The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-15
Hnir 0n the Face.

You recently published letter signed J. D. which was an awful arraignment of Medicos who wear boards and mus taches.
 I have watched your columns daily | for a reply to the letter from some courageous disciple of Esculapius, but 1 it is evident they are all so effectually squelched by the powerful reasoning of
 J., D. that they dare not attempt public 1 ly to defend themselves.
 "Theologian' has apparently taken pity on them and written a short reply
 to J. D., but "Theologian" does not rise to the pitch of earnestness and enthu- siasm that inspired J. D., and l yet hope to see the doctors come to the res
 cue of their facial adornments. If they do not, let me warn them that one more
 such letter from J. D. will probably re- suit in a law, or at least a local ordi-
 nance, being passed that will compel them to get clean shaved or be so close cropped that their boards cannot, as J. D. elegantly expresses it, be nesting
 places for microbes"
 J. D. asks how would George Wash | ington or Henry Ward Beecher have l looked if ornamented with a beard c. D. said ornamented) and 'HTheologian"
 responds by asking how would the faces of Christ and the Apostle Paul l have looked if clean shaved.
 The writer knew an old darkey whose | universal expression in reply to argu-
 ments upon any subject was, You'll oil tIo tan1ornr1y in fjn world If VII talk dat away" and "Theologian" cer- tainly brings some heavy guns to bear, considering he seems only to be skir-
 mishing with the subject.
 I know that J. D. wrote about the way-backs wearing boards, but don't
 think he meant to go as far back as
 that. Longfellow and Bryant are mere
 modern examples, and some people thought they looked real nice in boards. J. D. wants all men 70 be shaved so that we can see if their faces are strong or not. It seems to the writer that the
 principal trouble with shaved faces is
 that they are too blamed strong. Now who is going to decide upon this important matter; that is whether a fase is really strong enough to stand alone as it were, or whether it is so
 strong as to be repulsive, or whether it
 is so weak that in mercy to the owner it should be covered with what J. D.
 oddly calls artificial aid. I really do
 not think that the bearded variety of
 face owners are good judges in the
 matter. After noticing a goodly number of shaved faces I think most people will
 to nf hnf o1ininn Tnxuax-b- ;1Gt.ro
 to J. D. he does not claim there would
 be an improvement in personal appear
 ance, but he is so averse to shams that
 he would compel a man with a weak or
 homely face to shave so that it can be seen of all observers, and not to be made to falsely appear strong or hand some by beard. I do not know pre-
 cisely what J. D. means by a weak face, but the argument seems reasOna-
 ble. We must respect a man (for his courage) who purpOsely shows himself at his worst. Perhaps the comparison is not f1attering to men; but note a proud cock arrayed in all his plumage; then see him after he has moulted
 The comparison isn't fair to~ the bird either, because he can't help moulting.
 I think, Mir Editor. that it is justif- able to treat lightly that part of J. D.'s letter that relates to personal appear ance, but when we come to the portion that discusses the wearing of boards from a health standpoint it requires more serious treatment. I was going to say it should be handled without gloves, but that doesn't seem happy cCin hat writes of "the filth-catching mustache, nesting places for germs, filthy and egregrious carriers, meeting places for microbes, etc."
 ''Theologian says he washes his beard at least three times 8 day, so in his case no doubt J. D. would withdraw his strong language, but as to the doctors, J. D. evidently thinks they are very neglectful in the matter. Again '"Theo- logian" says if the beard is so great transgressor in collecting things, the hair of the lead must he much worse, because :t's a lucky head that gets washed more than once 8, week.
 Let me tell '"Theologian" that J. D. does not say that the head is not to be shaved also. One reform at q time is doubtless the motto of J. D. After the boards have all fallen beneath the re- lentless stroke Of the razor. then will commence the campaign against the heads. Of course the first who set the example of shaven polls will look pecu- liar-especially the ladies-but they will have the consciousness of setting no- bic example, and soon will appear a large number of strong and shining cra- niums, and hair-covered heads will be as scarce as J. D. says are mustached and bearded faces. when he remarks that 'the mustache, once so universal, is being limited to stable-boys and po- licemen" What strong line that is and what a lot of stable-boys there must be, for D per cent. of all the men one meets sIil wear mustaches, and they cannot be policemen.
 ''Theologian" says perhaps J. D. is a woman? We'll, no one but "Theolo- gian'' would think that, for bless his unscphisticated heart, does he not know that woman is ever the champi- on and lover of the beard and mustache Of course there are anomalies in the sex, but the chances of J. D. being a