Telegram-herald., 1891-01-03
RETIlE FIGAROS
ank>Dressing h View or ths rSh,-
&c fer PrixaA
~ VITA s~sas wssnesssa q F~sssxt.s
k4hssstisn n f2rts A xssHssasss
kew Csessa ~ oas 81 the kss-
tnS csagssitsrs-

Before swenfy-s-sen looking giasses
eat twenty seven dlsleveiea naaidenA
the glories IF their toilets s.siled b, tie
faia<liar tripod wrappers Of the hair
cfSsssr's saloon. surrounded BY hair
pans. b2nesaax. snd-eut why expose
The secrets Of the toilet? Enoagh 10
say tn2t all was there necessary u the
erection OF fashionable coifare. Be
hind each stood Figaro, expectana. tail
comb IN hand, his snowy shirsrfsont and
respleadent studs carefully protected by
. sllken kerchief. now executing yalse
steps 10 the preliminary strains Of the
band. new ooanbiAg the tresses before
him 10 tlae same accompaniment This
odd scen,e. says Paris letter IN tho
New York Sun. was At the ball OF the
Society of Progress In Hairdressing. and
it was the outset Of prize competition
The signal is given. With lightning
fingers the competitors proceed 10
work. In triee fringes that lately
hung dank and straight assume a puffy
appearance. The spectator can not
fail to note the careful powdering OF
the models faces, for the electric light is
trying, and observe how speedily a
twist here, curl there, and half a
dozen skillfully placed pins add to fem
mime charms 1t is all very serious.
The subjects" are models of gravity.
Messrs. Louis, and Auguste, and Jacques.
and Hippolyte indulge only in the facial
contortions peculiar 10 their trade.
Their young ladies and professional
friends solennly promenade to the
music and await results with palpitating
hearts.
"Gentlemen, the combs to the peck
cts" cries the president.
With a last pat here. final lingering
ment Of feathers and flowers, the com.
petitors whislx off the wrappers and the
twerty-seven ball-gowned young ladies
are revealed TO US in all the glory o1
their elaborate coiffures.
Gentlemen of the jury, will you do
your duty?" is the stentorian command
1t sounds as If they were trying Q
murder case, Ali the solemnity of the
momentl There is no conversation, the
music ceases, the excitement of the fes
tive Figaros is alone manifested In theil
elevated eyebrows. uplifted shoulder.
and fierce mustache ends, working like
the antenne of the lobster. The prize
is only to him who shall obtain sever
votes. But, alas and alas! no one gain.
this number. No. % gets six, No. get:
three; the remaining four are frittcreC
away between other competitors. Agar
and again the gentlemen of the jury
'.doyour duty" and just as twenty-thret
seems TO have grasped the golden eros
of honor wild crowd seizcs hold of /;
diminutive, black-beaFded individual
with tail-comb protruding from hi
pocket, uplift him shoulder high, ant
No. /, it is realized, is, after al, thu
lucky man.
Then a tremendous row ensues. Tn
second prize has been handed to %, but
with flashing eyes and face white
than shaving lather, he dashes It trag
ically to the floor, and with half-smoth
cred yell, like tiger baked of its prey
rushes at the unfortunate lady, who's
tresses have served him In such goo,
stead, and in another moment reduce
the couture he has erected I.
ruin. A confused mass Of hairpins
Switches" marteaux curls, and al
osprey alone remains of what was one
SO dear. To a man the festive Figaro
pursue the baffied barber round tn
saloon, and, with groans and Kisses, ex
pei him from the scene. The honor O
the society has been outraged. A com
patriot and fellow-craftsrnan has mad
sad exhibition of jealous rage an
disappointment, and inSulted the sc
ciety.
Meanwhile, hairpins and looking
glasses have been swept away, tn
floor is cleared, and the Gallo hair
dresser certainly does not take hi
pleasures sadly, for in the rcfreshluen,
room where bottled stout and cigarette
appear to be most in request, the friend
OF luckless No. % and the successful Nc
exhaust themselves In gesticulation
and arguments, while the paucity Of til
funereal blacl-edged programmes lash
es many into exhibitions of fury whic
frequently threaten to develop int
pugilistic interludes. AS the writer dc
parts a procession Of ladies, who hav
been brought with hair already dresse
in various historical and fashionabl
styles, is in course of formation, an
suggests the idea that the revolvin
waxen dummies have escaped from tn
various hairdresscrs' windows TO tax
| part ia the revels. But the last in
| preston Of the Grand Concours Inter
rationale and Ball" Is of haggart
CHASTITY apparition, hugging brush an
comb, q cardboard box and stripe
wrapper, and peering through tn
swing doors with wild eyes ut the revel
within II was the fallen angel hove,
ing around the gates Of Paradise, th
hapless No. %