The morning call., 1892-07-18
MY STRANGE STORY.

ter of hairdresser. Not that / would have
you infer that own barber for my paterpal
progenitor. My father is an artist OF the
first water. has the handsOmest suite OF
rooms in the city, does an enormous busi-
ness, aud dresses the heads OF all the first
ladies In town.
By birth he was a Connecticut Yankee by
the name of Peter Jones, but since he set
up in the Embarrassing business he has been
Mons. Pierre de la Johannes. All, there Is
something in a name. say what you may.
My hair was kept short until was ID !;
after that il was not cut. At 16 l reJoleed
In a very luxuriant crop Of dark brown
ringlets. It was at just that epoch that the
rage for false hair came IN. Every woman
had hair on the brain. My father worked
night sBd day constructing curls, false
fronts and other ornamental headgear, ana
still the supply never eQualed the demand.
Every woman's head ran 10 hair to such
an extent that no wonder natuyallSts were
astounded and felt grave fears that there
was 10 be some sudden ana radical chanRe
In the organization OF the female sex.
The b bic tells US that we cannot make
one hair white or black, but that assertion
was written down before these days or pat
ent pair-TeneWeTs, restorRilYes, tonlcs and
invigoratOrs. l know people who had
white heads yesterday, and to-day are
happy with hair as black as the ravens
wing | have seen black-haired women
changed 10 golden-haiTed blondes, and vice
versa. all in the course OF q week or less.
AS soon as this infatuatiOn in regard to
hair commenced my father began t. max Q
experiments or my locks. Every new style
which came out was reproduced on my
head. My hair was braided and twisted and
friZzed and pulled and left TO hang loose,
and then again drawn so tight that, like the
little daTky in the song, l cOuldn' { shut my
mouth, and my forehead shone Ike the
sheepskin on the head OF a drum.
had lover, but l never could have time
TO bring him to the point, Tor be came even
ings, and evenings my father always prac-
ticed on my hair. My sutton did very nearly
propose on one occasion, that is, he got so
far as 10 say he loved me and wanted me to
And here father made his appearance
and marched me off TO the shop to have my
hair dressed la GreQue.
Philip was angry. and persisted In be-
lieYBg it was a cOntTived plan between my
father and myself, and fortnight after
ward he married Ella Hastings. Well, there
is one comfort, he's got wife who makes
him wall Spanish
By and By father turned his attention TO
the manufacture Of TestoTatives and depila-
tories, all warranted efficacious, Of course,
''and all Of them had been faithfully tested
by member of the discoveries own fam
ny," meaning me.
Oh. dear, how much had endured from
them! l had had gallons of restorers
poured over nv devoted head. I had
smelled of lead glycerine, cayenne, sage tea,
olive oil and beeswaX, sulphur, bergamOt,
bay rum, gum shellac, and only my scien-
tife parent knows what.
had my hair burnt with cuTling-irons,
beaehed to red, and from red changed to
black, aud from black TO brown, and SO on
al infnitum. My head had been soaked
Tor q hours in akali, for the same length of
time In an acid, and | had sat on the top of
the house IN the hot July sun TO "bleach"
until / felt like mud pie baked On the
desert OF Sahara.
Time passed on, and brought me second
sweetheart. George Guild was his name.
He was an extremely sensitive young man,
little superstitous (my brother Tom said
eOwaTdly), and inclined to be unstable In
most matters. But he was good looking
and had some property, and we were en-
gagged, with the full consent Of my parents.
Al the time | promised myself TO him
had black hair. just the color he most ad-
mired, but two or three days aiterward M
father took il into his head to bleach m y
locks to auburn. Nine. de BelaiI had com e
to town to sing in an opera; her hair was
red. and, Of course, red hair became at once
the fashion.
George came to see me. What a fearful
change passed over him as he looked at me |!
He grew pale as death, gasped. and acted
as If he had about made up his mind to
swOon. Then gathering his energies for q
final effort he seized his hat and made for
the door. Erasped his arm and held him
fast.
"For heavens sake. GeOrgel" cried I,
what is the matteT?"
I-I-you-you-let me 60" cried he,
franticaly.
"Do tell me what it is I" said 1, still hold
Ing him.
'Your hairp gasped he. "ifs red and
two OF three days ago it was black! Oh.
heavrnsW
Don't take on sol" said l. Father
bleached it. It's the fashion"
There's something wrong about II.
guess had better 60" said he, and went of
like hot shot.
He did not come again, and /, sick witt
suspense, sent for him, and appointed Ger.
tain evening for the visit. The very day
expected him father called down to the shop
just as was going to dress to receive George
He had prepared new Testorer. and wanted
70 try ii on my head
l was desperate and said something IN.
filial, and he looked his reproach and asked
me If he had not always done his duty by me
Oh course submitted, and just as he was
about to submerge my head Ia the new m a
chine he was called away TO dress Mrs
Colonel Morgan's head for a ball. So ht
left BOP, his bluntering assistant to apply
the restorer. 1t was a most villainou.
smelling compound the boy piastered me
with, and as soon as the operation was
over hurried up to my chamber and
dressed. Then / descended to the parlor Il
await Georges coming
My head felt strangely and presently the
scalp began to Itch and smart most intoler
ably. Ii grew worse and worse, until a.
last In sheer desperation, l seized a brust
and applied it to my head.
Good heavenl the hair fell off In hand
fuls. and possessed with horrible sort q
fascination l stood there before the gIas
ana brushed until my head was as bare a,
peeled onion. Curls and braids came of
by the yard and tumbled on the floor. and
stood there looking like an old woman O
ninety.
And then the door opened, and Georg,
Guild came in.
He cast at me one glance of horrid dis