Wichita eagle., 1888-06-20
3 O $ I @ N = $ 7 @ r E
BEARD AND MUSTACHE
TODAY'S FACIAL ORNAMENTS ONCE
MUCH RIDiCULEO.
wlisizers In History-The Fathers OF the
Republic Were Entirely Beardless or
smooth Shaven-Facts Concerning Presi-
dents and Presidential Candidates.

Republic Were Entirely Beardless or
smooth Shaven-Facts Concerning Presi-
dents and Presidential Candidates.
The beard and mustache as an appendags
to the face is of comparative recent date
in the United States. Thirty years ago a
beard was an exception, and thirty-five
years have scarcely elapsed since the
wearer of beard was either an object Of
ridicule or suspicion When q boy the
writer listened to sermon in which the
smooth faced preacher descanted on the
sin Of the beard. and conclusively proved
that Adam was not endowed with this
facial appendage until after his fall, and
that it constituted the actual thicket be-
hind which be sought to hide himself
from the sight of his maker.
1t is quite evident it was at least as
difficult for the ancients to keep down the
growth of the beard as it is for the modern
youth to raise one. Before the invention
Of the razor, which dates back less than
two centuries, the hair was kept from ac-
cumulating on the face by rubbing the
skin quickly with puD1ice stone, which
gave it that peculiar polish and hardness
OF outline noticeable in old paintings.
BARRIERS are first mentioned IN English
history about the year 1929 during the
reign Of Charles |, when number of
PlIritans were ordered to be punished by
having their boards shaver from their
faces with sharp knives, and the hair to
be cropped close to their heads herewith
in addition TO having their ears cut off
and tongues bored with u red hot iron,
and to be thereafter stood IN the pillory."
A SUBJECT OF RIDTCULE
About 1886 boards and nlustaches began
TO make their appearance in this country
on the streets of the cities, and were
everywhere the subject of ridicule, so
much SO that few were vain enough to
cultivate them. In 1883 the fad for wear
ing hair on the face was given a great
thrust forward by picture of Count
D'Orsay, published in Frazer's Magazine,
illustrating how copiously chin could be
cushioned, and which, it was conceded,
reached the climax Of hair arrangement in
that quarter.
Still for a number of years later long
boards were considered disgraceful; as
masks behind which criminals and out
laws sought to hide their identity. AS
late as 1913 the writer remembers to have
seen q Jew with long hair and beard
'bated" on Beaver street, in this city, by
u crowd OF boys, who chased him with
sticks and stones through tho streets and
alleys of what was then one of the most
attractive portions of New York, and for
no other reason than the great mass Of
hair which concealed his features And
on this occasion the sedate business men
of that part of the city gathered at their
doors and cheered the boys with their ex-
pEessions OF approval.
One or two judges about that time be-
gan to make their appearance on the
bench with whiskers THIS the public
took as an ofIense, and the papers seri-
ousiy discussed it as matter of prime
Importance 'Whiskers," SAYS The
Democratic Review, ARE bad enough at
the bar, and even then they are pestilent
accompaniment for counsel There Is no
gentlemanly managing jury with them.
Men are not open TO reason or pathos that
might issue from any part of face thus
cultivated They continually, and for
good reason, suspect those who talk TO
them in a mask But to carry WHISPERS
up TO the tribunal is unbecoming the
judge as it is unfortunate for the wool
sack. What would men have US think?
Do they mean to enforce decisions by the
ferocity of their countenancesf To make
us fear instead of honor them? Or would
they, wherever they may be, have us
understand that their strength, like his
Of old, lies in their hair?''
None of the fathers Of the republic ever
wore beard The appendage of hair is
not 10 be found on the face of any Of the
signers of the Declaration of Independence,
and st was unknown to all the officers Of
the revolutionary army. Those men Of
great minds. iron viii and strong purpose
stood forth in the brood light of day with
faces so clean that thei~ every thought
might be read
THE CROPPED SIDE wETsKER
The war of 1912 brought no generals to
the front with boards, but all the COM
manders Of the navy sppear TO have Guilt
waited the mutton leg" as it was once
caAed-the side whisker reaching an inch
or so below the ear. but always kept
oropPed. This is the whiskers we find On
the pictures of Perry Bainbridge, Deca-
tur, Lawrence and others, and is the
plant which was afterwards built out and.
in connection with the mustsche. became
the Burnside All tie PRINCIPAL officers
of the Mexican wac were elSo beaCiless,
although the mustache and beard began
about that time creep into the army.
OF the presidents OF the United States
John Q. Adams and Zachary Taylor had
q mere bunch of hsir, extending the
length of the ear Martin Van Burcn
had more of the mutton leg" which
curled forward. and being Of sandy
color. gave that peculiar expression 10
his face which caused him to be nick
named 1.-The Red Fox OF Kinderhook" or
"FoxY" Van Buren, All the other presi-
dents had faces shsven of every particle
OF hair. and up to 1861 no man hsd oc-