The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-11-10
WIGS FOR NEGROES.
Pride Leads Them tn Conceal or Cut q
Their Kinky Hair.

Pride Leads Them tn Conceal or Cut on
Their Kinky Hair.
That was a funny and indeed sur
prising scene witnessed in a fashion
able hair-dressing establishment a few
days ago. While having her hair dress
ed attention was attracted by a mascu-
line voice in the next room asking for
a wig. A glance through the curtains
showed a great, woolly-hcaded Negro
standing at the counter, while the
young woman clerk executed a vigor-
u search in the drawers and boxes
under the show cases for something to
suit him. The man was six feet tall,
with a face as black as ebony, from
which two beady black eyes looked out
and two thick lips protruded. The girl
selected two wigs from the others,
both made of curling black hair, and
handed them to him for approval. But
he eyed them with great disfavor, at
the same time running his immense
hand over his own winter grapes which
chung closely to his skull.
81 say, missus, | don't exactly like
dat STYLE" at the same time holding
up the wigs on each hand and turning
them around in a critical way. 'Gimme
less kink, case / admire straight har
de most"
After much trouble the young lady
found a wig made of coarse, straight,
black hair, which looked as If it had
been made of a horses tail. 1t was
black in the shade, but inclined to q
reddish brown in the light.
Oats de wig fur my money. What's
de cost of it?"
Five dollars" was the reply, where
upon the customer asked that il should
be put aside while he went out to con-
suit with a friend, promising to return
In fifteen minutes if he concluded to
take il.
what does il mean?'' was asked by
the spectator.
Didn't you know hat all colored
people who can afford il wear wigs
nowaday? Yes, some of our best GUS
toners are colored. They are ashamed
of their woolly hair, and no longer
condescend to wrap it as they used to.
No matter il their lips are as thicks as
my foot, and their skin as black as eb-
ony, they want straight hair. Some of
them have their wool cut off close to
h scalp and wear wigs altogether!
Many of the women do when they go
out, and it is becoming fashionable
among the men. Nothing is SO envied
among the colored people as straight
hair"
do your wigs for colored people
fetch the same price that those made
for white persons do?"
Eyes. They are from five dollars To
fifty dollars"
81 shouldn't think that many poor
people could afford them"
Every few poor white people buy
wigs, but I have found that Negroes
get whatever they set their hearts up
on in the way of dress, and the price
does not matter so much to them as il
does to white people Of larger means.
For instance, a housemaid will come
here and select what she wants, max
ing one payment and asking that it be
put aside for her until she can pay the
whole amount. Just as soon as her
wages are due she comes again, and
pretty soon the whole amount is paid.
l have a lady customer who wears wigs
altogether, and i always make her two
year, . ShS hScpo ohS " oSob ohu
the other for second best. Her house.
maid also wears a wig, and upon my
word, l don't have as much trouble get.
ting my money from the colored maid
as / do from the mistress.
"Yes, indeed, colored people are
among my best customers, and you
would be surprised if you saw some O
the wigs | have made for some of the
colored bellies. There is a tall mulattC
who comes here for her wigs, who has
a clear olive skin, dark brown eyes,
curling lashes. delicately curved lips
and perfect teeth. She will have blond
wigs when she has beautiful curly
black hair, which she seems to despise
1t shows more than anything that
am not a white IN When l have
a blond wig l look like a white girl in
the ~gaslight,' she says. She paid mt
thirty dollars for the last one l made
her, and when l met her on the street
wearing it l took her fora pretty white
girl."-Boston Transcript.