Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-01-04
TRAFFIC IN HAIR.


Tie Famous Market Of MOrians, In South
western France.
There Ia a human hair market at
Morians, in the department OF the
Lower Pyrenees. 1t is little known
except perhaps in Paris. where it has
high reputation. The market Is held
every other Friday. Hundreds of
traflicking hair-dressers throng to the
little place from far and near to buy
up the hair of the young peasant girls.
Inc dealers wander up and down the
long narrow street OF the town, each
with. a. huge pair OF bright shears
hanging from black leather strap
around his waist, while the young girls
who wish to part with their hair stand
about in the doorways. usually in
couples. The transaction Is CARRIED
on in the best room OF the house The
hair is let down, the tresses combed
out. and the dealer names the price.
This varies from. three to twenty
francs. If bargain Is struck the
dealer lays the money in the open.
palm Of the seller, applies his shears.
and in minute the long tresses fall
on the fuor. The purchaser rolls up
the tresses, places them In paper,
and thrusts them into his pocket. OF
course maiden can rarely see her
fallen tresses disappear in the dealers
pocket without crying. but she con-
soles herself with the thought that it
will grow again and by looking at the
money in her hand.
There is at present scarcity Of
fancy human hair in the market. The
scarcest hair is pure white, and its
value is constantly increasing; and If
it is unusually long--that is, from four
| feet to five feet-tbe dealer can get
almost his own price while If it is of
ordinary length it is worth from 375
francs to 800 francs Gels to f20) an
ounce. The fact that pure white hair
| is the court couture throughout
| Europe keeps the demand for it very
high 1t is much priced by American
women whose own hair is white and
| who desire to enrich its folds, for
white hair is held to give certain dis
tinction to the wearer. There is no
fancy market for gray hair; it is too
common. 1t is used to work into wigs
of persons who are growing old
| What is described rs golden hair is
Ell her washed-out pale red or dull
| blonde. The gold color SO much val
| ued has no relation to red hair, except
| in the vividness of its coloring. The
demand for the virgin gold color is
great in the capitals of Europe. A
woman who gets couture of it is
considered fortunate. There are four
type colors of hair-white. blonde.
black. and brown-and each of these
has been subdivided into sixteen diff
ferent shades. The commonest types
are black and brown, and these are
cheap. Golden brown is much in
favor, as is pure black. or what is
called blue-blaek. Next to pure white
hair the demand is for hair of the
color OF virgin gold. There are many
braids made of hair coiored to meet
the demand with certain preparations,
but they prove unsatisfactory. Many
foolish women have sought to change
the color of their own tresses, but
they have uniformly repented the at
tempt. A fine suit of hair of the pur
est blonde type viii sell for l 200 francs
to $500 francs Gao to fI00). 1t i.
said that the Empress Eugene pait
1000 francs (f40) ar ounce for brait
of golden hair that exactly matched
her own.
The largest supply of hair come:
from Switzerland and Germany. and
especially from the French provinces
The country fairs are attended b!
agents of merchants in London. Pari
and Vienna. Only at intervals, how
ever, is a prize like perfect suit o
golden hair obtained. and | am tolt
that there are orders ahead in tn
shops of Paris and London for all tht
golden hair that can be obtained il
, the next five years. When a stock o
hair is collected by travelling agents i
. is assorted, washed and cleaned
| Then each hair is drawn through tn,
, eye of a needle and polished. Whel
: the stock is ready for the market her
} the nobility is permitted to make tn
} first choiee.-Gaitgnanfs Messenger.