The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-05-31
The DAYS or POWDERED HAIR.
French Nuns Get the Fashion Quite
UnwlttnipIy.


UnwlttnigIy.
The custom of powdering the hair
dates back as far as the sixteenth
century and was first introduced by
the nuns in Preach converts. Those
who had occasion TO leave the clois-
tiers for any reason were wont TO pow
der their hair 30 as to make it appear
gray and give them 8 venerable look.
The fashionable danes we're 30 struck
with the novel effect of white powder
On dark hair that they soon appro-
priated the device as one OF the ari3
OF the worldly toilet Out of this a.sw
the use of tints In the hair. The Ro-
man women often used blue powder
and later, in 1860. Empress Eugene
set the fashion of using gold powder.
Rome, under the empire, and Greece,
during the time Of Pericles were seiz-
ed with mania for golden hair The
telles and tops of the lady devised
several methods whereby black locks
might be changed to golden yellow.
but bleaching did not always succeed.
Consequently quite a trade was es-
tabAshed with the fair haired tribes
beyond the Alps, who sold their locks
to Latin merchants, TO be worn on the
heads of Roman dandies.
Many dame dampened her raven
tresses In the strongest >muriatic aclo
and sat In the sun to bleach her hair
to the coveted yellow. Others useo
lye and afterward anointed their
heads with oil made from goat fat,
ashes Of the beach tree and certain
yellow flowers.
The itinerant barber. who passed
down and out when people ceased to
use powder, In their hair. was quite
a parsonage In his day. He went from
house to house. armed with a soap
bowl to fit the chin. powder boxes,
pomatum and puts. was always a
newsmonger and a gratuitous scandal
bearer.
When wigs were. In vogue the Ro-
map danes had In their wardrobe
as many wigs as costumes. and when
the choice of wig .was-made 1t was
necessary to arrange the eyebrows.
iasRes land complexion in harmony.
It was then that the slaves were spe-
dally charged with the makeup OF
the face. a delicate operation, called by
Cicero .M9dicaments candoris ct ru-
boris"
There were some cunning devices IN
vogue among the bellies OF the Old
World for giving of them were wont
to place a single drop Of that deadly
poison, prussic acid, in the bottom OF
wine glass and hold II against the
eyes fer two or three seconds. Or,
more rashly still. they would take
small quantity-a piece not larger than
grain Of rice-of an ointment con-
taiHing that mortal drug. atropia, and
rub it on the brow. Each Of these
was supposed to give clearness and
briuiancy, expand the pupil and i'm
part fascinating fuiness and mellow
ness to thee Certain slightly pun
gent and volatile perfumes. such as
oil OF thyme. were occasionally wore
on the handkerchief. causing the eyes
to glitter and sparkle The eye was
made to appear large. fi1A and almond
shaped by the use of fine pencil
dipped In antimoniea1 sulphur OF
Egyptian black. rubbed upon the lies
along the angle.
But, after. all, the surest means by
which woman may acquire and pre-
serve the sift Of pleasing is to be
young in spirit II not in years and
every BIT as pretty as Is possible with
all the. legitimate means at her COM
mand, If she is always kind and gen.
tie, always ready to give to Others the
snnhiest side of her nature. Chicago
Chronicle.