Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/195

Rh notorious for visiting milliners, dress-makers, confectioners, and, in fact, every place where there is anything to be bought or sold; she is even at funerals. I will give here name as Mrs. Envy; because she is envious of every one from the leaders of fashion down to the tradesman. She is very accomplished, as there is scarcely anything she can not do; and she makes herself generally useful. If there is a house to be furnished, she is there; if, as the English say, there is a house warming, she is there. (I mean, by a house warming, a large party given on first occupying the house.) If they are young housekeepers, she is ready with her advice in all cases; but if they are old ones, she will drop a hint or two; if they are not noticed, she will pass on. They are too polite to say no, as she belongs to the upper tens. I will now leave Mrs. Envy, and speak of more agreeable associations.

Since the time I mentioned as having settled down in Cincinnati, I have dressed one hundred and fifty brides; twenty-five of these were in Louisville, Ky., and some seven or eight in Covington and Newport, just across the river from Cincinnati. As near as I could learn, they are all doing well, save ten; six of the ten are dead—the other four are separated from their husbands. One of them left her husband, and was actually married to him again; though I did not have the honor of dressing her hair the second time. One of the deceased was a lovely, character; she was, indeed, a most amiable person. If I went to comb her, and felt tired, it seemed to rest me to be with her; if I was hungry, in her presence hunger left me; was I angry or worried, as I occasionally was with ladies, on my coming in to her all my annoyance vanished,