Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/194

196 I have worked for several years from eight in the morning till six in the evening, and, on ball-nights, as late as eleven, and given satisfaction to all my ladies, with the exception of a few meddlesome persons, who were jealous because some one else looked better than they did; for I find in these days people are more troubled about their looks than they were when I commenced hair-dressing.

There are in Cincinnati, at this time, four distinct circles of fashionables; first, is the real old aristocracy; second, the monied aristocracy; third, the church aristocracy, and fourth, the school aristocracy. You may wish to know what I mean by the school aristocracy. I mean those girls whose parents send them to such or such a school because Miss So-and-So goes there; so that, by these means, they may have an entree into the higher circles. It is much easier to get into the higher circles now than when I first became a hair-dresser. All that is necessary now, is to go to the Burnet House, stay-there awhile, visit from one room to another, till you find out which of the ladies visit such and such families out in town; then cultivate their acquaintance.

There are two fashionable dress-makers in Cincinnati at present, where almost all the fashionables can be met with. They go there more to display their elegance, and to see those who are a step or two higher than themselves, than to have their dresses made. I know a number of ladies who keep private dress-makers and plain seamstresses in their own. houses; but once in awhile they take a dress to these dress-makers, so as to keep up theiracquaintance.

There is a lady in Cincinnati who makes herself