The Washington times., 1894-05-20
MENTION OF THE MUSTACHE
How They Betray the Character Of
Those Who Wear Them.
VARIETIES AND SIGNIFICANCE
Originally Grown and Used a. Reins, BY
Which Slaves We're Driven By Their
Masters-Their Present Purpose Il Only Of
Supposed 0rnamentation.

Mustaches, like the expressions OF those
who wear them. range from
Grave to gay,
From lively TO severe.
Nine out of every ten men wear mustaches.
The chins of many go unadorned, but the
upper lip is usually ornamented with growth
of hair, says the Chicago Tribune.
There is much that is unhappy in the his
tory OF mustaches. They were originally
grown and used as reins, by which slaves
were driven from market to market by their
masters. Boards were generally popular be-
fore mustaches were common. Only fifty
years ago in many parts Of the country the
latter were considered real curiosities, and
the men who first wore them did not by SO
doing raise themselves In the good opinions
the people.
Try to imagine. II you can, George Wash
ington, or James Adams, or Thomas JefIer-
son wearing mustache. A picture OF george
Washington showing him in the act OF curl
ing his waxed mustache would instantly tum-
BILE him from the lofty pedestal whereon
loving people has enshrined him.
Mustaches have moral characters, or the
contrary, just as it may happen. and when in
telligently studied and classified serve as
pretty correct indices to the temperaments OF
the persons they are intended to adorn. Inc
nice, trim, and well-behaved mustache s1gni-
fies that its owner has no striking traits OF
character. He is neither any better nor any
worse than anyone else. The smooth man
ner in which the hairs OF even length lie
alongside each other signifies an even tenn
permanent and an average disposition. Such
man will not love or hate desperately. he Is
in life what the middle "c'' is in music. He
will be fairly successful In all he undertakes.
but he will never undertake anything extra
ordinary.
He will never write grand epic poem nor
organize an expedition to discover the north
pole. He is what may be termed "safe
man." Young ladies need not hesitate to
wed such man, but they must not expect
him to develop into real genius.
The scant, retiring mustache that timidly
fingers half way between down and real hair
has something in its favor. Its owner IS not
murderous or evilly disposed, although he
may smoke cigarettes. This style OF mus
tache was originally designed for clerks in
dry goods stores, but it has since been affected
by dudes and others until now it has no field
exclusively its own. Many good. "clevah
fellahs'' have this kind of mustache, and
viewed in all its lights it is one of the most
harmless as well as the most hairless va
rieties. Persons who are uncertain whether
they want mustache or not usually try this
style first.
The whisk-broom mustache that fiercely
stands out from the lip, and each hair OF
which asserts its individuality, impresses one
very much as does "blind board" on Vi
cious COW. 1t means that strangers should
beware of getting too close to the wearer OF it.
Persons who enjoy near relations with such u
mUstache often learn to love it. but as a rule
little children and timid women shudder at
the sight of it. Do not enter into a heated
argument with man owning that sort OF q
mustache, not If he is larger than you. Such
a man means what he says, or at least he
thinks he does, and for the time 1t amounts
practically to the same thing. Men with this
kind of mustache usually make love but once
and marry the girl that they set their hearts
upon, or If she refuses them they murder her
in cold blood and sometimes commit suicide.
When a man of that kind tells lie he sticks
to it lots better than many others do the
truth. 1t may be remarked, however, that all
the rules governing this type OF mustache
have numerous exceptions.
The long. dropping mustache that looks as
ifit had lost its sustaining force suggests
withered flower that is bowed down because
of a drouth. Such mustache appears al
ways to be thirsty. and the chances are that
il is. A mustache of that kind, as a rule.
never thrives except it Is well irrigated. II
it droops, and is. besides, a bright sandy or
bichloride of gold color, it will absorb more
moisture than & section of the Sahara. If you
don't believe it, ask it up to the bar some
time. Such a mustache is an expensive one
for its owner to keep in a fourishing condi-
ton. Many men have seen their fortunes
swallowed up, or rather down, in an effort
to keep the roots Of such mustache well
watered.
The man who has sufficient will power to
overcome a mustache of that variety, and
many men have. deserves to be elected pres
ident OF a temperance society. But he will
always have to live down the suspicion his
mustache awakens in the minds OF strangers,
who judge him simply by his appearance. He
NAV be a good neighbor, a loving husband,
and a kind father but he is more likely to be
selected from among party of men out on
pleasure jaunt as the one who has cork
screw hidden in his inside pocket. Some of
the worlds greatest men have worn this style
of mustache, but only young ladies with
strong governing power should choose such
men for husbands.
The 'frowsy" mustache that looks quite
like a small portion of a hair mattress is the
hardest to get acquainted with. Its owner
may or may not be all you could wish. He
may become poetical, or musical, or literary
If he takes notion. or he may butcher or dig
wells if he takes a notion. He is not SO prac-
tical as he is romantic and lazy. His thoughts
are tangled and uncertain. He is not quite
sure whether he wants to preach, or study
law, or farm. or keep temperance billiard
hall in prohibition state, or become a clown
in circus he is in no particular hurry
about doing anything. He married young,
and is quite sure to love his wife. because he
is so constituted that he can love anything
without any great amount of strain upon his
affections.
He is pleasant man to go on long vaca-
tion with. He is happy as long as his money
holds out. and when his money is gone he
would just as soon spend friends. Many
great men whose names adorn the pages of
history had mustaches of this sort, and so had
others who came TO the end of their rope by
a prearranged plan between jury. judge and
sheriff.
mustache that curls beautifully and
naturally at the ends, forming nice little rings,
whose waves are ever beautiful in all sorts OF
weather. may be called the society or Ward
McAllister variety.
There are men who always keep their upper
liz cleanly shaven. These men know that the
mustaehe is very truthful index to character,
and they should be watched.
Shortening the Time Westward.
PHILADELPHIA, May ia general change
OF time Will go into effect on the Pennsylva-