The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-05-07
THE MUSTAcHE CRAZE.
A Curious Fad Practiced by the Bellies of
San Jose, Cal.

San Jose, Cal.
The latest fad. Have you heard
about 1tP asks the San Francisco EG-
aYni,aer. No? Well, then. here it is.
It is the gathering of mustache souven-
irs by the young ladies.
1t has struck San Jose, and the per-
sistency with which those who have
the craze go after just one little hair
from your upper lip" if kept up any
great length of time, will make some
of the San Jose young mems upper lip
resembles plucked fowl.
The reporter was permitted to look
upon one of these collections last even
ing, and to say that they are unique
would hardly express it.
The one shown was small, white
silk banner with gold fringe. The
hairs, in some cases there were five, in
others only one each of the young man
friend, were artistically arranged on
the banner, being fastened on with
small, red waters upon which were the
initials of the donors. The hirsute
adornments of the young mems upper
lips were in all colors and shades, from
the deep Italian black like unto that of
the BLACK Prince" to that of the deli
cate blonde of the clerk in the shoe
store on South First street, and the
shapes into which they were woven
showed the remarkable skill of the for
tunate possessor of these sweet remem-
brances.
The lady above referred to said it
took her just thirty-tive years to col
lect the fifty-three tokens of her gen
tlemen friends regard, and Il was
nearly one week engaged in ar
ranging them in the presentable man
ner in which you see them" said she.
The young lady also confided to the
reporter the information that there was
great rivalry between the young ladies
in the matter of their collections, and
great secrecy was indulged in until
the collection was finally arranged
and placed where friends could view
it.
"One young acquaintance of mine
has collection of seventy-fve; just
think of it!'' said the informant, land
she has arranged them on satin ban
ner in the form of heart, with dag
ger through the center. Oh, it is just
lovelyi The waters used to fasten the
choice morsels to the banner are also
in various delicate shades, and form a
most enchanting picture.
The reporter took up his informant's
collection and noted the initials. Then
another mystery which he had in vain
attempted to solve before was quickly
made plain to him.
The Young men of San Jose have for
the last three months been shaving off
their mustaches, and now this initial
mustache craze has solved the matter
as to why they did so.
Here were the initials of some of the
young men, who, if they had acceded
to the wishes of one-tenth of their lady
friends and give one little memento
from their upper lip to each, would not
have a baseball representation left;
while there were others, again, whose
initials adorned this pretty banner
who had once claimed "a lady Killer
but had left it with the tonsorial ar
tist.
Why? Because the young ladies per-
sisted in selecting the memento them
selves, and paid no attention as to
whether the preceding twenty-four
solicitors for like favors had gathered
their crop from one side of the lip or
not. She wanted her choice from that
side also.
And here again was another strange
feature of the craze, one which has
more demoralizing effect on the mus
taches than the influenza has on our
best citizens.
The young ladies select only from
the left upper lip. And why? Well.
because there is supposed to be more
of an affinity attached to them than
to those on the right side, on account
of their being on the same side as the
heart.
''There is still another popularity in
the collection of these mementoes OF
our gentleman friends, =" said the young
lady. There are some of my friends
who will have only the brunei type,
while others ask alone for the blonde
relic. Now, for instance, / have a
blonde friend. and she is securing col
lections only from her brunei friends,
while another friend who is of the bru-
net persuasion seeks the opposite
blonde"
In addition to the satin and silk ban
ners, plain white cards are used, the
cards being edged or bound with rib
bon and light colored wafer used to
fasten the relic on. These are more
common than the banners. but are
made very attractive with ribbon and
the arrangement of the gift.
In regard to the manner of securing
the trophy, the reporter was permitted
to gaze upon a pair of oidized silver
tweezers which are used to uproot the
particular and desired buona mano. 1t
was delicate affair, and was fastened
to small chain, which apparently did
service as a fob chain. Those young
ladies who are most Jealous in their
search for treasures from the lips of
their young men acquaintance are
provided with similar instruments of
torture" and handle them dexterously,
says the young lady Informant, who
continues as follows:
''Of course, we don't ask all our ac-
quaintances for Il sample of their up
per-lip covering, for the fact that some
of the young men could not well spare
even few hairs without making
breach which would be readily observ-
ed; but occasionally, after having been
rebuffed by some of the gentlemen we
get desperate, and then the modest
mustache has to suffer, and generally
the next time the young man calls he
comes clean-shaven.
Here are some samples left by a
friend of mine for me to arrange
The reporter examined the collec-
ton, which numbered thirty-two, and
found among the initials on the waters
some of San Jose's best-known society
men.