The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-03-13

early ages when Martial fuug bis epigrams
literally at the head Of the ladies---for the
women Of antiquity 10 general, and of
Rome in particular, dressed their hair In
most extayagant styles. 1t was their
own hair, the poet tells US in plain Latin,
inasmuch as they had paid for it, Il
came originally from Germany or Gaul,
and was sold 10 the market established for
the sale Of false hair before the Temple Of
Apollo. Nor do we refer to that brilliant
period when France, like Rome before il,
set the fashions to the world, and false
hair was so largely employed in the con
struction Of a lady's couture that Madame
de Sevigne ridicules the newest style at
length in very amusing letter to her
daughter, and-with proper submission to
the supreme law Of fashion--recomm
II later on. We are speaking Of the olden
times of few years ago, when the bellies
of the dny-and they are still young--did
their best to encourage the trade in false
hair. False hair is no longer fashionable,
but it is necessarily still in demand, and
few persons are probably aware Of the ex-
tent to which the traffic 10 human hair is
carried. 1t has been aseertained that the
London hair merchants alone import an
nually no less quantity than Eve TONS but
the market would be inadequately supplied
Independence were solely placed on chance
clippings There must be regular har-
vest which can be looked forward to at a
particular season; and, as there are differ
ent markets for black tea and green tea,
for pale brandy and brown brandy, so
there is market for light hair, distinct
from the market for dark hair.
Light hair is almost exclusively Ger
man product It is collected by the agents
Of certain companies, who visit Germany
yearly to solicit orders. Many years age
fair hair was most valued, and one partic
ular golden tint was 50 much priced thai
the dealers only produced it for favorits
customers, to whom il was sold for nearl,
double its weight in silver. The rich ant
silky texture Of this treasured article had
its attractions for poets and artists as wei
as traders. Shakespeare seems to have de
lighted in golden hair. Bassauio de
scribes Portia with her Sunny locks
hanging "otf her temples like golde
fleece" Again, in the 1.-TWO Gentleme
of Verona" Julia says of Sylvia and her
self "Her hair is auburn, mine is perfec
yellow" Black hair he only mention
twice throughout his entire plays, clsarl
showing that he imagined light hair to b
the peculiar attribute Of soft and delicat
women. A similar Partially for this colo
touched with the sun, runs through III
majority Of the poets, and the best pain
ers have seized upon golden tresses wit
the same instinct. A walk through an
exhibition Of pictures viii instantly decid
this point There is not single femal
head in the National Gallery, beginnin
with those glorious studies Of heads tn
highest ideal Of feminine loneliness,
such an idealist as Co rreggio, aad endin
with the full-blown blondes Of the prodigS
Rubeus, there is not single black .haire
beauty among them all. Il is the opinio
of some that the color Of the hair Of III
: English people has deepened in tint wit
, the present century, and that this chang
is owing to the more frequent interma
riages, since the Nepoleonic wars, wit
nations nearer to the sunny south. Whetl
er dark or light, however, the hair pu
chased by the dealer is so closely scrul
nizcd that he can discriminate betwee
the German and the French article BY Ii
smell alone. He even claims the pow,
Of distinguishing accurately English fro
Irish and Scotch from Welsh. The FrenC
dealers are said to be able to detect II
difference between the "hair" raised
two districts Of Central France, not mar
miles apart, by tokens so slight as wou
battle the most learned naturalists an
Psychologists.
Black hair is imported from Briital
and the south Of France, where it is q
lected once every year by the agents Of
few Partisan wholesale houses. The ave
age crops-the pun is quite accidental.
D harvested by these firms amount yearly
/ upward Of 200,0 900 pounds weight. Il
price paid for each head Of hair rang
from franc to 5 francs, according TO
weight aud beauty; the former seldc
reaching above pound, and seldom bel,
e ii ounces. The itinerant dealers o
e always provided with an assortment
4 ribbons, silks, laces, haberdashery a
cheap jewelry Of various kinds, with viii
: they make their purchases as frequen
!. as with money. They attend all the "a
and merrymakings within their circu
aud the singularity and novelty of tn
Q operations are wont TO strike strang
a with astonishment more than anythi
else which falls under their notice.
various parts Of the motley crowd Of
u Breton fair may be met three or four
IS these purchasers, who travel the counl
Q for the purpose Of attending fairs a
Il buying the tresses Of the peasant eli
I, The girls, indeed, seem TO bring their b
y TO market as regularly as they do peas
= cabbage and eggs. 1t might DO thoug
o that vanity would have effectually ,
= vented this from being carried to any
: tent But there Is no difficulty in find
girls willing to dispose Of their beauti
= heads Of hair. The peasant girl pa
'e with her hair as readily as the stern IN
t in the old-fashioned plays parts with
n guineas 10 the last act. The girls are shea
!, like sheep, one after the other. They sta
: round in ring, ready FOR the scissors, W
! their caps in their hands aud their l.
u hair combed ont aud hanging down to Ii
/. waists. The operator is sometimes IN
y sometimes a woman.
BY the side Of the dealer is placed
large basket, into which every success
crop Of hair, tied up Ia a wisp BY itself
thrown. As far IS personal adornm'
goes, the girls Of Brittany do not lose ma
/ By losing their hair, for Il Is the fhslli
2 in those parts to wear q close cap, viii