Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-30
A RENAISSANCE OF WHISPERS.

A metropolitan newspaper. recit-
ing tn woes OF the man who does not
shave himself and the steady rise OF
shaving costs, predicts a return to
whiskers. It notes that whiskers are
becoming more and more noticeable
on the streets and foresees a general
whiskerization OF the populacs.
To the present generation whiskers,
tho old time hirsute adornment and
Disagreement OF forty odd years ago
and before have been by way OF curt
osity. This generation was raised
without whiskers but to their fathers
and grandfathers whiskers were not
only common but fashionable.
Everybody wore whiskers in. those
days. The man who couldn't raise
whiskers was pitied more than blam-
ed He was like a one legged man at
a footrace or a deaf mute in a de-
batting club.
Going back TO grandfather lie wore
his whiskers IN n fringe around the
lower angle OF his Jaw. The rest Of
his face was clean shaven. chin. cheek
and upper lip. The wh!skers seemed
to overflow his neckband and framed
his face like the fringe on an old time
lamp mat. Most Of the fellows wore
them so but here and there were
those whose faces looked out Of a
Jungle OF hair like a pumpkin in a
field Of ragweed. Some OF them,
however, cared for and cultivated
them. They combed and trimmed the
edges and viewed the result with
pride as a farmer looks on his corn
field when he lays 1t by" There was
old Blake, who drove the stage, whose |
whiskers were four feet long and
reached below his knees when ne let |
EN- hang. He comhed and caressed |
them daily and wore 'ern wrapped
around his chest under his vest. He
was as proud or that hank OF hair
as any one Of the seven Sutherland
sisters Of their GROWING glory. He
grew whiskers rs some folks raise
chickens and rabbits because he loved !
EN-, and needed something TO pet
Children used to beg to see Blake's
whiskers. There were whiskers trim !
ed spade fashion, whiskers trimmed
to g point. the predecessors OF the |
Vandyke so dear to the modern med |
ical student and young doctor.
About the time Of the civil war
General Burnside introduced a new
one. He improved on the old fash
Toned lambreQuins known as Dun
dreays which hung below the 1owi and
gave the world Of whiskers burn
sides. The burnside was one Of the
later hirsute manifestations preceding
the vandyke and the solitary mus
tache. It gave a dashtng and devil
may care effect and was very popu-
lar among the young men.
Whiskers had their advantages.
They hid large part Of conferences
to the improvement Of the general eff
feet. Many a woman who married
whiskers has tainted when she saw
the goggle-eyed and lantern jawed
wreck revealed by the razor. There
was a dignity as well as q conceal
ment. about them. They covered a
weak chin and made prestige for the
fool who was not all a fool and who
knew enough to keep his mouth shut
tight. The physiogomist who nova
days watches the working face Of his
victim for the psychological moment
to say Sign here" ran against bar
rier when ne looked into that mass Of
hair. Any oil stock salesman will tell
you that whiskers are hard to sell. And
a good crop Of chin whiskers of the
ancient type was a better chest pro-
tector and precaution against pneu-
monia than a chamois vest.