The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-05-09
False Hair and Pig Tails.

Anybody who has seen picture of his
great Grandmother, must have been struck
with the singular manner in which her
hair is attired rising high above her
head, and decorated with huge bands and
heavy chains, buckles, &c, resembling
somewhat the howdah worn on the back
OF an elephant, In those days, to use the
words of the spectator, man "beeame sud-
denly dwarfed beside her." The body
OF this erection was formed of tow, over
which the hair was turned, and false hair
added in great curls, bobs, and ties, pow
dered to profusion, then hung all over
with vulgarly large rows of beads orsham
pearls, fit only to decorate a chandelier;
flowers as obstrusve were stuck about
this heap of fnery, which was surmount
ed with broad silken bands and great os
trich feathers, until the head dress of
lady added three feet to her stature. To
effect this, hoe opus est, and BARRIERS, af-
ter accomplishing such chef deorc, are
represented in comic car toons of the
period as saying, "I'll guarantee it mad
am, to keep for three weeks" That they
would not keep any longer, may be gath.
cred from the magazines Of the period, in
many of which are given descriptions OF
"opening lady's head" so sensational
as to make ones flesh creep. In 1862,
long faxen hair was bought from the
head at ten shillings the ounce, and any
other fine hair at five shillings or seven
shillings the ounce. Within the present
century, the heads of hair of whole fami
lies in Devonshire were let out by the
year as so much rent per poll. An Exc
ter periwig maker went round periodical
ly, cut the locks, and oiled the ground
thus left 10 stubbles, to stimulate another
crop. The "Ramilies tall which was
plated tail worn by gentlemen in 1740
had an immense bow at the top and one
at the bottom. The change from wear
ing natural hair, to wigs, commenced in
1865. The "Post Boy" is worth persu-
ing concerning hair, and we are indebted
to it for much of our information as re
CARDS hisute adornmcnts of the period =
Maxwell, in his "Wild Sports of the
West" tells the story of a boy who, in
order to take young eaglets from an eyrie,
lodged hundred feet from the summit
VA Il lOCh ICCG
perpendicular from the sea, caused him
self to be suspended by rope, with a
scimitar in his hand for defence, should
he meet with attack from the old ones
This precaution was found necessary, as
no sooner had he been lowered to the nest
than one Of the old eagles made at him
with great fury, at which he struck, but
unfortunately missing his aim, nearly cut
through the rope that supported him -
Describing his horrible condition to his
comrades, they cautiously and safely drew
him up when it was found that his hair,
which quarter of an hour before was
dark auburn, was changed to gray. The
greatest part of the false hair worn now
days comes from Germany !; the fair
haired Gretchens of Saxony contributing
by far the larger portion to ornament the
heads of their ,Euglish sisters. China
and Japan, however, also contribute their
quota to be work ed up into various hirsute
adornments. mature unadornedis adorn,
ed the most" and nobody, in his widest
sketches of Paradise, ever dreamed Of
denjciino Eve in chipuon