Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-11
A COSMETIC ARTIST.

III prOIe>SOrS OF Une eaulll ing
art which makes rough compilations
smooth, effaces wrinkles, changes
the hair from blonde to golden, and
from gray to black have always
found their aid literally in request.
Mime. Rachael Felix and her sister
amassed wealth i'm London by their
trade in cosmetics, and might have
reaped fortunes if they had kept to
legitimate business. But the pre-
sence of a fellow-artist i'm New York
has been suspected only by those
who have had the good fortune to
answer a significantly worded adj
vertisment in a popular weekly to
the effect that a certain lotion, which
cures moths, freckles, an, blotches,
will be sent by mail with full direc-
tons. Also a certain other prepara-
ton for bleaching the hair and col
oring it a beautiful golden tint. The
dealers i'm cosmetics, unlike other
trades, court publicity in guarded
fashion, and for this reason. Ihelr
customers do not wish to acknowl-
edge their debts to art, and would
protest against the suspicion of ap-
plying to any known hair-dyer
or face enameller. 1t is almost i'm
possible to find q hair-dresser in
New York who will own to any
practice in dying hair, and if one
should boldly advertise the fact the
best customers would be very shy of
being seen to enter his shop. So the
cosmetic artist of reputation prefers
to extend his business by the free
masonry of her clients, or by an
nouncing her lotions without
giving other clue than the post-office
box, or the agents where orders
may be sent. Customers who ap-
ply for directions for using COS
metics receive the artists address,
one person recommends another,
ladies who see the improvement of
a friends hair or complexion are
not slow TO inquire the cause, and
women can keep secrets on this one
point, whether they are able to on
any other or not. Golden hair dye
and Bloom of Youth are things that
will sell in spite of hard times, and
whether people have bread to eat or
work to do the devOtee Of the toilet
must have her face powdered and
false braids. The maids i'm the
kitchen use them, the Irish relatives
might be the better for the dollars
and pounds spent in jute and pink
powder.
Not many months ago, as not a
few New York ladies will remem-
Der, IN of the profession had her
abode in one of those uptown
boarding hotels, rather marked for
the strictness of decorum and the
freedom of opinion under its roof.
By her swarthy complexion and
keenly defined features the madame
would pass for a gypsy, and her
claims to be French will be hardly
disputed in this paradise of milliner
madames and Parisians from Divis-
ion street. Hell visitors, who only
came by appointment, found neith-
er sign nor office denoting her prac-
tice. Her room was simply fur
nished, with a few pieces of furni-
ture evidently from over the sea,
and of some age. The luXuriously
soft sofa that makes an ample bed
by night, and the American carpet
oddly contrasted with a great bas-
ket cage, such as We see i'm pictures,
tall inlaid cabinet with ornament
ed brasses, and a queer marble pen
dule. \ lover of china would not
fail to notice the blue and red an
tique porcelain vases which stood
filled with sweet, common garden
flowers, alyssum, sweet williams,
red and white carnations i'm contrast
of crimson and snow. A large ere
tonne easy chair, drawn up before
mirror and toilet table, was
the only sign of the business of the
The introduction over, madame
would insinuate: "If you would
take that chair she would be
charmed to show you her method"
and, while she scanned a patient,
glide into o neat little speech that
answered for everybody. "You
see, L have nothing to tempt the
1 cannot take superb rooms
like those of Mime. Felix. My GUS
toners are good enough to overlook
my simplicity, and 1 do all 1 can
for them I'm return.
"Ah! you are very sanguine'-or
nervous, or bilious, as the ease may
be-"you must study your nature.
Be generous to yourself, and take
of pleasure and amusement.
You should laugh and sing and go
to theatres, and allow yourself eX-
element. That is the trouble with
these women who come to me.
They have no interest i'm anything,
or else they have too much interest
i'm n thing or one person more
Either way it is very bad.
The blood settles i'm the nervous
centres, and leaves their cheeks,
their eyes, their fingers, and they
grow dull and Oft wrong color. Pr!
l would like 10 take these ladies
when. i rub the paint and powder
on them and say, "If you only
cared for something besides your
poor little selves, and 1 could only
find out what that was, l would
soon throw away the paint and the
puff, and let you color yourselves
with some agreeable excitement"
"What would you do with their
was asked. nYou could not
color that or make it grow with ex-
81 would go to my big bottle, my
1 call it," said madame, laying
her hand on a huge bottle of brown
very much the color of cats
up. "This would make the hair
grow lift has any life-how much