The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-11-02
HARvESTS OF HAIR.
GIRLS PART WITH THEIR CROWN
ING GLORY FOR A FEW CENTS.
Jeweiry and wigs Are Made of the Queer
est Of crops-Information, Some OF IL OF
an odd Character. From Man Who
Makes Things Of Hair.

an Odd Character. From MAD VIM
Makes Things Of Hair.
It was quite by chance that the writer
of this article happened on msY VINO
has spent his lifetime in the maNpuia-
ton Of human hair, Transforming it in.
to wigs, crowns, frizettes and all the
other kinds of "false" hair and weaving
it into watch chains, eyeglass guards,
bracelets, as well as mounting it in lock-
OTIS, rings, pins. earrings and brooches
aud working it up into all kinds OF
floral designs and emolems.
"A charming head Of hair on a wom-
an, " he said, sis thing Of beauty and
indeed a browning glory, but to a hair
worker il is of little value. Even the
longest hair, before it has passed through
the hands Of the manufacturers, is well
nigh worthless. The hair Of a woman's
head which is 80 inches in length, for
example, would not DO worth more than
go cents
Il remember a woman coming into
my shop one night and Offering to sell
]
wife. and not having heard from him
for many months was in desperate
straits for money She wanted to know
how much would give her for her hair,
which was of considerable length. re-
fused TO cut it off. | wouldn't cut any
womans hair off. 1t is such democrat
-fzing, degrading thing 10 do, and the
fact is emphasized when dire need is the
cause of the sale. However, l was in u
position to obtain her assistance until
her husband came back.
ave get our finest descriptions Of
hair. " continued the subject of this in
terview, "from France and Italy, whence
come all shades Of black and brown.
France, again, Germany and Spain sup
ply tho market with brown, light flaxen
and red hair. Gray hair, being found in
every parcel. is described as universal
ION the continent there are regular
hair harvests. During the summer time
you can see at every fair peddlers sur
rounded by girls with their beautiful
hair nicely combed out standing in file
waiting their turn. The peddler has in
his hands a pair Of shears. each girl
bends her neck, a few ships, and the
hair is off, tied into a whisp and thrown
into basket standing at the shearer' S
side. And bow much do you think that
the girls get for this? A few cents. a
guady trinket OF bright silk handker-
chief.
"Some peddlers travel from cottage
to cottage plying their trade, and the
same performance is gona through. An
average head Of hair weighs four ounces.
When sufficient hair is accumulated, it
is sold to the hair manufacturers, who
submit it to n process OF cleansing and
sorting into various lengths and shades.
1t is then ready for the wigmakers,
who buy it as they require it, paying at
the rate Of 20 cents or so per ounce for
lengths of 10 inches to 10 inches to as
many shillings as there are inches for
lengths of 30 inches and upward. The
greatest demand is for hair from IA to
"a inches in length. The longest female
hair on record is ~ inches. "
The tycoon of Japan once confiscated
the hair of a whole province and had il
woven into n ships hawser over a quar-
ter of a mile long. Then he discovered
that steel ropes were in existence. and
now the cable, composed of the pigtails
of the unfortunate Japs, reposes before
the eyes of the curious in Bethnal Green
museum.
The gentleman interviewed possesses
a magnificent trophy of hair, in size
some 3 feet long by feet high, in the
form of basket of flowers, every leaf,
every petal and every stem Of which is
composed Of cunningly wrought hairs
from the human head. How long il
took to create it, it is impossible to say,
but years unquestionably. He has other
similar displays, mostly the work Of
himself or his son, though they pale in.
to insignifcance beside the monument
of patience in question.
The working Of hair into ornaments
has gone out of vogue considerably of
late years. but seafaring men even now
are great lovers of this form of memen.
to. Naturally their favorite designs as.
sumo the forms of anchors. compasses
and other things nautical
One day n gentleman came to the
subject of this article and desired him
in most mysterious manner to weave
some hair, which he gave him, into the
form of a serpent. The head and tail
were to be of gold, and the tail was r.
be fixed into the mouth. The sernen,
was to be in two coils and to encircle \
golden heart pierced by dagger. In
order to thoroughly comprehend the de.
sign he had to be let into the secret. and
this was the explanation which was of
fered:
The serpent was to represent the ma
ture of certain young lady to whom
the hair belonged and who had iiltef
the gentleman in question. The COLDER
heart was symbolic of his pure an,
worthy affection, and the dagger showef
how deeply he had been wounded Tn,
tail of the serpent being in its mouth in
Dictated that in injuring her ouondnn
lover she had also bitten herself Tn,
Tilted swain was most particular about
the execution of the work, sent il bacl
twice for alterations and finally refusef
to have 1t at all, perhaps discovering TN,
oathos OF his scheme. Boston Post.