The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-10-06
PURCHASE HAIR
FROM VILLAGERS
Paris is the Worlds Great
Wig Market.
Animal Crop ~ Natural Head Cover
Ing Averages in Value Over
Si,OO0,OOO.
SOMETHING OF THIS CUSTOM.

Paris. Oct. G.---Tn the fall of the
year, after the harvest has been gath
cred. il is customary in France to
hold agricultural fairs in the large
country towns for trade and amuse-
ment. The farmers meet their Gus
toners and each other, sell their
crops and calves and colts and buy
whatever is necessary. while their
wives and daughters take advantage
of the opportunity to get acquainted
and to spend their share of the pro-
ceeds for dress goods. household arti-
Giles and whatever else they may need
or fancy. The entire community
men and women, boys and girls-are
thus brought together once a year.
the fashion to do so, and the increased
demand in a large measure. it is said
has been caused by the rule prohibit
ing the wearing of hats in theaters.
Usually the "coupeurs" pay either
in cash or goods from $40 to s25
for head of hair. The price is
usually from 25 to 10 francs a pound.
according TO length and quality and
color. This year they complain that
they have 10 pay double those prices
and that the girls are more reluctant
than ever to SELL Prices have run as
high as SEQ and SIS a pound. The
newspapers report one woman at
Limoges who sold her long plaits this
fall for $3.50, which is the record
price. Three girls belonging to an
other family at the same place sold
their combined tresses for s4S0. The
average price paid was double that of
previous years.
This change of conditions is ae-
counted for by the dealers. first be
cause of their suppression of the
converts under the law recently pass
ed by the chamber of deputies. Girls
intending to be nuns, were usually
willing to sacrifice their hair, because
the pious nuns consider it a vanity.
and. second. because by selling il
they could benefit their families. No
girl can enter a convent in France
now. If she, desires to become a
novitiate she must go to some other
country. Hence that source of sup
ply has been cut off.
The "coupeurs", also say thar the
peasant girls of Brittany and other
departments are discarding the ma
tive head dress which conceals the
The wholesale dealers in human hair
send agents called "coupeurs" to
these annual gatherings to buy the
tresses of the young women and
girls. They take with them trunks
full of dress goods. fichus, feather
boas. jewelry of all kinds and other
ornaments and set up stands in con-
spicuous places to await the victims.
Their practice is centuries old and
the terms and methods by which the
trade is carried on are well known TO
the country people. For six months
or a year in advance the girls consider
and discass whether they shall sell
their hair or not and conjecture as
to what they can get for it; and il
they refuse to sell one season many
of them promise the "coupeur" that
they will trade with him the next
year. These fairs are most common
in Brittany. Avergne, Limoges and
other parts of central France, from
which the largest supply OF human
hair is derived. Between fairs the
"coupeurs'' go about the country
from house to house and visit the vii
lagos, tempting the women to b.
ahnrn