The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-02-21
SHAVING FAD IN CUBA
Boards and Mustaches Taken
OFF After American Custom.

Style of smooth ShaVen FRces-Craze
Old Traditions Set Aside.
A man with a beard or mustache is
seldom, if ever, observed now on the
streets of Havana, in Cuba, following
| the craze of having ones face smooth
shaver, after the American style, says
a special dispatch from Havana to the
| New York Globe. This fad among the
men, which has suddenly manifested
! itself, has caused an extra demand for
| BARRIERS, and scores of them are arriY-
| ing from the States il order to meet the
! emergency.
The fashion is not only followed by
| men in society, but 1t has reached ev-
| cry class. The Cuban has always been
! characterized, and even distinguished,
| by his mustache and beard, and a
smooth faced Cuban was rare indeed.
But it is very different now following
| the new fad, and clean, smooth shaven
| faces are seen on the streets. in the
cafes and at the theaters.
Even old men, who prided themselves
| on their boards, have given in to the
dictates Of fashion. The change, which
is most noticeable, is moro closely OBJ
served on the piazzas at nighttime,
when hundreds of young Cubans prom
| enade.
According to a keen observer, no
| craze has been taken up since the ad-
vent of the Americans with such a de-
gree of enthusiasm. 1t has almost had
the effect Of changing the general APP
| pearance of the landscape. Pretty
| senoritas are no longer serenaded by
| youths with dropping mustachios. It's
/ a smooth shaven face which looks up to
| them in the soft moonlight.
| Just how long the craze will hold out
is a matter of conjecture, Judging
! from what has gone before, it has q
| splendid chance Of becoming a perma
nent fashion. Everything American
which has been adopted here has set
tied down for good, even the boot
| blacks, who came as an innovation and
are now seen on every street corner
and on the various plaZas.
| 1t is said that the young men who
first sacrificed their boards and mus,
| tachios did so when they realized that
the senoritas were showing a decided
preference to the young Americans
who were smooth faced. A panic of
hearts enSued A meeting was held in
fashionable cafe. I'VE will show the
girls that we can be>tust as adaptable
as they are. It's cruel, boys, but We'll
have to shave them off If we want to
keep our sweethearts."
The Cuban girl Of today is quite q
different person from the girl Of ten
years ago. With her wonderful adap-
liability and elasticity Of temperament
she has thrown aside the traditions
Of centuries, in consequence Of which
the young American stands just as
good q chance as the handsome young
Cubans.
In many cases he has beaten out the
men who are famed for their lovemak-
ing at their own game. Hundreds Of
wealthy Cuban girls visit New York
every year, and they very soon assimi-
late the customs Of the American girls
and naturally have a leaning toward
the smooth shaver man.
When they get back to their native
home their old admirers come focktng
to see them. OF course they are very
much surprised when the girl says, II
think you would look so much better
If you shaved of your beard"
Then. again, a Cuban maid was new
err seen alone ON the streets. The girls
who now go about their business unac-
companied at first threw modification
into the hearts of their admirers They
were Just a little backward in sanction
ing such freedom. Not so with the
young, smooth shaver American, who
took time by the forelock and stepped
In while the young Cuban made up his
mind
It is a we'll known fact that the Gu
ban men have the greatest admiration
| and esteem for American customs and
are as eager as their feminine rela-
tives and sweethearts to copy the mod
ern institutions of a free country.
| They've adopted a lot Of Yankee
| ways but nothing has been OF such
speedy adoption as the smoothly shay
en- face. Among the younger set there
| was a reason. which has already been
explained Now the fad has extended
| into the countryside, and the young
| peasants. who delighted in their mus
| tache as a peacock does in his feathers,
ride into Havana beardless and i'm
mediately purchase new American
razor It's an i'll wind that doesn't
blow a barber a good thing now and
| then