The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-25
FACTS ABOUT FALSE HAIR.
Greeks. Rom ans and Egyptians Wore II
Long Before the Christian Era.

History records the faot That IN 1907, IN
this county. long fiaxen hair was pur-
chased from the head at 10 shillings an
ounce, while other fine hair fetched from
to shillings Kfor the same quantity
present century the heads OF whole
families in Devonshire were let out by
the year also much per poll, "a periwig-
maker of Exeter going round at certain
periods to cut the locks, afterward oiling
the skull of each bereft person. That the
use of false b sir as an aid to feminine
beauty was not unknown to tho anoients
is we'll proved. The Greeks, Romans
and Egyptians, long before kthe dawn of
the Christian era, resorted to the wearing
of tresses obtained from other persons
heads: they even went so far as to paint
bald heads so as to represent them as
covered with short hair, also marble
CAPS SO painted, were worn. A valuable
merchandise in the blond hair of German
women is mentioned in ancient Roman
history.
A question that has doubtless often
w
come from? This question will en-
denvor to answer. With the coming Of
spring, in the midlands and west of
France, appeared what may City be
termed singular class OF nomadic in
dividuals, armed with long, irontipped
slaves and bearing heavy. packs of mer-
chandise upon their backs. At first
glance one would have taken them to be
ordinary hawkers; yet merchandise was
but an accessory to their strange indus
try. They were tho coupeurs, the reapers
OF. a hirsute harvest. Armed with long,
ing the tresses of willing victims dwell
ing in outlying hamlets and villages of
peasant France and a laborious business
it was. From "dewy morn" until tho
shadows of night gathered thiokly they
did their ten or fifteen miles a day-often
fruitlessly and with empty stomachs,
their orly bed the wayside. In Auvergno
these seekers after hair were known as
ohimneurs. The Bretons called them
maraoulins. These terms have no fit
English parallsls.
These curious journeymen exerted
every effort to gain their ends-a good
head of hair; the former preferring the
local fairs as a work rooIE, the latter
choosing TO visit the dwellings their
possible clients. In summer the Brittany
margoulin vas often seen going through
the Streets carrying his long staff, from
which hung twists of hair, while he
cried in doleful tones the well known
Paul Piaul'' at the sound of which the
cottagers, with IN itching desire TO pos
sess some of his gewgaws. attracted the
wanderers attention. He was only too
pleased to dazzle their eyes with his
many .oulorel wares, and tho bargaining
was not slow to begin. While the woman
fingered his goods the margoulin
weighed her tresses with his hand-a
proceeding at which he was adept
through long praotioe.- The bargain
ended, the woman yielded her abundant
looks in rsturn for a few yards of cotton
stuff or a gay petticoat, to which, thanks
to the progress of civilization-th
coupeur had to add a small sum of
money. Sometimes the transaction was
not comleted without much discussion
OH both sides. Very often the coupeur
had to return to the charge owing to
female inclusion; and he was more than
happy when sure that taIdy remorse
would not rob him sof half his coveted
trophy.
Until the Authorities interviewed, cutting
was conducted in public as an amuse-
ment for onlooaers, it being considered
highly entertaining to hear ten or twelve
rival coupeurs eulogi2ing their wares,
each protesting his to be far superior to
hisHs fellows. The prohibition of this
custom drove the hair -haryesters to erect
tents, rent for the day unoccupid shops,
cellars. stables or any corner they could
find wherein to establish themselves.
Sticks were then stuck up, from them
being suspended petticoats as a lure, as
an indication of what could be had in
exchange for tresses; to the petticoats
were attached twists of hair as trade
marks. The ruse succeeded, peasants
halted, casting envious elances at the
IL ulti-colored garments; they were hand
led and even tried on, thus affording an
opportunity to the ooupeurs to fstter
their fair customers-wh did not long
resistant victory rewarded tho acute
buyers. In Auyergne where the
coupeurs were most numerous-the great
est harvest was reaped on st. John S day.
The ingathering extended from April to
butchers, bakers, locksmiths. etc.. for
sock their ordinary vocations for that