The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-12-25
the ETHICS OF WHISPERS.
Character Indicated by the Beard
American Libera1ftY.

The question of boards has always
been one in which men have taken the
greatest interest. By turns it has been
popular or unpopular for men to adorn
their faces with hair, but a greater
Significance has always attached to 1t
than to the mere changing of any other
fashions. In ancient times a beard was
a mark of honor and dignity. In ORR
entail countries it is still regarded with
reverence, and to pluck a man by his
beard is the deadliest of insults. The
willy Turk who sells the American
made Turkish rug of commerce always
swears by his beard and the beard of
his prophet when he makes an affidavit
TO its being genuine oriental prayer
mat. He IS talking through his whis-
kerS and is not to be believed. After
the period when every man was bearded
like 4 pard there came a time when any
hair on a mans face was considered
rowdyish, and a mustache indicated q
dashing soldier, just as chrysanthemum
hair labels the football enthusiast.
With characteristic liberality, America
has always conceded to every man the
right to wear a beard or not, as he
pleased, and the result has been that In
no other country can so many varieties
of architecture in whiskers be seen. In
Kansas a good wind-proof set of whis-
kerS Is considered one of the prime
qualifications for political candidate.
In many rural communities a beard Is
still worn as a satisfactory substitute
for a necktie. Among swell young men
there is great variety of opinion in re-
gard to the subject. Those who desire
to look French andwickedwear a sharp
ly pointed beard trimmed down to q
hair line. Others are cleanly shaved
and wear a tired and far-away look.
There are still other men who, appre-
ciateing how little opportunity their
sex have for adorning themselves, give
variety TO what would often be an ex-
pressionless countenance by wearing
their boards In queer little patches.
which suggests that they hsve had
their faces laid out by landscape gar
dener.
It is the Importance of the beard
that makes lawsuit recently tried in
New Jersey of general interest to all
men. A respectable citizen of that
state, the happy possessor of beard to
which he was tenderiy attached, un-
dertook a short railway journey. Upon
the trip he was set upon by gang of
roughs who cruelty misused him, aud
especially vented their fiendish maIgni-
ty upoL his beard, which they tore out
and disf1gured, making IL totally use
less and valueless as means of adprn
ment. The man brought suit against
the railroad company, putting the in
juries to his beard at the modest sum of
5000 sum entirely inadequate to paS
Cor the time and labor and thought he
had bestowed upon it, as every boy who
has ever gone through the tribulation
of raising his first mustache will agree.
The railroad set up the plea that they
were not engaged in the business of
carrying whiskers: that the complain
ant could produce no bill of lading to
show that their company received the
beard in good order and condition, and
finally that they were not responsible
for any baggage over the value of 500.
The case was tried by jury Of six
rlean-shaven men, and six bearded ones,
and they finally decided in favor of the
heartless corporation. This will doubt
less constitute precedent, and II IS
just as well for men to be warned in
time that when they travel they take
their boards Ia their hands.-N. o.
IIicav0pa