Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-12-25
TIE FINGER NAILS
A Visit 10 th~ 0perssi,,g room of . Manicure
Her Methods and Patrons.

A Wish 10 the 0psrssing room of . Manicure
Her Method. and Patrons.
The person who, alone in New
York, makes specially of attending
TO the finger nails, lives 10 handsome
quarters on twenty third street, near
Booths Tneater. There a Sun re-
porter found her, in large and rich
ly furnished parlor, but small por
ton of which. behind green s,lken
screen and near window, was set
apart for he practice OF her profes
sion. b. hind the screen on a small
table were displayed many cleaning
scissors OF odd shapes, bright ivory.
handled knives and flies, boxes OF
cosmetics anil polishing powders, bot.
ties of perfume, aud an intinity of
other tools and materials for the
treatment, upon correct principles of
art, of the finger nails. The mani
cure herself, seated on low stool in
the window, was large, fine lookib2
woman, very ta~tefully dress, apt of
tongue and delft of hand while plying
her novel craft. Before her stood a
luxurious armchair for the person to
be onerated upon.
"Yes," sad she, looking mp pleas
antly, 81 was the first, and | believe
am still the only manicure III this
country.S 1t il wonderful to me that
there are not more here to practice the
art. In France manicures are a.
common as ba,bers in New York,
and there should be enough demand
fol- their services TO bring them into
equal request here. AS mark of
refinement, OF good breeding, careful
keeping and beautifying of the finger
nails is as essential as The care of the
teeth Perhaps it is even more so,
tor taking care Of the teeth is in
large part matter of selfish interest
to the owner Of the teeth, but in car
ing for the finger nails we do so out
OF consideration tor decency, love OF
the beautiful, and regard for the feel
Ings of those with whom we are
brought in contact. Nails, you know,
will not ache, even though they may
be in permanent mourning. bitten as
ragged as the edge OF saw and
trlnged with trayed cuticle and hang
nails. Bot | cannot complain. When
| started IN business, two years ago,
| waited some days before my first
customer came-a lady, who paid me
dollar for putting her nails in or
der-aRd now | have as much as !
can attend to, ~ many as twelve,
fourteen, aud even sixteen a dav, and
as each one takes an average ofthree
quarters OF an hour, my hands are
kept pretty busy all day long. A
great number of my customers are
regular. That is, instead of coming
in for an occasioaal fixing up of their
naiis, as man goes into a strange
barber. shop for a shave, they take
regular courses of treatment, for
three months at time, coming to me
| once a week
"Those who tins artistically beau
tify their lights are OF the verv best
class of society. They are ladies OF
the highest families, gentlemen of
! the most aristoeratic clubs, bankers,
brokers, and merchants. | know of
but one politician among them.
"My principal customers are lad
les of wealth and refinement. All
the members of four OF the wealthiest
families of New York, from the chill
dren up to the grandparents, come 10
the once week. One of those fam
lilies has been very unfortunate IN its
mai 8. have had to care them OF
almost every bemish, defect, and
bad habit possible, but at last, | am
happy to say, have got them in beau
tilul condition"
"What do you mean by blemishes,
defects, and bad habits p
"Blemishes include discolorations,
white spots, and opacity brittle and
bad growing nails are defective, an
among the many bad habits are
punching at the matr.x at the base OF
The nail until il is rough and raised
in an uuslghtly and often painful
manner, as that practice IS a prol tic
cause OF hang nails biting the nails,
| which causes them to have rough
edges and ugly shape tearing ard
clipping the thickened cutcle at the
sides of the nails, and cleaning I'M
| derneath the nails with sharp instrn
ments, which never should be used
tor that purpose. All these things
cure and no matter how unsightly
the nails may be, | can guarantee
I giving them, 10 a reasonable time,
beauty of form aud color After they
are once put in good condition it is
not difficult to keep them so. The
services Of the manicure are not nee
essary ottener than once week, al
though some ladies' came TO me reg
ularly twice every week As a rule,
those who are the most careful oil
their nails and visit me ottenest are
the very ones who are most likely to
unblushingiy rob me OF the credit OF
ny work by claiming it for them
selves. What beautiful nails you
have! You must have been to the
manicure. says one lady to another,
who had just leiG my house. ON
dear, no ! | nave no occasion to &c
to the manicure. Ms nails grow
naturally that way replies the dear,
artless creature. BIT have my con
ISOLATION IA my service of the beauti
ful-and my dollar and half. 1t i.
not true, you know, that nails grow
beautiful an1 perfect naturally Al
least, | have never seen any that did
Nature is not to he trusted implicitly
for the fashioning of the human form
divine. as you may have suspected j
you have ever contemplated 10. o
of sea bathers."