The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-26
From the London Ne,es.

In preparation Ior the coming or the rest
less William, the Emperor of Austria or
dered that the male performers. on the
boards of the Imperial opera house at
Vienna should sacrifice their boards. This
has caused great dissatisfaction. 1t is IN
derstood that the German emperor is even
more inlmical to civilian mustaches than
the Austrian kaiser, ard so soon as it be-
came known that Emperor William was
coming to Vienna an official order was is
sued that, in view Of an imperial visit to
the opera, all mustaches among the male
members Of the corps dramanque we're to
be forthwith excised.
II the Imperial opera house were not,
after q manner, state establishment, sub
sidized and directed by the state, the actors
would probably have Indignantly refused to
obey the obnoxious rescript; and even at
present, although a sulleu obedience has
been rendered to the governmental ordi-
nance, 1t is said that efforts will be made to
have the prohibition rescinded as soon as the
German emperor has recrossed the Austrian
frontier.
Not lmprohably bis imperial ana uneasy
majesty has read his Tacitus, or his own in
herent instincts of mllitarism have led him
to adopt the conclusion that the despioable
"pekln," especially if he be a player, is
wholly unworthy to wear the warlike en-
bellishmeut which pertains only to the lips
of the gallant
wEARER OF THE "PICKELHAUBE."
The correspondent has drawn attention to
the caprice which for centuries has ordained
that mustaches should or should not be
worn.
Sometimes, in conjunction with boards.
they have been sternly suppressed by au-
thority, but in many instances and for
heightened periods boards aud mustaches
have been voluntarily relinquished by all
classes in the community in different
countries, and after long surcease have
been suddenly revived without apparently
the slightest rhyme or reason.
Occasionally, however, there has been a
tangible cause for once more repudiatiug
the razor.
During twenty years of the reign Of Louis
XIV. the grand monarque wore a slight
mustache, which was known as a -'royale,"
nor did his majesty forbid his civilian lleges
to adopt this graceful ornament, since the
mustsche WAS worn not only by the kings
valet de chambre, the illustrious dramatist
Mollere. who was undeniably of "bourgeoisn
extraction, but also by many of the greatest
dlVlnes who preached in the Chapel Royal
at Versailles.
In 1850, however, it pleased the king to
appear clean shaven, and his subjects,
gentle and simple, at once dutifullY re-
nounced their mustaches.
The gallant French troops who CON
rronted our own brave soldiers at Blenheim
aud MalpIaqueb had nos q particle OF hair
on their faces, and Marlborough was as des-
titute OF beard and mustaches az his adyer-
sary Bouttiers; although, in all likelihood,
John Churchill, serving as a volunteer
under Turenne, and known
AMONG THE FRENCH SOLDIERS
as 1.-THE handsome Englishman," wore. az
boz l.
mustache.
This ornament appeared to have been
entirely abandoned during the last half of
the reign of Louis XIV, but when a con-
siderable number of foreign regiments were
admitted into the French service, the
dragons and hussars were permitted to
grow mustaches, in order that they might
assume an exceptionally bellicose and fe-
rocious aspect.
The first military regulation in. France
relative TO mdstaches was issued in l77g.
and in this cavalry soldiers were distinctly
forbidden either to stiffeu their mustaches
with beeswa1 or TO twist them into points
like those of dagger.
Even IN the first year Of liberty, equality
and fraternity, 1872, the French minister
of war decreed that only the grsnadier
corps should be suffered to wear the mus
tache.
Napoleon prohibited its use by all the
infantry II his armies, With the exception
of the Grenadiers of the Old Guard. The
cavalry, nevertheless, obtained the much
coveted privilege Of mustache wearing, ex-
cepting only the dragons, whose facial
hairiness was limited to mutton-chop
whiskers
In 1922 the government Of the restoration
extended the right OF appearing in mus
taches to the greladiers, the arabiniers and
the vOitlgeurs, and to commissioned officers
OF every rank of the service.
In 1882 the monarchy of July not only al.
lowed mustaches to be worn by all soldiers
privates as we'll as officers, but made the as
sumption of them obliga tory. Meanwhile
very curious revolution had taken place
in the facial appearance Of civilian French
men.
The popular British conception of the
lively Gaul until the year 1880 WAS that of
aparchnent-visaged, wriukled, pig tailed
powdered "Mouaseer." in figure and mien
equally resembling & baboon aud a dancing
master.
Johnny Crapaud was altogether clean
shaven, and his diet III the popular belief
was usually composed OF 'soupe maigren
and fricasseed frogs.
AS matter of fact the French emigrants
from 1890 to 1914 very rarely wore mus
taches, and not very frequently even in
dulRed in whisAers, and II any mustached
Frenchmen were TO he found in the England
"a 1ue poEtOOs 10 HOulu pfOOhOlY nave DeSQ
in the hulks at Portsmouth or at Dartmouth
among the French prisoners OF war.
During ell these years, moreover, the
civilian classes in France had abstained
from decorating their countenances with
mustaches, not throD Oh any positive pro-
hbition on tine part OF the state, but be-
cause they had to subm to incessanC moral
coercion at toe bands of the military caste,
who for nearly two decades swsggered over
and oullied the pacific population.
The swashbnckling soldiers OF the Napo-
ieonic vars, trail z their sabers and clank-
ing their spurs on tine pavement, twisting
their long mustaches and br ishihg up their
bushy whiskers, sneered and rallied at the
unhappy "pekins took the wall OF them or
thrust them into the kennel when they met
them in the street, and II they remon-
Strated threatened to cut off the ears of the
"burgeoiS." whom they revtled and derided
as "epicers" or 'garcons charcutiers. This
system of
STAGGERING AND BULLYING
continued in q modified form throughout
the restoration, especially in Paris the gar
rison of which was largely composed of the
arlstocratic Gardes du Corps, the Mousqus-
taires and Swiss Guards.
After the revelation Of 1880, howev r,