THE HAIR MARKET AT MORLANS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3495, 19 September 1882, Page 4

THE HAIR MARKET AT MORLANS.

The June number of a German magazine contains an account, apparently from an eye-witness, of one of the most unique markets in Europe—the human hair market at Morlans. Morlans is a small town in the old Land of Bearne, now a portion of the modern department of the Lower Pyrenees. It is unknown to the rest of the world, save, perhaps to Paris, where it has a reputation as the seat of the great market of human hair. This market is held every other Friday. Hundreds of trafficking hairdressers ahen throng to the little place from far and near in order to buy the hair of the young peasant girls fresh from the head. The dealers wander up and pown the long narrow high street of Morlans, each with a huge pair of bright shears hanging from a black leather strap around his waist, while the young girls who wish to part with their hair stand about in the doorways, usually in couples. The dealing is carried on in the best room in the house. The hair is let down, the tresses combed out, and the dealer names his price. This varies from three to twenty francs. If a bargain is struck, the dealer lays the money in the open palm of the seller, applies his Bhears, and in a minute the long tresses fall on the florr. The purchaser rolls up the treases, places them in paper, and thrusts them into his pocket. The writer says that it is very rarely that a maiden can contemplate her fallen tresses disappearing inta the dealer's pocket wishout a gush of tears. But she consoles herself by exclaiming, ' Well, it will grow again,' and by looking at the money in her hand.