Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-02-20
MUSTACHE AND CHARACTER.
Dispute about the Kaiser's Beard-Its
Cultural Mission.

German phrase "sieh streiten UNI des
Kaiseris Bart" which his dictionary
tells him means "to dispute about tri-
hes" really means and how it origi-
mated. It's literal translation would
be ito quarrel about the emperor's
beard" proverbial expression which
is said to have grown out Of a famous
litigation about the rights claimed by
the Convent Of st. Maximin, near Trier
CIreves), in Germany, on the ground
OF document issued by Karl der
Crosse (Charles the Great) in 1879, by
which this Kaiser granted certain
lanos and privileges to the monks Of
that monastery. In this deed Charlie
magne, as the French call aim, ap-
pears beardless upon the seal attached
to it, This fact formed the basis for
suit entered against the Brothers Of
St. Maximum by the claimants, who
charged the monks with fraud and i'm
pugned the genuineness and validity
OF the imperial deed, on the ground
that the great kaiser had invariably
been represented bearded upon the
seals Of similar documents. Thence
arose long dispute about the kaiser's
beard, which, to our knowledge, has
never been decided, although it has
since been proven that several Of the
old Frankish kings and predecessors
Of Karl der Crosse, whose people gave
to the French both their name and
their German fashion of wearing
boards, alternately appear either with
or without beard upon the royal seals
and coins. The dispute about the
kaiser's beard was therefore not exact
ly a quarrel about trifes, and in the
light of this historical explanation we
submit the following observations:
That among tie physiognomic types
for Misunderstanding Whiskers play IN
important part has never been denied.
We do not know whether pogonOlogy
or geneiology has ever been treated as
an integral part Of any philosophical
system, although Jacques Antoine Du-
laure, in 1886, published book en-
titled Pogonologie gu Historic Phflo-
sOphique de la Barbe. From the lit
erature of the beard, as German en-
cyclopeoia designates it, it may be seen
that both French and German writer's
on the subject of the cultural history
Of this hirsute appendage Of man lay
stress on the fact that its shape and
fashion are indicative Of racial, nation
al and individual characteristics. Of
this M. Philippe, in his Histore de la
Barbe, and Falcke, in his Haar und
Bart der Deutschen, have furnished
sufficient proof Oriental and classical
mythology and art, likewise, afford ev
ioence of the same theory. A recent
writer even asserts that it is possible
to discover the chief characteristics
Of man from the shape, color and
texture Of his moustache. The Ger
man kaiser's upper lip adornment
seems to have inspired his supposition,
which he sets forth in the London
Daily Mail.
Take, for instance, he says, the Ger
man emperor Note how his mus
taches grow straight along the lip to
the corners of the mouth, the en0s
then turning upward in sharp curve.
This style undoubtedly indicates ra-
pidity of thought and decision, and If
ever a man could be judged by his
mustache it is his majesty. Next comes
the car of Russia, and the first thing
noticeable is the fine, full, natural curl
Of his mustache. It's similarity to
that Of the duke Of York is most strik
ing. Their is a regular, even growth,
with a direct line of hair from the
nostril to the end of the lip, ana this
shows that ambition tempered by
thoroughly even mind is the principal
trait in each character. And thus the
writer goes on to give the mustache
mind rearding Of Balfour, Cecil Rhodes
and of other noted men, to arrive st
the conclusion that whether light or
heavy, long or short, each and every
mustache is thoroughly indicative of
the leading traits of character pos
sessed by it's owner.
Among the numerous anecdotes told
in Berlin of the visit of the imperial
couple to Jerusalem is one in connec-
ton with their inspection of the Ger
man female orphanage at the holy
city. The girls sang, as a greeting,
Dem Kaiser gilt mein erstes Lieo"
(My first song is for the emperor).
When the words der Kaiser lebe
hoch!" Qong live the emperor) came,
William II, to amuse the children took
step Backwards if startled. The
little singers laughed. The empress
jokingly asked them, well, did you
see the kaiser? Which is he?" some Of
the children cried, 'The one with the
STAR" but little Armenian girl said
pointing to the emperor's turned-up
mustache, The one with the hair so
on his cheek" representing at the
same time by her two index fingers
the we'll known shape of the emperor's
mustache ends. Eyes, that's he" the
empress replied, laughing. Then the
kaiserin leo little girl up to her con-
sort, and said, Look, Wilhelm, this
girl is from German east Africa"
Your majesty's rightful subject" re-