The Washington herald., 1910-08-14

! been exhibited as a freak in dime
museum. This popularity was attributed
by many to the plebeian character OF
! his descent. one Of his immediate ances-
tors having been a swineherd.
King George. of Greece, sports a pair
Of mSstSches. the appearance Of which
varies with the locality and the char
acter Of his surroundings. When he
! happens to be at home with his family at
Athens, or among his relatives al Copen-
/ hagen. his long mustache has gentle
downward wave, quite in keeping with
/ the role Of pster familias and Of grand
father-0f the man, indeed. who cher
isles the thought Of the freside and
who prefers the bosom Of his family TO
| frivolous pleasures.
But when King George makes his an
nual stay IN Paris and at Aix-les-Bains
his mustache takes a very rakish twist.
stands out at right angles from the face.
and is often waxed at the tips. The
/ only time. by the by, that Napoleon III
was ever seen anywhere in public with
out his mustache being waxed was imme-
/ diately after the battle OF Sedan, when
/ the ends hung dejectedly from the cor
ners of the mouth, giving him a most
! lamentable and miserable appearance
King George is extremely bald; far
more so, indeed than the venerable ruler
( OF Austria-Hungary. who is portrayed as
/ such on the coins and postage stamps
/ OF his dual empire. Old Emperor William
was the first sovereign 10 be thus repre-
scented without any hair on the top OF
( his head, and Edward VII is the only
one Of ali the long line Of monarchs that
have occupied the English throne since
/ the days Of Alfred the Great-that is to
say. during a period Of more than
thousand years-tO be thus depicted.
A good deal Of influence was brought
20 bear upon him 10 induce him TO per-
nit himself to be shown on the coins OF
the realm and on the postage stamps
with a full head OF hair. The king, how
ever. insisted that he should be pictured
just as he was. and thereby showed some
little courage.
For. whereas gray and white hair in
/ wife respect and veneration. and are en-
dowed with a halo Of romance and senti-
ment. badness. which is a symptom OF
old age. and of its cOncomitant decay, is
/ frequently source Of ridicule Indeed.
the absence Of veneration for badness,
is 10 be found in almost every country OF
the world. irrespective OF creed.
The tonsures Of the mOnastic orders in
Europe. and the shaven pates Of the
\ Buddhist clergy in the Far orient, are
attributable TO considerations Of humility.
In ancient times. when slavery prevailed
\ in Europe slaves were distinguishable by
their shaver heads and in many parts
Of the globe. notably in Japan and in
Siberia. convicts have their heads kept
shaver by the authorities, with the ob-
jet Of divesting them o. the respect OF
their fellow citizens
We all remember how the little chill
dren in the Old Testament apOstrophized
the prophet Elisha on account Of his lack
OF hair. and they have their counterparts
in the little street urchins Of the present
day. who impudenuy request their elders
to keep their hair on"
White and gray hair have furnished the
theme Of innumerable graceful ballads
and poems. such as. for fnstance.-That
pretty song which begins with the words.
Silver threads among the gold But
no poet. so far as I am aware. has ever
found inspiration I'm a head Invested OF
hair. and the verses concerning the bald
spots among the ringiets" have yet TO be
written.
The late King Edward his brother-in-
law. George Of Greece: Emperor Francis
Joseph Of Austria-Hungary and the
late Emperor William Of Germany should
receive credit for having themselves rep
resented on their coins true TO life; that
is 10 say bald-headed. instead Of con-
cealing the scarcity Of hair by means OF
a crown or wig or fictitious growth.
Emperor Nicholas of Russia wears
fun beard, short cropped. Of the. same
hue and cut as his cotsin. King George
OF England. and can boast OF a full
head Of hair; while another sovereign
who wears a short-cropped, pointed
beard is King Gustavus Of Sweden
Albert Of Belgium is content with a
soft. fair mustache, which IS not in the
least beliicose. and quite in keeping with
the kindliness OF his face and the gen.
tleness of his demeanor The present
King Of Italy's mustache is short and
twisted upward al the ends That Of
King Peter is heavy and white. and
though it suggests the veteran Of the
from st. Cyr. won his Cross Of the Ie-
gion Of Honor under the French flag IN
the war Of 1870. yet it to-day. at best.
SER &c conceal a particularly weak
mouth and .cyve-wrecked character.
King Charles OF Roumania's beard IS
now as silvery white as the hair OF his
aged Queen. known in literature as
| Carmen sylvia" Ferdinand BuIgaria's
Gar. wears pointed gray beard that
suggests his ancestor. King Francis OF
France.
The Kings Of Norway, Of Greece. of
Saxony, and Of Wurtemberg all restrict
| themselves to mustaches, while the mona
/ genarian regent of Bavaria has a white
beard, quite in keeping wipa the rugged
ness Of his features. and OF his sterling
| character.
! King Alfonso is endeavoring 10 raise a
mustache. which is rather slow in develop
ment. though he was much more sue
cessful with pair Of whiskers. which his
| consort Indignantly forced him TO shave
of. King Manuel OF Portugal is stiI
smooth faced; while Sultan Mahomet OF
! Turkey no longer resembles the pictures
printed at the time Of his accession, a
years ago, nor his portrait in the current
issue Of the Almanach de Gotha. For
he has grown pointed beard.
No Sultan ever shaves, the origin OF
/ this custom being due 10 the fact that
/ the rulers of the Orient are so afraid