The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-09-07
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4 vienna, AUSTRIA. August 18., 1873.
1T is not togmuch 50 sAy, Mat Vienna
is the most nisgniacently built oisy pn
| the consinept. Thes houses. both sspnb.
! iie and priyte, iar sVrpass those OF any
city I have yet visited. The finess9 of
their public buildings is the new Opera
House. It has been quite recently
built, and is very handsomely decorated
with frescoing and statuary. On the
second floor. adjoining the orchestra
chairs, is large balcony. where the au
dience promenade and enjoy their little
airtatiens in the intervals Of the opera.
| Near. here is st. Peters Cathedral, q
very old but one of the most costly or
namented churches in Europe. It is
not very large. and, judging from it's
appearance on the outside, you might
easily pass it by, thinking it nothing
more than an ordinary old Dutch
church. But the interior is all embla-
zoned with gold-plate representations of
the immortals. One OF its most curious
| features are the iombs OF an old king
and his queen, whose name we were un-
able to learn. On, either side of the
church are two side affairs, under which
are glass cases, where lie their skeletons,
decked In gold cloth, so arranged as to
show the bones. On both, but more
especially the queen, were the most
magnificent jewelry I have ever seen,
except those OF the Right Honorable
Lady Dudley, of England, and those of
Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria, at the
Exhibition Hall. OF all precious stones,
the pearl alone was missing, on account
of its easy decay. Both were half re-
clining, so ee toI show the face full to
the observer. And what seemed strange.
the skin OF both was perfect, although
only the bones remained OF the rest of
the body.
But all this may not interest you: so
shall say few words about that centre
Of attraction, the exhibition. We know
that o child frets for toy, and having
bought It, soon tires OF it, and throws it
aside; 80 in regard to the exhibition.
We hear 80 much Of it, especially in
America, the great laughing-stock Of
Europe. Of all nations, including the
little principalities of China and Japan,
here represented, we are the very poor
est; and Of all the States, South Caro-
lima is the worst. The only thing she
has here is handful of sea island
cotton brought here by colored man
OF Beaufort. Some poor, half-witted
sch ool master, aided by nm equally as
bright Legislature, has built here an
American school-house, to show Ger
aaany how she should teach her scholars
The idea ia 40 elevated, so grand, 80
lsuperbly zidiculous, that only ON Ameri-
can superintendent OF rirtuous public
schools could have invented it. Why
should We make ourselves the laughing
stock OF all the world for such men?
America is disgraced, degraded, and her
travellers abroad feel it, and are ashamed
to acknowledge themselves her citizens.
Thousands of Americans are abroad,
flooding the markets with their money,
and they are the ones who feel this de-
graduation most painfully. But an ill wind
must indeed be bad that blows no one
any good. Perhaps this may teach us
lesson, aud make Us try to redeem our
selves in '76. Our machines have done
something towards redeeming the credit
of the nation. OF all here, the sewing
machine seems to attract the most
attention. In this department, the
''Secor." of Philadelphia, excels. It
ssws through forty tEicknesses of cotton,
or through the wood of cigar box
With the same machine, you can make
finer tucking than can be done by hand.
We also have here machine which can
turn ont shoe in three minutes, and
ono that makes bucket in even less
time. The last WAS doing q splendid
business here, when the Government
heard Of it, and imposed tax. Such
shabby treatment 80 angered the pro.
prietor, that no has returned to the
United States. Buckets is something
entirely new here. They carry their
water in fat pals, strapped to the
back. The rest of the exhibition is very
fine. Austria is best represented. This,
OF course, is very natural, it being more
easy and safer to convey her fine articles
to the hall than other nations. The
most credit is due to Japan, whom all
praise for breaking through their old
customs. and entering the arena to COM
pete with other nations. in many in
stances successfully. The finest Of
all things exhibited here is the
jewelry of Lady Dudley, consisting
OF rings, coronets, necklaces, hair
ornaments. etc., which is valued at
several million pounds sterling. Among
Franz Josef's is tho celebrated Stewart