The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-03-06
HAH\ISI Ur' HAIR.
HOW THE COUPeURS GATHERED 1T
FROM The HEADS OF THE POOR

W Hes Employed to Get II woman to Part
With Ter Chief Glory"-There Was AL
VIZ. II Sure Market, For False Hair Was
Worn by All Fashionable Ladies.
History records the fact that in 1852,
IN England, long, ilaXcn hair was pur-
chased from the ID at 10 shillings an
ounce, While otter fine hair fetched
from . to : sh...."gs for the same guam
THY, and Wi II the present century the
heads of W g families III Dcvonshire
WIRE let cut ly the year ut so much per
poll, Il prriWig maker Of Exeter going
round at certain periods to cut the locks,
at ward oiling the skull of each bereft
person. That the use of false hair as an
and to feminine beauty was not unknown
to the ancionts is well proved. The
Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, long
before the dawn of the Christian era,
rcsOrted to the wearing of tresses OBJ
tanned from other persons heads. They
even went so far as to paint bald heads
so as to represent tn, N 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
presented itself is, Where did all this
hair come from? This question l will
endeavor to answer With the coming
of spring i'll the midlands and west of
France appeared what may fifty be
termed singular class of nomadic indi-
viduals, armed with long, iron tipped
slaves and bearing heavy packs of Nor
chandise upon their backs. At first
glance one would have taken them to
be ordinary haWkcrs yet merchandise
WAS hut an accessory to their strange
industry. They were the coupcurs, the
rcapers of Il hirsutc harvest
A'mcd with long, keen shears, they
went their way seeking the tresscs of
willing victims dwelling in outlying
n&ml, t. and villages of peasant France,
and :, labOriOus business it was. From
'd"Wy morn" until the shadows Of
night gathered thicllly they did their 10
0r ! ; miles = duy-Oftcn fruitlcSsly and
with empty stCmachs their only bed the
wuysidc. III Auvcrgno these seekers
after hair were known as chimncurS.
The Brotons called them margOulins
ti,sc terms Lay" rot liz English pur,ll-
lolS.
These curious jOurnCymcn cNCrtCu
every effort to gain their cnds-a coed
head of hair-thc former prefcrTin4 the
local fairs as workroom, the latter
choosing to visit the dwellings of their
possible clients. In summer the Brittany
nTgOulim was often seen going through
tho streets, carrying his long staff. from
which hung twists Of hair, while h"
cried III GOlrful tones the well known
"Piau, piau.' at the sound Of which
the cottagers with an itching desire to
possess some of his geWgaws, attracted
the wanderers attention. He was only
too pleased to dazzle their eyes with his
many cOlorcd wares, and the bargaining
was not slow to begin. While the women
fingered his goods the margoulin weigh
ed her tressCs with his hand, IL proceed
ing at which he was adept through long
practice. The bargain ended, the woman
yielded her abundant locks in return for
few yards of cotton stuff or Il gay pct
ticoat, to which, thanks to the progress
Of civilization, the coupeur had to add Il
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 owing to female indecision, and
he was more than happy when sure that
a tardy remorse would not rob him of
half his coveted trophy.
Until the authorities interviewed, cut
ting was conducted i'll public as an
amusement for onlookers, it being con-
sidered highly entertaining to hear 10
or II rival coupeurs eulogizing their
wares, each protesting his to be far su-
perior to his fellows. The prohibition
Of this custom drove the hair harvesters
to erect tents, rent for the day unoccu-
lied shops, cellars, stables or any corner
they could find wherein to establish
themselves. Sticks We're then stuck up,
from them being suspended petticoats
as Il lure, as an indication of what could
he had i'll exchange for trcsses; to the
pctticoats We're attached twists Of hair
as trademarks. The ruse succeeded.
peasants halted casting envious glances
1T lilc IHulllCOlOlcu garments. Incy
Were handled and even tried on, thus
atfording an opportunity to the coupcurs
to tiattCr their fair customerS--who did
not long rCst-and victory rewarded the
cute buyers. In Auvergne-whcre the
| cOupcurS were most numerous - the
| greatest harvest was Teaped ON st. John S
day. The ingathcring extended from
April to September, during which month
the butchers, bakers, locksmiths, etc,
| tCrsook their ordinary avocations for
| that Of the coupcur, returning to their
| legitimate trades with the coming of
the dead season. The hair Of different
countries was distinguished by certain
qualities. For instance, that of Au-
vergne was thescoarsest; the finest and
most tlaxcn from Belgium; the blacklist
and longest from Italy, while that pro-
cured i'll Brittany was the most beauti-
full, though least well cared for
Hearth and Home.