The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-03-21

of Harding and Coolidge down to the
election of Hoover. Now that we have
had nearly twenty years Of smooth
shaven Presidents Is the pendulum
about to swing back again, and give
us another bearded President to set
the style for his fellow-Americans?
And if whiskers are to stage come
back, what are to be the most popular
styles?
Look at the portraits OF the be-
whiskered notables shown above and
pick out your own style. The full,
flowing "chest-protector'' beard worn
by Edwin M. Stanton, secretary Of
war in Lincolns cabinet, is not only
typical of the style most popular in
the American golden age of whiskers
but 1t is one of the Oldest styles. AS
viii be seen by data presented later
in this article, it goes back to very an.
cient times. If, however, it would
overtax the patience of the average
American to wait for the growth of
such a luxuriant crop, the hairy col
lar style, with the ostrich plume effect,
as exemplified by Horace Greeley, the
great editor, might be less trouble to
cultivate.
Many Americans may not remember,
the services Of the gallant Gen. Am
brose Everett Burnside during the
Civil war, but they are not likely to
forget what he contributed to Ameri-
can facial adornment. They are some
times referred to as mutton chop
whiskers," thereby depriving the gen.
eral of credit which properly belongs
to him. For, as everybody knows, the
right name for them is obtained by
reversing the name of the man who
made them popular and calling them
"sideburns." Similarly, his imperial
and ill-fated-majesty, Napoleon III,
made popular in France the combina-
ton of sharp-pointed mustache and
1ower-lip whiskers, or "goatee," which
goes by the name of imperial" 1t
is doubtful If the average American
would care for this foreign inven-
tion'-preferring one of the "made-
fn-America" brands-any more than
he wonld care for the sharply up
turned mustache of the ex-kaiser of
Germany. One fault Of the latter type
at least, there is tradition to this
effects that It requires too much at
tention. such as putting 1t in a cloth
framework at night so that it will not
sag, droop or otherwise lose its perky
uprfghtness.
The United States, however, is not
the only country in which there are
signs Of a whiskers comeback. From
France comes word that a well-known
arbitcr of styles on the Partisan boule-
wards has started campaign for the
return Of the beard which he regards
as the outward sign of a mature
mind" Thus Is another historical
cycle completed, for in early times the
beard was considered by all nations
as u sign of strength and manhood,
carefully cherished and almost regard
ed as sacred. More than that, its re-
moval was considered a particularly
degrading form Of punishment. In
the second book of Samuel in the Old
Testament is related the story of the
servants which King David sent to
Hanun, ruler of the Ammonites, to
comfort him for the death of his IA
Their. Their reception is described as
follows:
And the princes of the children of
Ammon said unto Hanun their lord,
Thinkest thou that David doth honour
thy father, that he ha tn sent comfort
ers unto thee? hath not David rather
sent his servants unto thee. to search
the city, and to spy 1t out and to over
throw it?
wherefore Hanun took David's serv-
ants and shaved off the one-half of
their boards, and cut OFF their garments
in the middle, even to their buttocks,
and sent them away.
When they told it unto David, he
sent to meet them, because the men
were greatly ashamed: and the king
said, larry at Jericho until your boards
be grown. and then return.