The record-union., 1897-01-10
FEWER BLONDES now.
A type Of Beauty Which Has Been a
FaVOrite In History.
Scientists Discover That Style Once
So Abundant is Rapidly Dis
appearing.

A scientist has recently stated that
blondes will soon be Thing of the past.
The percentage of light-haired people is
rapidly growing less and lesss and the
day is not far distant when tt ne Will
be no more blondes. 1t is needless to
say that this ethereal type will be much
missed and the place Of the stately
blonde will be hard to fill. But every
thing has its bright side and deepest re-
gret will find a balm.
Nature Is going to take from us our
golden-haired goddesses; let us hope
that art will follow in her footsteps and
remove hers. The loss of the real is
great, but, oh, what infinite gain to
know that our artistic taste and love Of
nature will be no longer shocked at the
sight of the chemical blonde.
Some scientists have said that fair
people were the most highly developed,
and as the human race advanced
blondes would increase. Are we then
degenerating that the type is dying
out? Certainly it is a fact that more
blondes have figured in the worlds his
tory than any other type.
Cleopatra, the enchantresS of the
East, who won her kingdom with her
charms and conquered heroes of her
time, possessed red hair. Just what the
success Of this fair Egyptian would
have been had she black tresses instead
of red, posterity is unable to say, but
that she was far in advance of her
darker sisters none can deny.
Coming down in the worlds history,
1t is found teeming with blonde women
H1-I0 1ox 20,
OF Isabella of CASTLE, whom every
American regards with a certain
amount of sentiment, her biographer
writes: Among those haired,
olive complexioned Spanish ladies, as
if nature herself had put upon her a
stamp Of peculiar excellence, she ap-
peared a blonde" Isabella's superiority
over the other Queens of her day needs
no comment when one remembers how
supreme over her vanity she rose-the
besetting sin of her time-and sold her
jewels that Columbus might start in
quest Of the other side of the world,
which she was sensible enough to be-
Heve existed.
Her marvellous. escape from a despised
marriage, which her brother tried to
thrust upon her, when a mere child of
Is years, is rather to the advance of
the proverb: 1.-THE prayers of the right
eous availeth much.' Henry, the reign
ing King, had been much exercised,
and at last an open revolt placed his
brother AlfonZo as rival King. Henry,
thinking that the influence of Don
Diego Giron, the nephew of the great
prjmate of Spain, would insure his re-
instatement, offered his beautiful Sis
ter to the profigate rebel without a
thought for her happiness.
When Isabella heard Of this arrange
ment she rose in rebellious horror
against a union with one so unworthy
of her in every point. She confined
herself to her apartments, abstaining
from nutriment and sleep for day and
a night, and imploring heaven in the
most piteous manner to save her from
this dishonor by her own death or that
of her enemy. Don Diego Giron hav-
ing received his dispensation, which
was necessary, as he had taken a VOW
Of celibacy, speedily set out on the
journey to Madrid with an attendance
befitting the bridegroom of a royal
princess. The very first evening after
his departure he was taken violently
i'll and four days after he died, cursing
and bemoaning the fate that did not
spare him long enough to accomplish
the marriage which he is so much de-
sired. The unhappy bride-elect, of
whom the old hidalgo spoke when, with
heart overfowing for his perishing
country, he first gazed upon the youth
full princess: Now, Lord, let they ser
aY-t tn Fn, +,~vrsc g
deliverance is at hand" was saved for
greater things.
Another famous woman of this type
was Lucretia Borgia, Duchess of Fer
rara. whose infany or goodness is now
mooted question. In the whole reign
Of medieval history there is said to be
no question more difficult of solution
than just appreciation of her charac-
ter, From the description given of her
by the writer's of her day 1t would ap-
pear that more infamous being never
d1sgraced a wonlan's form; that there
was scarcely a crime that she had not
committed, nor a vice she had not rev.
eled in.
On the other hand, writers Of at least
equal erninence, both contemporaneous
opposite terms. With them no praise
can be sufficiently strong to do justice
TO her many virtues. By their descrip-
tion she would appear to have been pious,
charitable, amiable, an attached wife
and excellent mother to her children,
governing in the absence of her hus-
band, the States of Ferrara with strict
justice, tempered with mercy; respected
by her subjects and beloved by her de-
pendents So widely indeed do author
tiles differ as to the real character OF
LucretIa Borgia that 1t is impossible to
decide between them. At the same time
# must be admitted that If some have
been too loud in their praises others
have been too unscrupulous in their
blame
Sweden's great queen, Christina, was
other evidence OF blondness and
strength. This unusually vigorous char
acter was very early in giving sign OF
her strong individuality. The dislike
she evInced for wine and beer, when
hardly out of babyhood, and the tenac-
ity with which she held out and went
thirsty when her mother positively re-
fused her water, believing it unwhole-
some for her, was only indicative of the
decisive character which was to come
forth in the woman.
An interesting story is told of Chris.
tina at this time. Her mother Marie
sI.eonora. who was very careful of hel
complexion, had her maids bring to hei
dressing room bottles of dew that she
might battle her face in 1T. In an evi
hour when poor Christmas tongue was