The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-09
HARVEST OF HAIR.
HOW THE CoUPEuRs GATHERED IT
FROM THE HEADS OF THE POOR.

Worn by All Fashionable Ladies.
History records tho fact that i'll 1852,
i'll England, long, fiaXcn hair was pur-
chased from the head ut 10 shilIings an
ounce, while other fine hair fetched
from to shillings for the same quar-
tity, and within the present century the
heads of whole families in Devonshirc
were let out by the year Mt so much per
poll, periwig maker of Exeter going
round ut certain periods to cut the locks,
afterward oiling tho skull of each bcreft
person. That the uso of false hair as an
AID to feminine beauty was not unknown
to the ancicrts is we'll proved The
Greeks, Romims and Egyptians, long
before the dawn of the Christian era
rcsorted to the wearing of trcsscs OBJ
tanned from other persons heads. They
even went so far as to paint bald heads
SO us to represent them as covered with
short hair, also marble caps so painted
were worn. valuable merchandise i'll
the blond hair of German women is
mentioned i'll ancient Roman history.
a question that has doubtless often
presented itself is, Where did all this
hair como from? This question 1 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 nonladic iutli-
viduals, armed with long, iron tippcd
slaves and bearing heavy packs of mcr-
chandisc upon their backs At first
glance one would have taken them to
be ordinary hawkcrs, yet merchandise
was but an accessory to their strange
industry. They wcro the coupours, the
rcapers of IL hirsutc harvest.
Armed with long, keen shears, they
went their way seeking the trcsscs of
willing victims dwelling III outlying
hamlcts and villages of peasant France
and Il laborious business it was. From
''dcwy morn" until the shadows Of
night gathered thicllly they did their 10
or / . miles Il day-oftcn fruitlcssly and
with empty stomachs, their only bed the
waysidc. III Auvcrgnc these seekers
after hair We're known as chimncurs
The Brctons called them mnrgoulins
These terms have not fit English paral-
lels
These curious journeymcn cxertcd
every effort to gain their cnds-a good
head OF hair-thc former prcfcrring tho
local fairs as IL worlrcom, 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 lie
cried III dolcful tones the we'll known
"Piau, paul" at the sound CT which
the cottagcrs, with an itching desire to
possess some of his gewgaws, attracted
the wanderers attention. He was onlv
too pleased to dazzle their eyes with his
many cOlored wares, and the bargaining
was not SLOW to begin. While the women
fingered his goods the margoulin weigh
cd her trcsscs with his hand, /; proceed
ing ut 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 pet
ticoat, to which, thanks TO the progress
of civilization, the coupeur had to add II
small sum Of money. Sometimes the
transaction was not completed without
much discussion on both sides Very
often the coupcur had to return TO the
charge owing to female inGccision, and
he was more than happy when sure that
tardy remorse would not rob him Of
half his coveted trophy
Until the authorities interviewed, cut
ting WAS conducted III public as an
amusement for onloollcrs, it being con-
sidcrcd highly entertaining to hear 10
or ~ rival coupcurs culoSixing their
wares. each protesting his to be far su-
perior to his fellows. The prohibition
of this custom drove the hair harvcsters
to erect tents, rent for the day unoccu-
pied shops, cellars, stables or any corner
they could find wherein to establish
themselves. Sticks We're then stuck up,
from them being suspended pctticoats
as lure, as an indication of what could
be had i'll exchange for tressCa: TO the
pettlcoats We're attached twists Of hair
as trademarks. The rusc succeeded,
peasants halted, casting cnvious chances
ut the multicolorcd garments They
We're handled and even tried on, thus
aHordlnS an opportunity 10 the coupcurs
to fiattcr their fair cus.orners-Who did
not long rest-and victory rewarded the
cute buyers. In Auvcrgne-whcrc the
coupeurS were most numerous - tho
greatest harvest WAS rcapcd on St. John S
day. The ingathcring extended from
April TO September, during which month
the butchers, bakers, lochsmiths, etc.
forsook their ordinary avccntions for
that Of the couHeur, 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 the coarscst; the finest and
most flaXen 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.