Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1882-03-04

A Talk With A Dealer In Hair.

sizes, compilations and colors, with
out reference to previous condition of
servitude, wear false hair in some
shape or color" said one of the lead
ing dealers in hair in this city re-
Gently to Tribune reporter. 'sSome-
times,r he added, 'sit is black, some
times white and sometimes brown.
The most fashionable color is blonde.
1t makes wonderful difference in
the appearance of a person, espec-
tally of woman. If you should see
your love some time with little
handful Of hair parched on the top
of her head and her beautiful, clus.
tering ringlets gracing the top of
a dressing bureau, your aesthetic no.
tions would be considerably upset."
"Where does the hair come from ~
he repeated in answer to question.
Z" From Europe, we have to import it
all. In this country we haven't the
poor, wretched class of women that
Europe affords. Say wretched they
are wretchedly paid, although they
don't look exactly miserable. Why,
thewomen who sell their hair earn on.
" about 80 year wages it's q fact;
you needn't look incredulous. Some
of them may run as high as $40 for
the year, allow do they manage
to live 70
"Well they get their food whore
they work. They work out in the
fields, and do mans task. Thew are
strong and tough, and don't seem to
suffer much from it,
And do they sell their hair for
pin-money
"That's about it. You see the
hair business passes through several
hands. We import from Europe.
The exporting houses there buy Of
houses in the different European
countries. These in turn purchase
Of the hair-cutters, who go around like
Yankee peddlers and buy up hair in
exchange for trinkets, or just ~
William Penn purchased land of the
Indians. The cutter pays no money,
They advertise in advance where they
are going to be and announce that
on such day they may, be found at
such a place in snch a town. Then
the women and girls who wish to ex-
change their hair for jewelry or any
other trinkets, handkerchiefs, ETC.,
go to this place and have their hair
cnt., s he asieinD sa 70
SIS the whole head of hair cut
OFF, 8a sd
"No; at least very seldom. You
see the women wear white caps on
the back of their heads. These are
small and will not hold very much
hair. All the women wish to keep
is enough to make proper show in
the cap. So the cutters clip their
hair, cutting out little here and
there until only enough is left to keep
the cap in shape. The cutting when
done in that way does not show.
What parts of Europe furnish the
most hair p
"The Scandinavian countries sup
ply great deal. The blonde hair
comes from their. Germany fur
nishes this, too, but not so much as
Norway and Sweden and Denmark.
These portions of Europe where the
peasantry is poorest furnish the bulk
of the hair. Bohemia and Hungary
contribute very large amount.
From Italy we get what is known in
the market as Italian hair. This, OF
course, is dark, mostly black 1t is
coarse and very brittle. 1t is obtain
ed in the first place by pickers who
make a special business Of going
around to ash-barrels and picking
out the hair that is found In the
ashes. They can only get itin small
quantities, as it has come from the
brush or comb used in making the
toilet 1t takes a great many comb
ings to supply enough for a wig.
SO you see wig Of Italian hair il
probably made up Of contributions
from hundred heads or more.0 q
"Is any of it from the dead ~
"No, think not. It's all aliye--in
two senses often. Sometimes it is
blsached or mixed in with other hair
so that a woman wearing such wig
may look very bewitching. The
Italian hair alone makes our cheap.
est and coarsest wig. 1t breaks cas-.
lily. Another cheap kind is the
Chinese hair. This is mixed . great
deal with human hair. or course
the Chinese are human, but in the
trade we distinguish between hu-
man and Chinese hair. The latter
is coarse and very brittle.n iy
/" What is the most expensive
hair 7" "The white. That is vcry
difficult to find, at least Of q good
length. White obtained by bleach.
ing does not last well ;it turns yellow
especially at the ends. A head Of
natural white hair of good length IL