Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-13
TIE FINGER NAILS.
A Visit to the Operating Room of a
Manicure-Her Methods ami Pa.

The person whO alone in New York makes
specially OF attending to the finger nails, lives
in handsome quarters on 23d street, near Booths
Ineater Ihere mere, , SM reaoFSer touh h,. her IN
portion of which, behind green silken scrcea
and near window, was set apart Tor the prac-
tice CT her profession. Behind that screen on a
small table were displayed many cleaning scis-
sors Of odd shapes bright, tyory-haldied Anives
and files, boxes of cosmetics and polishing pow
ders, bottles OF perfume, and an infinity OF
other tools and materials Ior the treatment.
upon correct principles OF art, OF the nager
nails The manicure herself, seated on Il io9
stool In the window. was large, Tine oodn:s
woman, very tastefuly dressed, apt OF tongue
and GeIt Of hand while plying her novel craft.
Before her stood luxurious armchair for the
person TO be operated upon.
Yes" said she, looking up pleasantly, - |
was the first, and / believe am still the only,
manicure in this country. 1t IS wonderful To
me that there are not more here 10 practice the
art. In France manicufeS are as common as
BARRIERS in New York, and there should be
enough demand Tor their services 10 bring taem
mo equal request here. AS i marx oI refiae-
ILent, of goou breeding, careful keeping AMI
beautl1y ing OF the IlIger nails is eSsaaIii as
the care OF the teeth. Perhaps IL Is even NOR
20 for taking care OF the teeth is In large part a
matter OF selfish Interest 10 the owner Or tn
teeth but in caring for the iinger nails we d. So
out OF consideration FOR decency. love CT the
beautiful, and regard Tor the feelings OF thoS
with whom we are brought III conCact Nails
you know, will not ache, even though they mi5
be in permanent mourning, bitten as ragged d,
the edge OF a saw and 1rlnsed With frayed cuticle
ard hang nails. Perhaps ;nat Is way 50 miny
people neglect them. But / cannot complain.
When l Started in business, Two years ago l
waited some days before my first cuSt0me.
canlea lady who paid me dollar for putin.
her nails in order-and now have as much as /
c n attend to- as many as twelve, fourteen, and
even sixteen day, and as each one takes an
average OF three quarters OF an hour, my hands
are kept pretty busy all day long. A great num-
Der of my customers are regular. That is instead
OF coming in Tor an occasional fixing up OF their
nails, as man goes into strange barber shop
for shave, they take regular courses OF ire IT.
oLce week.
''Those who thus artistically beautffy their
dgitS are OF the very best class Of society. They
are ladies of the highest families, gentlemen OF
the most arfStOcratfc clubs. bankers, brokers'
and merchants. know OF but one politician
among them.
My principal customers are ladies Of wealth
and refinement All the members OF four of the
wealthiest families of New York. from the
children up to the grandparents, come to me
once week. One OF those families has been
them Of almost every blemish, defect, and bad
habit possible, but at last, am happy to say
have got them in beautiful condition"
.n W WIZ DO you mean by blemishes, defects
''Blemishes include discolorations. white
spots, and opacity; brittle and rowing
nails are defective, and among the many bad
habits are punching at the matrix at the ba ,e of
the nail until it is rough and raised in an IN
slightly and often painful manner, as that prac-
t1ce1s prolific cause OF hang nails; biting the
nails, which causes them TO have rough edges
and ugly shape; tearing and clipping the thick
ened cuttcle at the side of the nails, and Gle IN
ing underneath the nails with sharp instru-
ments, which should never be used for that pnr-
pose. All these things cure; and no matter
how unsightly the nails may be. can guaran-
tee giving them, in reasonable time, beauty of
form and color. After they are once put in COOL
condition 1t is not difficult to keep them so.
oftener thanonce week, although some ladte;
come to me regularly twice every week. AS
rule, those who are most careful of their nails
and visit me oftenest are the very ones who are
most likely to unbluShingly rob me of the
credit Of my work by claiming it for them
selves. What beautiful nails you have! You
to another, who has just left my house. oh,
dear, MOI I have no occasion to go to the
manicure. My nails grow naturally that way
replies the dear artless creature But have
and my dollar and a hall. 1t is not true you
know, that nails grow beautiful and perfect ma
turally. At least, havesnever seen any that
did. Nature is not to be trusted implicitly for
the fashtoning of the human form divine, as
you may have suspected If you have ever con-
templated lot OF sea bathers."
Do fashions in nails change, like those in
bonnets, for tnstance?"
Certainly not. There is standard OF the
beautiful and artistic which cannot change.
at the base, white at the point, free from spots,
perfectly smooth and highly polished. Where
one cannot grow long nails, round oval ones
must be accepted. Abroad it is regarded as a
mark OF high breeding to have long pointed
nails, the assumption being that the plebeians
who have to earn living cannot cherish and
preserve such brittle badges of rank. In China
mandarins often grow nails three or four
gold sheathS.
Come, sit down here and let me show YOU
OF, and as operate on them you can ses what
my processes are First, the fingers are soaked
dried. Then, with this file 1 give the nail the
desired almond shape, so. Now, with these del
icate curved scissors trim of the supertilous
cuticle about the nails and remove the hang
nails. At this point would remove the discof,
orat1ons and blemishes in tint. Next to poiish
Ispread this nail powder on this chamois-skin
pol1sher and apply it nrsly See how the
want little deeper tint one that will resem-
BILE the exquisite roseate flush on the inside of
sea shell. This pink cosmetic will bestow it,
and at the same time will give pliability 20 the
nails and heal the clipped edges OF cuticie. Once
more the fingers go into a bath Of perfumed
water. and then the nails are repoliShed and ii
you thought they shone before what do you
think OF them now? Beautiful of course, they
are, thanks not to nature but the manicure.
Last of all-the finishing touch-the customer
must be perfumed. And you see that must
keep busy to get through it all in three-auarters
OF an hour"
care you not afraid that process so slmpl,
as this seems to be will be taken out OF your
hands by your customers for themselves or b.
rivals who will learn it from you?"
mot at all. All could teach them would
not harm my business. Not one person in te
thousand can use the left hand so lightly,
steadily, and effectively as would be required t.
put the nails OF the right hand in order. two
hands are needed for the job. And, as for etiu-
eating other man1cureS, have no fear. Indeed,
would be pleased to see more, as they Woull
tend to cultivate the public appreciation Of the
importance Of the art / practice, and l have NJ
reason to dread competition. Nobody can snap,
the nails as can. 1t is not so simple thing a;
people generally imagine. There is something
too, in the knowledge OF my recipes. DO US,
bitter things on the fingers to break the habit
OF biting the nails?' No. not at all. I simply
make the nails so beautiful that even q thought
less Child will have sufficient force of will to re-
fratn from spelling them. Look at your nails
now, sir, and bite one Of them ii you can finI
the heart to do so. 1 defy you to do it."-lM. Y.
Sun.
Amateur Economy.
"My dear fellow" said Lavender, otis all
very nice to talk about economlZing and keep.
ing rigid account of expenses and all that sor5
OF thing, but I've tried it. Two weeks ago
stopped In on my way home Saturday night an l
l bought just the gayeSt little Russia leathe.
cream-laid paper account book you ever saw,
and silver pencil to match it. said to nv
10 NE 1o,,,