Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-07-06

Hlstory of Fpshlon--rts Popularity and
How Il Originated.

fact that q monument In ruins or 4
custom III decadence il apt to attract
more attention than when both were in
their prime There is something about
4 ruin which attracts the moralist rs
there i that iii a practice falling into
desuetude which draws the student OF
life and history, and both are more
carefully noticed when it's certain that
both are rapidly passing away than
either would have been had it given
promise Of long continuance. In 40
cordance with this well-kn0Wn fact the
female bang ii now exciting the inter.
est and enlisting the services Of social
philosophers The bang has been long
with us, and now that It is gradually
vanished Up the forehead Of the fair. and
being lost in the ltxuriance Of top
hair, Il is acquiring an interest which,
in its palmiest days, it never possessed.
It is true that this interest Is mainly
Of an antiquarian character Men are
perfectly willing to see it depart, and.
Ia fact, some excellent persons have
been known to express the hope that it
would 20 soon. in order that they might
once more see the whole Of woman's
face But now that il Is going. public
curiosity is beginning to DO much
aroused in ascertaining ) reason why
It ever came. So far as can be seen. It
was neither useful nor ornamental; IL
did not keep of the sun, and did con-
ceal q most expressive portion Of the
c0untenance Il was troublesome Of
arrangement a constant source of ankle
ty when arranged, injurious to the eyes,
trying on the temper, and when of any
considerable proportions gave its wearer
the half-scarcd expression Of Il rabbit
peeping out Of 4 brush-heap. Some
writer's on the subject are inclined to
assign it Turkish origin, being under
the impression that it was sort OF sub
stitute for veil, but this Is sufficiently
negatived by the fact that 1t is found
upon the front Of her who IS the best
able to take her own part in any kind Of
controversy. and SO, in despair, most of
the theorists have fallen back upon the
notion that IL was n freak; an Illus
tration Of the fact that the will Of wo-
man is not to be hampered by any die
tate Of judgment nor her costume by
any canon Of good taste or common
sense.
While this theory certainly has points
IN its favor, there IS fatal objection.
1t IS not scientific. In the light Of science
nothing exists without an antccedent
and cause,and to suppose that bang
sprang into being without either pat
tern or motive is to suppose piece of
scientific nonsense. So there must have
been something from which it was mod
eled, as well as an excuse for It's inven-
ton, for even a monstrosity is seldom
without predecessor and reason for
existence. At the first glance, an effort
at classification of bangs appears inn
possible, for grouping of objects ST
the same class implies properties in COM
mon, and scientific examination OF
bangs discloses the fact that although
the ignorant may consider them as all
equally 0dions to good taste, the trained
observer win see 50 many and so wide
differences IN length, i'm gIossiness. and
in disposition to get out to fix that every
particular bang, even as one star dif-
fers from another star IN glory. TAX
ing, however arrangement as basis OF
differentiation, bangs viii divide theln-
selves into three classes; the frizzlv
bang, the curly bang, and the saucer
bang
4 careful historical chase of the bang
through many countries finally locates
the frizzly bang is 4 native of Africa.
the ladies Of thar continent having ad-
vantages for producing this style III
hiFsute ornament which their sisters
further north never possessed. Estab-
iished IS fashion ii Africa, It lost no
time III passing over to Asia, the Afri-
can slaves ASSISTING IN ifs transit Rnk