The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-31

scientific world. Charles Darwin lays
down the principle that the disusc Of
an organ results first in dcpriving it of
power: secondly i'll dwarling, and
thirdly in reducing it to a rudimen
tary condition or abolshing it alto
ccthcr. He thinks it probable that
the human ears. for instance. were
once movable, for there are still to be-
found rudimcnts Of the muscles that
once drew them forward into an atti-
tude Of attention, and backward when
the immediate necessity for their use
had passed. He further believes that
the body of primcval man was in all
probability covered with dense
growth Of hair, but as men began to
wear clothing. Dame Nature with her
we'll known regard for economy left
off growing hair on the protected
bodies Of the human race but con
tinued dense capillary covering on
the crown Of the head, the most cx-
posed portion Of the body.
Primeval man went barchcadcd, but
now that civilization ordains hats and
caps, bonncts and other hcadgcar. it
seems among the possibilities that the
hair Of the head will 60, too, for there
is reason to believe that badness is on
the increase, and that the present
Co.. hn &c
polls, is distinguished above all its
predecessors. Under present condi-
tions, however, men and women who
lose their hair need not give them
selves one moments uneasiness on
account Of that fact, for the dealers in
hirsute adornments are ready to sup
ply all deficiencies, and do so with q
taste and skill that rival nature and
defy detection.
The wigmakcr trade is in reality a
branch Of fine art, for, while bald peo-
pie are often extremely desirous of
concealing the deformity, they are
equally anxious not to advertise the
fact that the hair which adorns the
craniums is bought rather than grown
by their own exertions, so ingenuity
is taxed to conceal the fact Of pur-
chase and to such q height Of skill has
the manipulation Of hair attained that
even sharp tug at we'll made wig
in stu often fails to reveal the fact
that it is not natural growth Of the
cranium which it adorns.
The hair business begins in the
rural districts of Europe. When the
spring is coming on, the hair peddlers
Of the large cities pack their grips.
Their stock in trade consists of bright
handkerchiefs, gaudy articles of ap-
parel, fancy shoes, gay colored stock
ings, trinkets and other trifes dear to
feminine heart. Armed with these,
they sally into the country districts,
and whenever they meet peasant girl
with unusually fine tresses, they en-
deavor by display of their wares to
induce her to part with her locks.
Having secured the hair, the peddlers
pack it carefully taking great pains to
see that it is kept straight, and at the
end Of the trip turn it over to the job
bers. The three great hair markets
on the continent Of Europe are Paris,
Leipsic and Buda- Pcsth the latter in
recent years having surpassed the
second, which once enjoyed the rcpu-
tation Of being the greatest hair mar
ket in the world. Having reached the
hands of dealers, the hair is "prcpar-
ed" several processes being necessary
to fit it for the market. AS it comes
into the dealers hands, it is often too
oily for use and must be cleaned. On
the cont 1T two methods are used,
the German and the French. In Ger
many, the hair is washed with strong
alkaline solutions, while in France the
favorite method Of cleansing is
thorough rubbing in mixture of -four
and cornmcal. The French method is
now preferred by most hair dealers,
since there is no risk Of impairing the
quality Of the hair with too strong
solution Of soap.
After the hair has passed through
the hands Of the prcparcrs it is sorted
into lengths and colors, and is then
ready for the general market. The
black hair, together with most varic-
ties of dark brown, comes from France,
Spain and Italy, the light browns,
yellows and reds from North Germany
and the Scandinavian countries, but
there has been in recent years nota-
table diminution in the supply For
merly peasant girl of Brittany Of
Aragon would sell her hair for gay
elk handkerchief, wrap this about her