Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
years. or five at the most, she viii reap


years. or five at the most, she will reap
another harvest.
About 300 peasants annually offer their
heads to each wandering hair cutter, that is
to say, some 5000 girls and women Of all
ages, and even hundreds Of men, sell their
flowing locks. The average harvest of each
head represents a weight of 200 to $50
grammes; and collected in bundles of equal
length, but without regard to color, it 10
sold to Partisan hair dressers at prices vary
ing from 25 to 100 francs the kilo, but red Of
q good shade brings in five times as much,
and snowy white, which is very valuable,
sometimes even 800 francs the kilo. The
coarser hair Of Auvergnat is more sought
after than that Of Brittany. the shade being
more uniform In any case 1t is all sub
mitted to certain wastings before passing
into the shop windows; and these processes
raise the price considerably.
A PRETTY CUSTOM.
Last Sunday the annual browning of the
rosiere took place out at Nanterre. Every
year the girl who can prove the best charac-
ter is crowned with roses and receives valua-
BILE presents from the town. This year it was
not easy to make a choice, for four other
young ladies fulfilled all conditions. But
after due and hope grave deliberation the
Municipal Council of that village chose Err
nestine-Anne Collet, sewing girl by pro-
fession, to be the rosiere for 1889. She is q
years of age, and this is the third time she
has been awarded this honor.
Her father is gardener; he has four
children, and as one of them is at present
doing his term OF military service, perhaps
patriotism had some consideration with the
gentlemen who decided in Ernestine's
favor. The other chaste demoiselles who
competed were Laure Refine Christy, who
grows vegetables, Francoise Celesta HUI
bert, dressmaker and Josephine Marie LIE
Monnier, day laborer, SO to speak, who
would have got the prize had the matter
been left to me, for she is an uncommonly
ne-looking servant girl.
Well. the Mayor, Municipal Councillors
and invited guests all formed q cortege, and
with 20 odd fremen, wearing helmets, to
the sound of music marched, followed by
gymnastic society and several residents, to
Mile, Collects fathers house. Arriving
there the Mayor offered his arm to the
rosiere, his assistant paid the same atten-
tion to the young lady who won the prize
last year, and an old Alderman walked with
the maid of honor.
THE REWARD OF VIRTUE.
Then we returned to the Mayors special
sanctum, where the offering of the ornaments
on behalf of the municipality took place.
These presents, to the value Of 800 francs,
consisted of pretty little stem-winding
watch with chain and medallion, brooch
in the shape of rose, touched up with
pearls, and earrings to match. But Mile.
Collet, who is hard-working girl and has
little time for personal adornment, her little
broLhers requiring so much attention, had
never had her ears pierced, and SO it was
not easy for the godmother to insert the
pendants, and we saw tiny drops of blood
come from the attempt.
This ceremony over, everybody tramped
in terrible rainstorm to the parish church,
and it was soon full Of spectators. The
young lady was led to the altar, and left
there for short time in prayerful refec-
tion, then her godmother ascended the plat
form, and to the left stood Mile. Navin, the
last to obtain this honor with her last years
crown on her head. = Msgr. Hultz ascended
the pulpit and delivered discourse, in
which he referred to the event of the day and
its institution, laid stress on the duties of
women in these times, saying they were
much the same now as they were long
years ago, and were well defined by the
apostles of Christianity.
After the sermon the Mayor led the young
girl to the seat that had been reserved for
her on the platform, where the godmother
placed on her brow the rose crown that was
emblematicaI of the virgins in antiquity,
the rosiere of the last year had
to remove hers, as two rosieres are not al
lowed to be in town at the same time, that
is not officially.
DELIGHTFUL DUTY.
Presently the procession reached the
Mayors Office again. The town band