http://herald.stumbleupon.com/review/3469850/
Herald points to the story behind Lincoln’s beard, but I’ll wager he hasn’t heard Dave Barry’s far more entertaining version:
When Lincoln assumed the presidency, he was clean shaven, but one day he got a letter from a little girl suggesting that he grow a beard. So he did, and he thought it looked pretty good, so he decided to keep it. A short while later, he got another letter from the little girl, this time suggesting that he wear mascara and rouge and maybe a simple string of pearls. Fortunately, just then the Civil War broke out.