The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-20

From Health and Home.
history records the fact that in 1862 In
this country, long haXen hair was pur-
chased from the head at ten shiilings an
ounce, while other fine hair fetched from
five to seven shillings for the same quan-
tity; and within the present century the
heads of whole families in Devonshire
were let out by the year at so much per
poll, "a periwig-maxer of Exeter going
round at certain periods to cut the locks
afterwards oilng the skull of each bereft
person" That the use of false hair as an
aid to feminine beauty was not unknown
to the ancients Is well proved. The Greeks,
Romans, and Egyptians, long before the
dawn of the Christian era, resorted to the
wearing of tresses obtained from other per-
sons 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. available
merchandise in the blonde hair of German
women Is mentioned in ancient Roman his
tory.
A question that has doubtless often pre-
scented itself is: Where did all this hair
come from? This question l will endeavor
to answer. With the coming of spring in
the midlands and west of France, appear
ed what may fifty be termed a singular
class of nomadic individuals, armed with
long iron-tipped slaves, and bearing heavy
packs of merchandise upon their backs. AT
first glance one would have taken them
to be ordinary hawkers; vet merchandise
was but an accessory to their strange in
dustry. They were the coupeurs, the reap
ers of a hirsute harvest. Armed with long.
keen shears they went their way seeking
the tresses of willing victims dwelling in
outlying hamlets and villages of peasant
| France: and a laborious business IL was.
From "dewy mcrn' until the shadows of
night gathered thickly. they did their ten
fratff -oIx nd
with empty stomachs, their only bed the
| wayside In Auvergne these seekers after
hair we're known as chimneurs. The Bre-
| tons called them margoulins, which terms
have no fit English parallels.
These curious journeymen exerted every
effort to gain their ends-a good head of
hair; the former preferring the local fairs
as a workroom. the latter choosing to visit
the dwellings Of their possible clients. In
| summer the Brittany margoulin was often
seen going through the streets, carrying
| his long staff, from which hung twists OF
| hair, while he cried in doleful tones the
| weL-known "piau! piau!' at hte sound OF
/ which the cottagers, with an itching de-
| sire to possess some of his gewgaws, at
| tracted the wanderers attention. He was
only too pleased to dazzle their eyes with
his many-colored wares, and the bargain
| ing was not slow to begin. While the
woman fingered his goods the margoulin
| weighed her tresses with his hand-a pro-
ceeding at which he was adept through
long practice. The bargain ended, the
woman yielded her abundant locks in re-
turn for a few yards of cotton stun, or a
gay petticoat to which-thanks to the
| progress of ciVilization-the coupeur had
| to add small sum Of money. Sometimes
| the transaction was not completed without
much discussion on both sides. Very often
| the coupeur had to return to the charge
1 A. LII av41 ha .
more than happy when sure that tardy
remorse would not rob him of half his COW
| eted trophy
Until the authorities INTERVIEWED, cutting
was conducted in public as an amusement
for onlookers, 1t being considered highly
| entertaining to hear ten or twelve rival
/ coupeurs eulogzing their wares, each pre-
testing his to be far superior to his fell
| lows The prohibition of this custom
drove the hair-harvesters to erect tents,
| rent for the cay unoccupied shops, cellars,
/ stables, or any corner they could hnd
| wherein to establish themselves. Sticks
were then stuck up, from them being sus-
| pended petticoats as a lure, as an indica-
| ton 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 en-
vious glances at the multi-colored gar
ments; they were handled, and even tried
on, thus affording an opportunity to the
coupeurs to 1atter their fair customers
4 who did not long rest-and victory reward
ed the cute buyers. In Auvergne-where
the coupeurs were most numerous-the
greatest harvest was reaped on st. John S
day The ingathering extended from April
to September, during which month the
butchers, bakers, locksmiths. etc, forsook
their ordinary avocations for that of the
coupeur, returning to their legitimate
trades with the coming Of the dead sea-
son. The hair of different countries was
distinguished by certain qualities; for in
stance, that Of Auvergne was the coars-
est; the finest and most fiaxen came from
Belgium; the blacklist and longest from
Italy, while that procured in Brittany was
the most beautiful. though least well car
ed for.