Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-10-21
sTAUNToN, VA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1878.


tributed towards the establishment of the town
| Under his reign numerous new buildings anc
| Institutions sprung up. Maria Therese and the
Emperor Joseph Ii followed his example in this
respect. The French occupied Vienna twice
| for short time, on the 18th of November,
| 1905, and on the 18th of May, 1909, and in the
proximity of Vienna was fought the battle al
| Aspern on the 2lst and 22ad of May, 1909
and near Wagram the 5th and 9th of July
| From the 3rd of November, 1874, until the 9th
of July, 1915, the well known Congress at vi
enna took place.
The present Emperor, Francis Joseph, on
the 20th of December, 1857, issued the very
important imperial consent for the abolishing
of the Notifications and for the extension of the
city.
SO now [ have given you quite scrap of vi
emma history, and what conceive to be an cpl
tome sufficiently embracing and comprehensive,
without taxing your patience too greatly. I
will now proceed to relate some of my expert
ence ln the way of sight-seeing aud incidents
during my visit that may possibly amuse
and interest you more than the dry details and
facts of history. Common civility and natural
courtesy require me first In order to mention
that most excellent gentleman and worthy mon
arch, Franz Josef I. was far more favora-
bly, impressed with him latter having an oppor-
tunity of observing him closely several times
and meeting him ouce) than with any other
crown head met while abroad. He is plain,
practical working. sensible man, fully alive to
all the interests of Austria and devoted to the
welfare Of his people-walks with the active
business gait of man who has no time to waste,
with kind smile and a gracious nod for al-
Apropos-I will cite an extract from my diary !:
Vienna, June 27th-I have seen several ru-
lers and sovereigns of ate and | mnst admit
that | like Francis Joseph I Of Austria the
best have seen him some four or FIVE times,
been near to him. heard him converse, and
noticed his fine sodierly bearing and his ele-
CANT manners, and also the free. easy
style Of the soldier, and be knows how to
blend them as the circumstances and occasion
required. l saw him yesterday. dressed In the
uniform Of his guard, with braidless fatigue
cap on, aud wearing no decorations or any In
signals of rank whatever and only accompanied
by few aids, enter a neat carriage, drawn
by couple of fine bay horses. An immense
crowd OF people cheered as he was driven off,
which he noticed by standing up in the carri-
age, taking off his cap, and continually bowing
aud smiling unti the crowd was left behind
l saw his majesty again to-day with his Em-
press. both in all the pride and pomp Of royal
ty seated in their splendid state carriage,
drawn by six horses, surrounded by vast
throng of people from all nations, doing hom-
age, and he received it right royalty, touching
his hat occasionally and bowing and smiling
in his bland, easy way to the people right and
left, and Franz josef looked every inch SOL
dier and an Emperor, and his lady bore her
self as queeuly as ever did Maria Theresa or
any of the Hapsburgs. The people are devo-
ted to their noble Emperor and | do not see
how they could be otherwise. fear it would not
interest you for me to attempt any description
of the fine Catbedrals, the grand places and
the splendid hotels that are so numerous in
this imperial city. The elegant bridges, the
superbn new streets the magnificent public parks
beer gardens, and other resorts OF pleasure and
amusement are plentiful enough. Among the
principal streets is the Graben and will name
one of its features that will cause you 10 smile
At the entrance to the Gfaben, to the left,
there is curiosity worthy Of mentioning 1t
is short trunk of tree, secured by iron
cramps, which with the lock are said to have
been manufactured by an apprentice WHO had
sold himself to the devil. Il afterwards became
usual for every travelling locksmith to drive a
nail into the woed, custom which prevailed
as long as room remained. 1t is called ''Stock
i'm Eisen." In the Graben is also one
of the finest and Oldest edifces in Vienna The
The Metropolitan church, ST Stefens Dom,'D
the St. Stephen cathedral. 1t contains
wealth of architecture has steeple and lofty
spire with an elevation of 1876 feet which you
can ascend by $50 stone steps and then by
ladder. This ascent is great undertaking and
will weary you considerably, but when you do
reach the highest point the grand and extensive
view will amply repay you for the trouble. l
eri yed the view much more than the headache
that lasted me al! the rest of the day after de-
scenaing, and this experience afterwards dete-
4 thoo oP l.
of the great cathedral at Strasburg While
walking about the streets Of Vienna, saw
many amusing sights that looked and seemed
very funny ard strange to people not accustom-
ed to such Saw the women helping to build
houses bearing bricks and mortar. So you see
their shoulders were tough aud their heads
(something not unusual to the seX3 were quite
hard Possibly you didn't knoR that in Austria,
like in Germany, the women do more hard,
laborious work than the men; they work in the
shops on the streets and in the fields. [ have
often seen them aboring In the shops at differ
ent trades. Seen them sprinkling, sweeping
and cleaning up the public streets. Observed
them toiling 10 the harvest fields and in the
truck gardens. Noticed them ON the canals and
river banks by the hundreds at the time wash
ing soiled clothes from ''early morn till dewy
eve." | do not think that the dignity of Ia
bor'' is at all we'll sustained or hatteringly IL
lustrated by the bowed bent form of female
delving aud drudging for dear life in any oapac-
ity outside of the homecirce, and its domestic
duties, and l am glad that our country is at
least in this respect of labor vastly ahead of the
European countries do not feel that it is my
duty while writing briefly about the Austrian
CAPITAL to say anything in regard to the great
Exhibition, for | suppose that you have already
heard quite enough in this respect much more
satisfactory and instructive than anything /
might tell you. | feel how poor and how weak
my humble contribution has been to the merits
of this glorious old Imperial city that is so far
from me now on the borders of the distant
Danube, and | revert with pleasure to my brief
but pleasant stay within her ancient borders
and would that [ could look again upon the
kind, intelligent manly face of her noble Empe-
ror. | wish him long life and happy reign,
and while he lives at delightful Schonbrunn in
the Summer, may he sit in equal comfort at his
winter fires in old Vienna.
OCULAR"
At this time, when large payments are i'm
nossible evervhOdy who owes small bills should