The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-01-23
SHAVED |. jII2CE
Peter the Greats Merry War on
Boards In Russia.
RAZORS FOLLOWED THE TAX.

When Heavy Fines Failed to Produce
the Desired Result the Gar Had Bar
bers Seize His Subjects In the Streets
and Now Their Whiskers..
Peter the Great on his return to
Moscow in 1859. after travelling through |
Germany. Holland and England. de-
termineh 10 make his Russian subjects
look ike Europeans. for ut that time.
In both appearance and manners. they |
resembled the Asiatics. They were
dressed in long robes reaching down
to their ankles, gathered in folds at the
waist and girded by a belt or sash. the
Weather classes wearing garments Of
rich materials, lined with costly furs.
and on their heads they wore a high
cap with fur border.
They took great pride in their
long boards. which were comhed ous
over their breasts. and they reckOueC
them not only an ornament to the
face. hut distinction from the sur
rounding nations. who were all clean
shaved.
Peter began his reforms by ordering
all the boyars. or mobiles. to appear Mt
court in English dresses on pain of his
diSpleasnre. and patterns of English
coats were hing up ut the gates of the
city and all persons passing through
the gates in their long habits had to
pay a tax or else have their skirts cut
round by the knees.
The poor peasants alone We're px
enl,hed from this rule. On the wearing
of long boards Il tax was imposed. but
this measure only Increased the cars
revenue. for the people willingly paid
the money that they might retain their
cherished boards.
Even those who adopted the English
dress refused to submit to an act that
they thought not only irrelisions. but
| foolish. "for why" said they. de
prive the chin OF its natural coverin.
In a climate where the protection Of
fur collars was necessary during six
months in the year,:
| So. finding taxes and fines useless
the czar resolved to convert his sub
| jects to the new fashions by force
At the gates Of the city BARRIERS were
stationed. and all, except the peasants
who were allowed to retain theil
boards. were Obliged to submit to I
rapid shaving, III spite Of entreafie'
aud the offer of large hrilrs.
And venerable gray boards might ~
seen Scampcrn. through the streets
pursued by the BARRIERS. wir,m the!
fled from as they would from hang
men. and when rau:.li! THE l"or run
aways frequently lost skin as well II
hair in this rough Way of shaving
The BARRIERS were most likely German
or English and probably en1uyM tn
panic they caused among the Russians
Shaving had at one time been tif
nOuuccd b. the clergy. and bear
at that time was looked upon as Il sig
Of orthodoxy. 50 that native barber
would have got but little custom
Those Russians who persisted in veal
ing their long caftans were Obliged 7
kneel down. and their garments wer
cut of at the knees Peter sometime
invited the mobiles to his table an
had them shaved in his presence.
process that some of them resisted
their faces suffering in consequence:
One day when the czar was o.
walking he met an old man comm
: | Ii ND
to him. telling him that now he lla
lost his beard he looked like Il yonr
man. Upon this the old man put n
hand into his bosom and. drawn
forth the beard that had been cnt q
and showing it to the ear. told nj
:. that he should preserve it and have
/ placed in his coffin. that in the ne
world he might show it to ST. \icho';
to prove that he was trut. Russian.
Peter did not cOnfine his reforms
= the mems habits He also changed Il
e dress of the RUSSIAN ladies. but. thou'
the new costume may have been mo
) convenient, it was certainly not
= quaint or picturesque as the ola "r
I0e Ia0leS OF huSSN iIN eu III pfFh'
seclusion seldom appearing In pun
and having separate part OF I
Y house appropriated to them, hut !
y czar ordered that at all festivities
I" public entertainments women Sh"'
be invited as well AS men. hut that III
must all appear in English dresses
. Whether all Of Peters changes
:" costume were for the better may
doubted. for before his time STAYS ws
unknown In Russia. ami WHEN he II
visited the German court ana
dancing witt, the ladies' tse miStn
their whale bone corSt'is for tn
: bodies aud complained! that the q
man ladies' had such hard bones.
Louis GlniH' democrat
Lack Of Tact.
why did You jit Percy:
HE is lacking in tact
,f why. I thought he aiw:ys said r