The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-22
e HAsKIN LETTER
WAR AND WOMAN's HAIR
81 Frederic =. Haskfn.

Lid By Frede
Sc 10 ,supiico a listed. Sonora, com
Erale mi pele,r said poor Mexican
girl pleadingly one day last sprina
as she passed from one back door to
another in street of American homes
1 IN FL Paso Tex. Accompanying the
| girl were two miserable children
clinging TO her ragged skirts. whils
I behind followed an old man leading
the blind woman. 1t was group OF
refugees. hungry and homeless, and
the girl was making a last attempt
Ito secure aid from her own resources
Most OF the American women shook
their heads ,uncomprehe No
one encouraged explanation until al
\ the last house on the street the oIn
man, who had fresh bullet wound
in his leg, stumbled and fell against
1.-THE, steps. Then the charitable mis-
tress came out with the tray of pro-
visions which many Americans along
the border keep in readiness for the
Mexican refugees who continually
come for aid AS they eagerly ate the
flood. the girl again repeated her petit
ton. To emphasize it she shook out
a great wealth of silky dark hair such
as is rarely seen on any head
This American woman had smat-
tering Of Spanish, which, with the
girls action. conveyed to her the
knowledge that the poor refugee de
Esire to sell her hair to buy food for
her suffering family She knew the
value that hair would have in an
eastern beauty store, SO she produced
small gold piece. The girls eager
eyes Indicated her grateful accept
ance. BY motions she asked for a
pair OF scissors and with her own
hands severed each lock close to her
head She walked tbravely of almost
bald leaving behind her pile OF
tresses most women would have shed
bitter ears over losing
A few weeks later this hair reached
a Chicago hair dresser. He gladly
hpaid double what the American had
paid the Mexican girl for it, notwith-
standing the fact that last years
style of hair dressing had lessened
1.-THE demand for false hair. During
1.-THE next few weeks several other
Mexican women had sold their hair
bin the same way. 1t is possible that
the trade in Mexican hair may achieve
commercial Importance at some future
time, although as yet it has been con-
fined to few private individuals.
Most Of the Mexican refugees who
\ have crossed the border in quest OF
/ aid are Of the lower class with mix
ture Of Indian blood in their veins.
This is apt to render their hair too
coarse to be of great value 1t is
also dark, while light hair is in great
est demand.
The supply OF high grade human
L Ihair ic IN Thn n nd
it was announced at the Philadelphia
| Fashion show, last month, that in
] America the market might shortly be
better supplied than usual as a result
I of the European war. It is predicted
that within a few months American
! women will be gratifying their vanity
J by the purchase of hair which the Eu-
ropean women have sold to secure
money for their suffering families
just as the Mexican girl did. Crisis
4 (which have induced women to sell
their hair have occurred in many per-
iods Of the worlds history.
A German hair dresser of New York
1Irecenlty received the luxuriant tresses
Of twenty-five German women Of good
family in single village who desired
! to give the value of their hair as q
contribution to their country's. wal
fund. In England several women have
already sacrificed their hair for the
same purpose, and a large number OF
Others have announced their willing
ness TO do so. Belgian women are
eagerly Offering their hair for sale in
both the London and the Paris mar
lkets. 1t is TO the American women
that most OF this sacrificed hair will
\ come
4 The greatest difficulty The hair
= dresser experiences Is in securing
hair OF the finer blonde tints
y Formerly the French converts sup
Iplied much Of this, because every
novitiate was shorn OF her locks be
fore her head was covered with the
final black veil The closing Of the
conrents banishcd this supply from
France and no real substitute has been
4 secured. Other converts have supplied
hair in small quantities and hair buy
ers always make periodic trips
aIthrongh the peasant districts of north
fern Europe and some parts OF ireland
The supply has been falling OFF lately
SO that the reports of any additions
TO it are received eagerly. AS all the
hair goods of Europe have been prac-
tically shut off because OF the war,
lit #is.predicted that the American trad
lin this particular article will shortly
i ireach its zenith. # ISL
Because the supply OF good human
hair is SO scarce, the cheaper grades
OF articf1cial or false hair used by
women arc manufactured from coarse
hair imported from China and from
several substitutes which are really
: hnot5nair at all. One OF these is fibre
: from South American tree called
: yunio 1T has a thin inside bark
d (which readily sanarate &C ~ Br1Iras ri
n reddish brown tint, bearing some
:. IL