Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-01-07
Brief History of "Tat-Se-O-Kama,"
or the Great Wonder of the Age.


When the troupe of Japanese Gymnasts
visited Chicago in 1868, Mr.. Campbell, who
has always an "eye to business" was
struck with the peculiarly glossy appear.
ance of their hair. One of the oldest
members of the troupe, who, with COM
panion, was sauntering about town,
CHANGED to drop into Mr.. Campbell's store,
and looking closely at his hair, Mr.. Camp
bell became convinced that the Japanese
knew something about the art of coloring
hair. Consequently, on the day following
he called on the Japanese interpreter, at
the fremont House." and stated his bust
ness, saying that if he was correct in his
conjecture, he would willingly pay an ex-
orbitant price for information that would
be the means of driving the poisonous and
filthy Hair Dyes from the American market.
The interpreter informed him that one
of the older members of the troupe had
been in former years chief hair-dresser to
His Majesty the Tycoon, and that he was
in possession of secrets in the art of color
ing hair, but that he was under obligations
to his government not to reveal them.
Through the kindness of the interpreter
Mr.. Campbell was introduced to this per-
son, and made known his wishes. He was
met by refusal at once. This person,
whose name, as many will remember, was
O-wee gee wee-nah, told Mr. Campbell
that there were two kinds of dyes made in
Japan, one for coloring black and the other
| for producing brown effect; that the for
mer was in common use, while the latter
| was scoart secret, and used only i'll the
| family of the Tycoon.
| Mr.. Campbell determined to possess HIM
self of this dye if possible, as nothing had
| ever been known in Europe or America
that would color hair brown. Hetherefcre
offered Owee-gee-wee-nah large sum of
money for the secret, but he was refused.
Shortly after this the troupe left Chicago
and went to New York, and Mr.. Campbell
followed them in few days. He went i'm
mediately to the hotel where they were
stopping, and set deliberately at work to
accomplish his purpose. He became init
mately acquainted with every gymnast, at
tended their exhibitions nightly, introduced
them to his friends, drove them to the
parks and places of public interest, and
ingratiated himself thoroughly in their
favor.
At length gaining their confidence he
succeeded in obtaining promise from O.
wee-gee-wee-na h-that whenever they left
the country he should have the secret but
only on condition that it should never be
communicated to third party. The
amount to be paid on surrender of the Sc
cret was fabulous. Mr.. Campbell remain
ed in New York until the troupe was ready
to sail. The hour was set fer communica-
ting the desired information, and bag, of
twenty dollar gold pieces, wasready for de-
livery when O-wee gee-wee-nah was taken
suddenly i'll, and as he was like all his
countrymen, superstitious, he regarded his
sickness as judgment on him for the act he
was about to commit, and here Mr. Camp
bell was foiled again.
The troupe sailed for Europe, but Mr.
Campbell was not to be defeated. His
agent started in the next steamer and over
!; hauled the gymnasts in London, and fol-
!; lowed them to Paris. Here their exhi-
billions were not as profitable, as they had
been, and here Mr.. Campbell's agent bold
ly renewed his offer, increasing it by more
|, than thousand dollars in gold, and at
last, in Paris, he was successful he laid
hands on the mighty secret and at once
, started on his return trip.
menting with the dye has put it upon the
market. Persons have only to try it to be
satisfied. The account here given reads
more like fiction than truth, but head of
gray hair changed to the soft, glossy brown
of youth, will convince the most skeptical
that Mark Campbell in this, as in other
things, does not humbug the people. This
is the eighth wonder of the world. ''Ja-
panese Hair Dye" is prepared only at Mark
Calnpbell's Hair Emporium, 81 South
Clark St., Chicago, Ill, and is sold by all
druggists everywhere.