The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-30
WIGS FOR NEGROES.
prido Leads Them to Conceal or CUT On
Their LinlkY Hair.

PFiua Leads Tnem 10 So1''N'- -
Their Kinky Hair.
That was a funny and indeed sur
nrisinU scene witnessed IN 1ashlon-
able hair-dressing establishment a lew
DAVIS ago. While having her hair dress
cd attention was attracted by mascu'
line voice in the next room asking tor
a wig. A glance through the curtains
showed a great, woolly-headed Negro
standing at the counter, Whlle inc
vounU woman clerk executed q vlgor-
ous search in the drawers and boxes
under the show cases for something to
suit him. The man was six feet TALL
with 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 critical way. "Gimme
less kink, case 1 admire straight har
de most"
After much trouble the young lady
found wig made of coarse, straight,
black hair, which looked as if it had
been made of horses tail. 1t was
black in the shade, but inclined to
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 it should
be put aside while he went out to con-
suit with friend, promising to return
in fifteen minutes if he concluded to
take it.
"What does it mean?" was asked by
the Spectator.
Didn't you know that all colored
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 if their lips are as thiclIs 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
the 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"
Il shouldn't think that many poor
people could afford them"
Very few poor white people buy
wigs. but l 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 it
does to white people of larger means
For instance, a housemaid will com
here and select what she wants, maj :
ing one payment and asking that it q
put aside for her until she can pay u
whole amount. Just as soon as hSl
wages are due she comes again, anNf
pretty soon the whole amount is paid.
| i nave IL lIOlN CublOllICl VIM W S"Io
altogether, and l always make her two
a year, as she keeps one for best and
the other for second best. Her house
maid also wears wig, and upon my
word, | 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 OF
the wigs l have made for some of the
colored bellies. There is tall mulatto
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 l
am not a white woman. When l have
a blond wig look like a white girl in
the gaslight,' she says. She paid me
thirty dollars for the last one l made
her, and when l met her on the street
wearing it I took her for pretty white
girl. "-Boston Transcript.
Y