, 1886-06-09
WORK OF THE MANICURE.


Polishcd-The Partisan Method.
let me see your nails" said the oper-
ator. She took the writer's hand and
cast a critical glance at the nails. you
bite your nails, she said, "and that will
never do if you expect TO have nice look
ing hands, With this remark she
rubbed a small quantity of a dull, brown
colored powder on the nails, and then,
with a pad or buffer" as it is called
made of channels skin-she rubbed them.
This accomplished, she put a sort of
ointment on the nails and placed the
hand in n silver bowl filed with hot
water, while she gave her attention to
the left hand. This she put through the
same course, and into the bowl to soak it
went to keep the other company. They
were allowed to remain there about ten
minutes. While waiting for the hot
water to soften the nails, the writer con-
sidered it n good time to talk for points.
The operator very willingly conversed
about her business. She said: Il am
from Paris, in which city | studied this
art. Here is one of my models, she
said, laughing as she opened n drawer
in her instrument case and took out
what seemed to be a little roll of paper,
but what proved to be when the cover
ing was removed, n human finger. This
is what we use to study the anatomy of
the nail, " she remarked, as she noted the
rather curious glance the writer shot at
her. She rolled up the hideous little
thing and placed it back in the drawer.
The anatomy of the nail is an inter
esting study, like all other portions of
the body" she said. "The nail is com
posed of three layers. The inner one is
hard and has a grain running length
wise. The next is porus or spongy, and
the outer is composed of scales which,
of course, can only be discerned by the
aid of a powerful microscope. The habit
which most people have contracted of
%scraping the nails with n knife or sharp
instrument is very injurious. The inner
hard shell is scraped off and the spongy
layer exposed and dirt collects under
them. People clean their nails and
shortly after notice that a quantity of
real estate has again gathered under
them. They wonder why it is. They do
not realize that every time they scrapc
their nails they expose a spongy surface
to which dust will cling.
"The nails should never be cleaned
when the hands are dry, and an ivory
cleaner or scraper is the best thing to
use. | guess your nails have soaked
long enough now" 81 remarked, as she
removed the silver bowl from the tray
which had rested on the writer's lap.
With an ivory cleaner she d~elicately
Scraped the nails, taking great care to
shape the ends, or rather the flesh where
it separates from the nail perfectly.
This took some time, and when it was
cone on one hand the nails were rubbed
with a pink substance bearing very much
tlle appearance of vaseline, and the hand
WAS then wrapped in a napkin, where it
remained till the same work had been
performed on the other hand. A file was
then taken, and with the greatest care
the onds OF the nails were perfectly
shaped. Care was taken that they should
be hlcd squarely in order to expose as
little rs possible Of the porous layer.
What little is necessarily exposed is on
the end where dust cannot collect and
cling. Then came a very difficult and
delicate piece of work. The operator
took up a chisel, especially prepared, and
gently pressed the cuticle back from the
nail, separating it therefrom. The effect
of this was to lengthen it and prevent
hang nails. This done, she brought into
requisition n pair of peculiarly con-
structed nippers and trimmed the
cutiole. Here is where the Partisan
method differs from the American" re-
marked the operator. "The American
manicure5 use curved scissors such as
are made for surgeons, and many times
accidentally cut the cuticle so that blood
flows, or SO much SO as to make the
finger feel sore and disagreeable. People
who have been to American manicures
find this, with one or two other methods,
a source of much annoyance. With
these nippers it is impossible to injure
the cuticle."
The nails having been polished in u
preliminary way, soaked, cleaned, cut
and shaped. the final operation was
taken up. A pink pomade, differing
from that spoken of, vas applied very
sparingly. 1t was used to delicately tint
the nails. and after it had been carefully
rubbed on and cleaned off where it had
stuck to the cuticle the buiIer was again
used to polish them. A very brilliant
shine was given the writer's ~"talons,n
and, as he glanced at them, he could see
his reflection almost clearly enough to
arrange his necktie. There said the
operator, Il think you will do" "How
much?' she was asked. "One dollar,
please" she replied.-Boston Herald.