The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-04-16
mus1AcHEs AND GAMBLERS.
Hair ON the Face Was Once q Badge
of the Mississippi Card Sharp.

Hair ON the Face Was Once Badge
of the Mississippi Card sharp.
"Back in 1885," remarked New Or
leans professional man, chatting about
old times. "a mustache was regarded
with great suspicion all through the Mis-
sissippi valley 1t was supposed to be
the mark of either a military swash-
buckler or a gambler, and gentleman,
particularly if be wanted to go into So
ciety. shaved smooth. Boards were look
ed upon as an unclean foreign affecta-
ton. and l recall a curious incident bas-
ed on that prejudice.
"a charming young English gentle
man who was a near relative of dis
tinguished man of science was visiting at
a river town noted for its aristocratic and
punctilious society. He was fine speci-
men of physical manhood, and, following
a fashion which had just obtained a
foothold in London, he wore heavy
blond mustache and a set of luxuriant,
curly whiskers, much after the style OF
our old friend Taffy in Trilby.' Now
adays he would be envied the possession
of such superb ornament, but the good
ladies of the town were greatly perplex-
ed. and after much consultation they
finally decided that they could not coun-
tenance such q barbarous custom and
would have to decline to receive him I'M
less he shaved. The young Englishman
realized that he had to choose between
whiskers and ostracism, and, being a
plucky chap, he packed his trunk and
went back to London on the next boat.
ssTo revert to the mysterious connection
between gamblers and mustaches, a
matched upper lip eventually became
such well recognized badge of the trade
that card sharps who wanted to avoid
suspicion were forced to shave clean. One
noted professional who worked the big
river boats looked a great deal like
sanctimonious deacon when his mus
tache was removed, and he used to make
a point of dressing in long tailed, rusty
black coat, with a white cravat. Going
M to Vicksburg one night, was sitting
in earshot when he attracted the atten-
ton of a group of gay young gentlemen
playing poker in the main saloon. he
was seated by himself reading a book
and was evidently unknown to the party.
Tll bet that old rascal plays poker on the
sly.' said one of the crowd. Ask him to
Join u.s. said another as a joke, and the
first speaker acted on the suggestion. The
stranger was very reluctant at first, but
finally said he calculated he wasn't too
old to learn and took hand. A couple
Of hours later he got of at a landing with
every dollar in the crowd, remarking cas-
uaily that he would now give his mus
tache a chance.
ION another occasion I was going up
to Louisville on some important business
and had been warned especially to look
out for gamblers. We had the usual
crowd Of sharpers on board, but they
were all shaved clean, and it CHANGED
that among our passengers were lot OF
army men fresh from the west, where
mustaches were countenanced. Conse-
quently, when we reached old Gait House
at Louisville and 1 made some inquiries
of friends, was chagrined to find that all
the people had been fraternizing with
were gamblers and all those had been
snubbing and avoiding were gentlemen"
New Orleans Times-D Democrat.