Before the era of short hair a visit to the barber was mad perhaps, once a year by all the female members of the family on bloc.
Such mass movement naturally caused no little commotion. The making of ite appointment was left in the hands a reliable member of the household, and in good time on the given date, Mamma or Nursie, and all the lit would troop off to the shop. by a harassed gentle. with the conventional violent in his own abundant hair, child in turn would be washed, cut, and slaged, while the. cthers stood or sat' about inconveniencing the barber by their Presence. And this performance took place rly with unfailing Inst reached en age of discretion, and were permitted to look after themselves, when, if they were either thrifty or Inzy young women, the annual visit was allowed to Nowadays, however, with the fashion for short hair, these easuil ways are"no more, and, although, mall things, there are exes tions, attendances at the barbec shop once a month or oftener by both "children and grown-ups, taken as a matter of course, For the former, doubtless, the new order must have distinctly. less. appeal, But, as one of the second category, one' can only feel regret for those fof former years who could not enjoy continuity of visits such ao to-day.
For there is almost nothing more restful than this half-four oF howe {in the barber's chair, chair #9 like and yet so unlike that of dontist, It must be admitted however, that the habit is an expensive one, but certainly it is a satisfying and comfortable form of extra ance, And, moreover, as the yours roll by the luxury of' it increases, Nowadnys it is unnecessary to bow? one's head over the basin, to the imminent danger of the bridge of one's nose: the towel, a menace one's ears, it no longer the only. means of drying the hairy and ong can lie. buck in peaceful comfort throughout the whole performance, 'There are, however, barbers who destroy the' peacefulness of the vie't by living up to the reputation -corded them in the joke columns find there are creatures. who. ae= tually encourage them.—Converan: tions come drifting over the divi. sions in a bewildering stream, come pletely. interrupting any" peaceful flow of thought, "Do you live in Shanghai?"
'0. T don't think 80. too long. Tike..."
"An, Mais non! Theos was done con Paris." "ccecccbut Peking. That!
ood.
.MArd then T said "Well who are you anyway 2"
chut T will have it short.
And then 1 just put on hat. barber's chair is in complete quiet. For this a hairdresser, silent and trustworthy, beyond a mere aboli to cut and set correctly, is a first necessity. The ideal barber never asks unnecessary questions. When washing one's hair he does. ant attack one's head with stiffened fingers: the tangles come out as by magic under his comb. He knows exactly what to do and does. it, with none of those irritating little innuendoes which some use, that hho should put in the next permanent wave, or that he is a much better barber than his rival for one's eust tom, In fact, he rarely speaks all, and above all, he has not the detestable habit of thrusting a hand mirror upon one and whisking the revolving chair around evers five minutes oF 50, One's thoughts slide away: in a reverie on the countless generations of women who have sat under the barber's hands. He cannot have been. very popular in the stone-age, hacking away with a blunt Aint at the tough locks of the lady whose craving for beauty demanded attention to her hair. Later in the ages the barber combined his duties with those of the leech, a practice which could not have endeared him. to ither type of client, while later still he inflineted such torture it the doessing of hair in weird shapes, a foot and more high, stuck with bear grease and other odious pom mades, that, although his return visit to undo the creation and build another, spelt relief in one way the Indies he attended, yet again he cannot have been really popular. The present is undoubtedly his best day, but if in the future totally baki heads are to be worn, as suggested by Mr. H. G, Wells, the barber will greatly. Shaving, if one did not have the hair destroyed, would be such m simple matter that to visit_a barber's shop even once in 4 way. would be oth unnecessary So barbers would Touguish ard fade.
But the barber would not suffer alone. For it is doubtful if his yemen clients would appreciate the change. They would miss terribly, a life probably more crowded than ours (if such be possible) the few minutes of blissful quiet each week or fortnight, Even today, what, bliss these rare, The moment one takes one's place in the chair. the con-corns of everyday Tify vanish. There ix nothing specifie"to thing atour and one's fancy can wander where fe will. One can indulge in brilliant mizht-have-een conversations, one 3 wende or baal:
Ore can only hope these idle chatterers are enjoying themselves. Can they be? For, truly, the only to appreciate one's time in the in the Riv (oer, the white overall is whisked away and one is sent forth. rested, for another spelt of busy life.
Do you realize how much your enjoyment of a dance depends on the "getting ready" period?. Your success or otherwise is decided in the hour before you leave home.
For you allow, I hope, at least an hour for dressing.
Before beginning your preparations pat all your clothes ready—undies, shoes, stockings, dress, wrap." And look through them to see that everything is safe. No shocbuttons about to fall off, no shoulder straps about to break. Much, better sew them safely now than later have to spend half-hours n the dressing-room making awkward repairs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.