Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-08-22
WALTERS AND WHISPERS
They Have Been Separated sinoe
u. the Doys OF Solomon.
The Custom Of shaving Among Boev0Ats
Hado Compulsory In England -
Wealthy Americans Follow
tho European Style. ,-4r =

The row which the walters and hack
drivers kicked up the other day when
it was proposed to rob them of their
boards and mustaches is new evidence
of humanity s progress toward equality.
Their success knocked down another
old idol. for n smooth face has been
Used rs a badge of servitude since the
time King Solomon contracted the
habits of marrying three times day
and making promiscuous proverbs.
Kings, from Solomon und David down
through ancient and medieval and
modern history always required their
servants to take the first drink from
every bottle of wine, us a precaution
against poison. The personal servant
of the king in early history always had
to have a clean-shaven face, says the
New York Press.
The servants, and especially the per-
sonal servants of all monarchs and
high dignitaries, have always worn
beardless faces, while their masters in
ancient days always wore boards.
The medieval ages were we'll under
way before any man of high position
went without whiskers.
In the latter part of the last century
and the early part of this the distinc-
ton in dress between the master and
the servant in England was actually
less conspicuous than-it has been for
the last fifty years. When men com
menced to adopt the long, full-legged
trousers, to abandon the wig and to
wear full boards, they made their per-
sohal men servants continue to observe
the old styles. Their coachmen must
wear horse-hair wigs, smooth face and
knee brecchcs-the horse-hair wig
making the head look full behind, the
clcan-shaven face giving the appear
ance of youth and the fat calves an
aspect of prosperity.
While some of the features of this
gaudy, picturesque livery have been
abandoned in all the best English
houses, the clean-shaven face is to-day
steadily required, not only of the
coachr1an and butler but Of all house
hold servants. with the possible excep-
ton of the gardener. 1t was not until
about twenty-seven years ago, how
ever, that the custom of requiring
liverymen to wear clean-shaven faces
was observed at all in New York.
About that time August Belmont, Ed
ward Mathews and J. G. Bennett put
their stables and coaches in charge of
Englishmen and Scotchmen. These
imported servants put the custom in
vogue in this city. Up to that time the
coochman of even the wealthfest fami-
liesin the city sat in their boxes with
out uniform or livery and wore his
beard or didn't, Us he pleased. In a very
few years thereafter there was not q
wealthy family in town whose coach
man did not have to observe the Gus
tom.
The idea of smooth-faced walters
came here with the Europeanizing of
american hotels. Ten years ago
there was no such froR-clad rule in nny
of the New York hotels and restau-
rants. Then all the walters at Delmon-
ico's were required to shave off their
boards and DEMONSTRATING became the
rule in nearly NIL the leading houses in
town.
1t Is interesting to know that, while
this custom came from England,
glowing out of the smooth-faced Eng
lish house servants, the hotel walters
in Europe have not complied with it
with much patience. In fact in some
of the best hotels in London and on
the continent the walters have forced
their employers to allow them
to wear their boards. Thus it is seen
that American hotel-keepers tried to
copy their English models.
At banquet in Vienna one Aus
trian nobleman bet another thou
nVNH .p,sIrs L. y
proprietor make the walters shave
their boards. The proprietor refused,
and told the gentleman he must go
elsewhere If he could not stand the
mustachios of the walters. This was
regarded as great victory for the
walters in the Vienna hotel.