Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1889-05-25
HUMAN HAIR.
TRESsES OF EVERY TINT IN 4
PARTISAN MARKET.
Hafr-Cutters Who Travel Through Eu.
rope Collecting the Curis From
Peasants-The Endless Task
Of Sorting the Hair

thah, a Partisan capillary artist" whom
New York UgrN correspondent inter
viewed the other morning, NOBODY con-
cerned looks on the trade more IS d mat
ter Of cold business than the women
themselves. I know good many peas
ant girls in Brittany and Auvergne who
look on their s-fguratively speak
ing. Of course just as a peasant does on
ms field as crop raising concern, to be
carefully exploited, and if the premature
ha"hers do an excellent business in the
agricultural districts, it is Just because Of
this reason. don't deny that there are
exceptional cases, but in the vast ma
.jority it is not want but a desire for all
incease of income that makes girls come
under the scissors
How is the hair colectedl''
'There is a special class Of industrials
known as hair cutters, who travel all the
year round for the purpose. In France
It IS Brittany and Auvergne where the
avarlce Of the peasants and their poverty
are the greatest, that are alone visited.
In no other French provinces could a
dealer find it worth his while 20 travel.
Ihe Frenchwoman Is coquettish and
wants all the hair she can get for her own
| adornment On the other hand there are
many places in France which formerly
supplied quantities Of hair whence now
not an ounce comes. The reason is that
these places have prospered, luxury has
i entered them, and the women buy rather
than sell"
How do the dealers workl'
''In Auvergne and abroad they pay
/ periodical visits to the villages and towns,
/ usually on fair or market days, take a
room II an inn, hang their sign out Of the
window and await offers"
''What is their sign"
a horses tale attached to the end of
pole. It acts like magnet on the wo-
men. and the dealer has usually more
work given him than he can get through.
In spite Of this, however. very high
prices have to be paid for the crops.
! Formerly, before the war, you could get
q woman's head of hair in exchange for a
handkerchief or an apron, at the outside
a cotton dress was asked for. But since
II the girls have learned about osr prof
its and want a share in them. Nova
days the lowest price asked is So in adj
dition to good merino dress, and very
often as much as IS besides the goous
has to be given. In Brittany, on the
other hand, the cutter has to 90 from
house to house, because the Brittany wo-
man has to be bargained with. She in
variaoly begins by refusing outright, and
as invariably acquiesces in the end. The
cutters have many spccious arguments IL
reserve to convince the women that they
J should part with their hair
do the cutters travel abroad
':Oh, yes, chiefly. for blond hair. A
great quantity comes 10 Paris froI
sweden and Russia. Sweden. especially
supplies the most recherche blond shades
Most of the dark hair Is cut in Moravia
Bohemia and Other parts of Austria
German women are also usually ready Z
: deal especially in the Rhine provinces
Some attempts have been made 10 obtail
goods from England, but with no results
. The cutters usually gft knocked down 0
kicked out By the husbands fathers 0
brothers. It's pity, ss some u the Les
sh.dee q axhy blond-.hs best tint
crows II England Not much comes Il
! rect FROM Italy There L 3 central hai
market n Naples, but the sesplsls Is coub
ngs. not cut hair, and eomhing have IL
t!e value because ], is Impossible 70 e.
: them 70 curl Al they arr good f"r
padding, chienon> o- plating
s.The.e cutter tu7 81 thei. 5wn ae
coun,
'Thes 2re ,4ieps .-en- 14ercl-aa.
hlying a. cheap Is tnes can snd seiIln
: as dearly as possible = the Paris man
J tactuers Tt goods So 4sually ~, :
rail in sacks II q huadt-d weight -
,.erlen< Won r-o.li N.t ., ea~np .f,.s 2