Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-07-12
QUEER TEUToNIC CUSTOMS.
Parting the Hair i'm the MiddIc-Eti-
Ouette of the Hat.

Guette of the Hat.
Berlin Letter in the San Francisco Chronicle
The average German, especially the
younger masculine portion of the COM
munlty, takes great care TO have his
person-that is, his hair, st least-very
neat. In fact, ones previously acquired
notions that the ladies have possession
OF the greater part, if not all, of the
worlds stock Of vanity receive n very
staggering blow when he sses how verv
cartul the German young men are TO
appear at their best on al occasions.
But even this personal vanity would not
De so bad if their toilets were not made
IN the public view, for there is some
thing dlstasteful, TO Americans at least.
III seeing any one, much less a man,
calmly take out 81 little pocket hair
brush and proceed to brush down his
hair. Over here, however, such things
arc universal. and considered to be quite
the thing. No matter what the eccss-
ION IS or where, the hair-brush is q
constant and much-used companion.
On entering the theaters or the music
halls every one OF the young men goes
30 his seat, pulls out his little brush
and proceeds IN the most matter
ot-tact way TO arrange his hair.
referring now and then to the small
looking-glass on the back of the brush
to admire the general effect. Even in
the restaurants the same thing Is done
over the soup. The result is that one
sees the smoOth6st and sleekest ar-
ranged hair among the younger Ger
mans. But the effect is spoiled when
one has the thing forced upon him at
all times, and on ali occasions finds
himself in q gentleman's dressing room
everywhere he goes, just as one would
not think SO much Of Il pretty complex
ION, even If one previously knew it
were artificial, if he saw the fair pos
SCISSOR applying the cosmetic. 1t ia
strange how such little things viii affect
one, but they do; and one IS often
compelled, in spite of himself, to form
his opinions from little things. OF
course, when one says call younger
Germans" he does not mean eyerv
single one OF them. For there are q
few, even among the physically almost
perfect Germans, who wear their hair g
ia Buffalo Bill. However, these are
few in number and effeminate in BODY
and mlnd, having a great deal of the
esthetlc and poetic in their Latures.
Their lily white hands and pale faces
Ofter striking contrast to the braWuy
and ruddy appearance of their more
fortunate and manly brothers. One
cannot always account for ones preiu-
dlces, and l am free to confess that I
cannot account for my prejusiCe against
q man who parts his hair in the middle.
L have such prejudice. And the nat
ural result is that find myself preiu-
diced against a very great majority of
the young men over here. For nine
out of every ten part their nair in the
exact, mathematical centers of their
cranIums; and, not content with this,
continue the parting clear down the
back Of their uecks as far Us the hair
caches, carefully brushing the hair
away to each side.
The hat with us is used as a covering
for the head, and is not removed ex-
cept under extraordinary ci~cum-
stances, such as saluting lady, entering
room, and the like Onb would not
think of raising his hat to his intimate
gentlemen friends every time he meets
them on the street. But the Germans
take it as great breach of etiquette,
if not 81 decided personal insult, if you
pass them with simply GOOD morn
iDg," or Chow are your" You mast
raise your hat and make d decidedly
low bow. This would be little in
convenient, but nothing worse, if you
We're only acquainted with few gem
tlemen. But when one walks down
the street and meets forty or fifty gen
tlemen in the course of an hours stroll,
and is compelled to 60 through the
same hat-raising formula to each and
every one of them, the thing becomes
little monotonous.
This same effusiveness peryades all
classes OF society, and one sees old
men and boys saluting each other in
the same manner. But one can see
even more touching sights tnan this if
he haunts the railroad stations and
watches the departures and arrivals.
In America kissing of friends and &C
quaintances is left 10 be monopolized
almost entirely by ladies; but over here
the men take their share Of the good
thing-if good thing it may be called
and kiss and hug each other on occa-
sion in a way that is truly affecting.