purpose. She is especially cautionod to
prevent the hair from becoming entangled. She
is taught how to clean it; by tying it tightly
at one end, placing it in a basin containing
soda and warm water, allowing it to steep
until the water is cold, taking it out, rubbing
it gently with a soft towel, and drying it
slowly. She learns that, after drying, it is to
be combed out, beginning at the ends which
are not tied; that, after combing, it is to be
drawn gently between two brushes; that,
after brushing, it is to be arranged according
to the fineness of the hair, or according to the
kind of bracelet to be made. She is strictly
cautioned to have all the hairs for one strand
of equal length, and all the strands of similar
size and appearance. The lady artiste has
then to attend to a little mechanical philosophy.
She is told to take a certain number
of leaden plummets or balls, each about an
ounce or an ounce and a quarter in weight:
and to affix half a yard of strong thread to
each plummet. She is told to lay the plummets
down side by side on a table, and to tie
the strands of hair to the loose ends of the
strings with a common single knot, one strand
to each string. She is told to collect the other
ends of the strands into a bunch, to fasten
them together with strong thread, and to
cement this fastening with a gum of shellac;
and she is entreated with great earnestness
not to allow the hairs or the strands to
become disarranged during these proceedings.

The work-table the lady cannot make for
herself: other hands must precede hers in its
adjustment. The table has a circular top,
with certain cabalistic numbers and marks
upon it; and it is supported from beneath in a
way which affords easy access for the fingers of
the worker. Then comes minute and careful
instructions how to fix a loop of strong thread
to the cemented end of the cluster of strands;
how to attach this loop to a small hook
beneath the top of the table; how to lift the
strands singly and carefully, and to range them
all smoothly and regularly round the table,
on the surface of the diagram of the proposed
pattern; how to make this diagram of
cardboard, with figures plainly marked in ink;
how to place the strands in the exact order
specified in the directions for working each
separate pattern. And then the lady is told
the use and purport of an oval balance-
weight of about four ounces; how that it is
made to hang through a hole in the top
of the table, so as to support a piece of
small cane or wire; and how that this cane
serves as a core around which the work is
executed.

Then does the Professor display the beauties
of the patterns which he has devised for
the lady's guidance. Here is a cable-bracelet,
and here a snake-bracelet; anon comes an
elastic bracelet, and after this, bracelets with
bead-like, and link-like, and feather-like, and
plait-like, and wave-like, and curl-like, and
damask-like convolutions of hair. That they
are easy to make, we should not be justified in
doubting; for, although there may perchance
be some doubt whether we fully understand
the directions, that is no reason why the
description should be otherwise than clear to the
lady pupil, who may be supposed to know
more about these things. For instance, the
formula for a cable-bracelet is thus given, in
language which will doubtless tell its own
tale to those most nearly interested: "For
this pattern about eighty hairs in each strand
are requisite. Place the strands upon the
numbers marked on the diagram. Take
figure one from the lower part, and move it
round in the direction shown by the arrows,
into the place of figure one at the top, and
bring that round and down at the bottom;
and so on with the twos, threes, fours, fives,
sixes, and sevens; continuing the work in the
directions so given, viz.: lifting the right-hand
strand into the left-hand place, and that
round to the right; observing that the strands
are to be lifted round—not crossed over—a
wire (about the dimensions of number sixteen
knitting needle will do best to work this on),
and that they are to be moved according as
they are numbered." The lady is told, in
respect to another pattern, that it requires
fourteen strands with thirty hairs in each,
and that the hairs must be sixteen inches long.
She is instructed in the mystery of another
bracelet, which requires twenty-four strands of
twenty-four hairs each; and which requires,
after all the twisting has been performed,
a long process of boiling in water, and baking
in an oven, and transferring to a piece of
silk. She is shown another, for which are
needed no fewer than forty-four strands of
about twenty hairs each; and another with
twenty-two strands of thirty-five hairs; and
she becomes imbued with the necessary
knowledge, not only for working a score or so
of bracelets, but for removing them from the
table when made.

But the skill of the artiste en cheveux is not
brought to an end. He teaches how to make
lockets, and brooches, and flat bracelets. He
tells his lady pupil that she will require, as
aids in this dainty work, a pair of small
curling irons, square lead weights of about
two ounces each, a marble slab about six
inches long by four wide, a penknife, a pair of
small scissors, a small camel-hair pencil, a
tracing-point, small gold vice, gold-beaters'
skin, and miniature-painters' ivory. She
learns how to collect and brush the hair, and
to dip it in water, and to spread it on the
marble slab, to apply the curling irons to
it, and to stretch it by means of the leaden
weights. Hair is so strong, that the single
hair from a healthy head will bear the
weight of eleven hundred and fifty grains.
It is so elastic that, when forcibly extended,
it will, on the force being withdrawn, return
nearly to its original size and form—not
quite. A hair may be stretched a third of
its length without breaking; and after being