Romans got enormous Qnanstics' OF hair
from Germany. Most Of il i'll the present day
comes also from Germany, well rs Brittany and
Normandy. Paris annually exports upwards OF
land and America. A few years ago its price, from
living head was from five to ten francs tho kilo-
gram according to tho length and color. Red hair,
Which Was formerly unsaleablc, except for dyeing
is this year a. a premium; but the rage cannot
last long. Hair of this color is generally coarse
and harsh and tastc9 will, no doubt, return TO
black and blonde which twice rs fine and three
times as soft and glossy. Red hair dries, black
and blonde thicken. Tho first preparation which
hair undergoes Immediately raises it's prico to
eighty francs the kilogram. In our time the re-
,ilitation of the rod haired commenced in the
Juif Errant," in which Eugene Sue depicted
Mdlle dc Cordove in such glowing colors shat,
for her charming sake, the hitherto despised shade
rose little in public opinion. How many persons
havo wo known seeking by cVory means in their
power to turn the hatod red into brown or chest
mutt? Oils, pomados, brass and leaden combs
were the supposed remedies, and these falling,
dye was resorted to.
At school, tho rcd-haired boy or girl was the
butt for every joke, the scapegoat for every mis-
chievous trick and escapado. an inquiry was
mado as to the perpetratOr OF any offence, 1t was
the roQui,l who did it, chorused the boys. 1T was
the roguine, cried the girls. Children whose heads
we're dressed in red lost their patronymc OF school,
and were simply known as the r0quin or the ro-
T nOnroly tbn frpp;a9
an accompaniment, tho victim was said to 'Dear
the brand OF Judas i'll his facet
What wonder, then, if with this treatment the
rcd-haircd cliild become sullen and dlsaSrceaDle
and in some sort mcritod the reputation given him
beforehand? In tho talo of Tho Fair Ono with
the Golden Hair" no child could ever have imaSin-
cd the face of the beautiful princess framed in red
locks Her hair must havo been fine threads OF
real gold As TO red-hairct princess, such q
thing was never heard of Tho fairy tale would
have lost all its INTEREST," in the eyes of children had
such heroine been possible. Cooks, even, OF this
color wcro looked upon with dislike. Mlstrcsses
pretended that the peculiar odor OF their halr lent
itself unplea5aHtly 10 tho sauces, turned tho milk
and spoiled the jamsl
Now, all that is changed; red hair is tho mode.
The young mother prays that her coming babe, II
girl may have red locks; and II it has, its for
tuno is mado. The rcd-haircd beauty i, taking
her roTengc; she carries her chiJn0n like flag,
and gathering under it, aided by fashion, every
shade of chesnut, blonde and black, transforms
them all into red. But toW pdSse, tout ldsse; and
tomorrow tho mode may change.
However, although tho triumph OF tho red-haired
may provo but that Of a seas0n-their glory but
ephemcral-sti there is no doubt that they will
never descend to their former disgraceful position.
The prejudice of ages having once been removed,
they have boon admitted to IN equality with their
moro favored sisters. But now a word OF advice
and warming: lot them descend few steps from
tho ladder they havo climbed so triumphantly,
lest speedy reaction may precpitate thom taore-
from.