Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-25
From Vienna.

EfOm Nltunts
special Correspondence PUBLIC LEDoER.J
vienna. August 3, 1865.
The third German rife meeting ia
Vienna is progressing favorably. Al
though all our guests are members OF
some rihe club in their own homes, and
consequently, men who may be supposed
IN take Measure in the pastime OF rihe-
shooting. and although not a few, princi-
pally of the thousand Tyrolese, came
here with the intention OF carrying on as
many prizes as possible, the German
patriot occupies the first, and the rifle
man only the second place in the great
mas, of excursionists This is only the
beginning, and none of the great prizes
have as yet been shot for, SO It may
become more serious by asd by; but for
the moment, FIVE sixths of the rlflemen
are seen far more in the town and its en-
yirons than on the rife ground. All the
chief streets are crowded with them /;
most of them are carrying about with
them little yellow pamphlet, The
RiAeman's Guide" and seem bent on
carving out conscientiously the instruc-
t;ons laid down therein, visiting oil the
l;ons ofthe town and allowing themselves
10 be liouized in turn. One can scarcely
blame them. Vienna, which still retains
more or less OF its festive attire, and is
crowded from the early nosning by peo-
nile who are always glad Of an opportu-
ni,y for sight or On outing, is too
nleasant a place to leave for the sake OF
burning certain quantity Of powder in
the covered rife gallery. As for the
general public, it may be altogether ex.
cused for its Indifference to the shooting
Only those are admitted who have a
riaeman's ticket, which opens all doors
others must be satisfied with an occa-
sional peep from out the wooden rails
which are along the side of the rifle gal
lery Little attractive as the rifle grounds
have hitherto proved during business
hours, the attraction becomes great when
the business hours draw toward their
close. AS soon as the heat OF the day
beeins somewhat to abste, and the shad-
ows grow longer, You may see one con
tinuous procession of peopleissuing from
all parts of the town toward the rifle
grounds, the great popular resort OF the
day. The street as well as the road in
Prater. is at that time like q popular
corso. Comparatively few are the pri-
yate equipages which during the season
almost monopolize the place; but so
much the more numerous are the one
horse cabs and the omnibuses; almost
every line has detached some of its car
riages for special service to the rifle
ground. Till midnight these carriages
90 to and fro, carrying the stream first
one way and then taking it back again.
Still, all these conveyances are INSULT
Gent to accommodate all who would like
to avail themselves of them. You see
people watching and examining every
vehicle which passes to see if there is
room, and when one Of them does stop,
a rush toward it is made from all sides
on the chance of being the first If un-
successful, people resign themselves to
90 the last mile on foot rather than miss
going to the rife ground for lounge.
The whole grove swarms with booths,
cafes and restaurants. Just at the en-.
trance is bazar, as yet little tenanted,
and worse attended, except by lockers on
then there are cafe chdutGnt and dancing
floor, surrounded by open festoons, a
gymnastic, theater, all sorts of games and
lotteries, aud stalls with every variety of
refreshments and fruits. 1t is a sort of
miniature fair. We're it not for the un.
ceasing reports OF rifles you would never
think of the third German rife meeting
at all. 1t is popular .fete, which, more
or less, continues day and night. There
are no turntables, and the space is SO
large and sub-divided that you cannot
take in the numbers of the crowd but on
Sunday, the first day, some FIVE thousand
people must have spent their afternoon
and evening there. Two bands Of music
are constantly in attendance. There is
always something or other going on to
feed excitement or curiosity. Now it is
the music, which strikes up some patri-
otto tune, in which every one joins, or a
favorite waltz, which is received with ap-
plsuse; now some one gets on the tribune,
and tries to make himself heard, in which,
of course, he does not succeed, but is ap-
plauded all the same, and, perhaps, with
more zest than if he was heard. Per-
hsps, at the same time, in one of the
other corners, some one, moved by the
spirits, jumps on table or chair, and
utters seeply-felt, but inaudible, senti-
ments, which every one assumes must be
spoken out of his own heart, and all cheer
and applaud Justify.
So il goes on from o'clock, when the
shooting ceases, till half past eleven,
when the retreat, by torchlight. gives the
signal to leave. The bands collect, and
with them q number Of soldiers carrying
lamps. They march around the place
once or twice, giving thus time for people
10 leave the hall and congregate, after
which the line Of march is formed, and
take the direction Of the town. 1ojudge
of the good humor, which is apparent in
every one, the third German rife meet
ing in the good town Of Vienna will long
be remembered by those who took part il
II NJ X.