THE MODERN DELILAHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18996, 18 April 1925, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE MODERN DELILAHS.

BY QUIZ. '' They are busy in this town, and.it is not. reluctant Samsons they shear, but willing mothers, flappers, wives and grandmothers. A harder worked or moro cheerful band than these JDelilahs of the scissors would be hard to find, for they must make hay while the sun shines, or rather, while the bob craze lasts. As one sits waiting one's turn in a wellappointed salon, soft cooing sounds float over the dividing screen behind which the mysterious rites are performed. "1-es, madam, you will bo much cooler without your hair"—clip, clip. bo much more comfortable." " How lovely unci thick it is at the buck"—fizz, wizz—that's the scent spray going—buzz, roar, someone being finished off with the electric hair drier. " A shampoo ready please, quick, Miss B." " Sounds rather frightening. I wonder if I shall have the pluck," burst out a pretty but rather faded little woman with greying hair. I'm a bit old, I'm afraid; over forty, you know." " There now, I tola you we would make a nice girl of you," comes Delilah's triumphant voice over the screen. " Nothing to worry about now. Hear that," to the doubting one. "It would be iiiite wonderful if I could have it off without looking silly, it would save so much time. I have four growing children and no help, but my husband does not approve." Surely you have a right to do what you like with your own hair?" "Well, I only wear the tiniest switch," blushing faintly. So sorry—put the emphasis on the wrong word—Who takes notice of husbands, anyway?" A dapper fstlrolls in and touches the bell. A girl with a golden aureole of a bob, pink cheeks, demure of dress, answers. She is so lovely, one almost wants to eat her with cream. She peeps into the appointment book. " \\'o could take you at. half-past three, not before, I'm afraid. We're so very busy to-day." She smiles. " Right, ' says the Jlapwr in a voice like a megaphone, and strides off. " Will you please come now. Madam is ready for you," to the tired lady, who gives one nervous glance round and disappears behind the curtain. Soothing and fizzing sounds, as before. 41 Of course you will look all right. Quito pretty hair. \es, 1 think I will c ive you a bit of a shingle," etc., etc. and in 20 minutes quite a radiant person emerges, fluiffy grey hair curling softly round quite an attractive, iainllyflushed face, the worried, anxious lines cone. " Oh, It am ever so pleaded, she exclaims, beaming. " I'll never let it grow again, not if I live to be a hundred. The way that little woman who had fouf ct'owinc children and a husband who did not approve skipped d<:>wn those stairs like an eighteen-year-old, did one s heatt Rood to see. All credit to the divinities behind the screen who shape our locks. It is not a small thing to have made manv tired mothers happy, affording them the extra precious 15 minutes tor recreation which would otherwise be in persuading unruly tresses to look verj often quite ugly.