Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-15

Strange ChaSactsrs which Abound In
the Austrian Capital.

the Austrian Capital.
| A PECULIAR INCEPTION FOR A MODEST xAN-rHs
oPESxEss WITH WHICH VICE 10 TRRArEp-A
rRAvELsRs YIRsT AsToNrsHrNe RxPHRIRNcs ON
TIE STREET.
fCopyrshted.l
Correspondence Of THE EVENING stan.
shall never forget the black-eyed and beautiful
mob OF women who throng the streets OF Vienna.
arrived at the Austrian capital one morning ct
O'Clock from Berlin. The journey had been ex-
ceeoingiy dusty, as continental journeys are apt
| 70 De- On this morning had an unusually long
and vigorous alteration with the custom-house
authorities, and had driven for half an hour In
the glare OF the early morning sum- without break
last, and felt the loss OF sleep and the lack Of
railroad accommodations which are 30 common
In America that we think they are o matter OF
course all over the world.
When we arrived at the Grand Hotel fat old
porter with waxed moustacne waddled out,
opened the door of the cab with barred head, made
me profound salaam, and then looked with some
degree OF excitement into the cab
"Why." ne said In AN expostulating voice, "you
| are alone"
| reflection in his voice, but / went on into the
ODDLY after giving some instructions about my
luggage, when discovered the porter again at my
"You are alone. he repeated.
sis that crime In vienna?n
III Is very unusual" said the porter, looking
tnougntIully at his boots. door at the other end
lifted a pair Of weary and travel-worp eyes and
| Juno-nke figure, magnificent dark eyes amt a clear
onve SKIN, sweep slowly toward US, smiling en-
portion Of the hotel. she was atItred in fresh
| girl
The fat porter twiddled his thumbs and looked
aiter her with raised eyebrows. Then he looked
at me 1nquiringly. long silence ensued. In
| that the porter was giving me time to think.
., Mhy don't you show me TO my room?" l asked
"A double room?n asked the porter softly.
mo. nor l said, worn out with the mans
bidding; 1.-The single room and bath that tele-
He shrugged Ills shoulders. and sent me upstairs
with one OF the under-porIers. The girl in the
lawn dress was already seated in the elevator as
started upstairs. She glanced at the head porter,
ana Then, with an exclamation in excellent French
about having forgotten her handkerchief, she
| stan.
AN INCIDENT OF THE BATH.
am aware that, in relating an incident OF this
sort in an American paper, run risk Of import
ance, but wish to give idea OF the extraordi-
nary openness and candor with which vice is
treated In Vienna. had not quite made up my
mlnd now matters stood, even after the extra0rdi-
nary bid or the porter OF OF the principal hotels
later OH.
The bath room proved to be veritable delight,
1t was about ten feet square, the floor was marble,
and good share OF 1t was SUNK to depth or tive
feet. There were great faucets hot and cold show
ers, and needle spray. nlleo the tub up TO my
waist with hot water, and reflected that Vienna
was rather decent Sort of place after all.
my bath, mumbling in French, a slight swish OF
| a skirt, and repetition OF the knock. When
SPenea the dS0r hall an hour later no one was
and then started out to visit a captain In the
Austrian army, whom had known In New York,
long distance from the Grand Hotel, but the
weather was deliciousy warm, after the severity
OF Berlin winter, ana stroiied on in a general
way toWaru the middle OF the town.
A STREET ADVENTURE
1t was about IL O'Clock in the morning.
stopped TO look at curious medallion in a WIN
dow, and felt the touch OF an arm next to mine.
The woman muttered an apology, smiled, show
s Mss set Oh Ieetn and moved lazy
Colstantinople Her makeup was extraordinary,
and yet nobody stared al her there. She was as
| upon her shoulders like q Iaun'S Her eyes
were enormous, and OF that heavy, lusIer.
reminds one OF a lump OF anthracite coal. Thew
were not brilliantly. but sluggishly beautiful. The
rest or the lace was sQuare-cut, with long jaw,
Clear olive skin. She looked like Nubian, creole
| darby from the French quarter or New Orleans an
Egyptian and q Viannrse all rollen In one Her
dress Was short, revealing pair or pretty feet and
| slim ankles. Her stockings were green silk, and
the slippers she wore were like sandals TO tue ex.
tent OF having no sides or backs, tut the sandal
oelusion was disstpated by long LOUIS QulnA
heel A little red cap covered the ZOE and Kept the
| supper on the loot. Her skirt was Of some soft
white material that fell in perfectly straight lines
| Upon her shoulders she had drawn q green and
wnite shawl with zeOrac stripes. Her hair was
caught up with comb at the back OF the head
and allowed 10 fall In fluffy black mass TO her
eyebrows The hair was OF the same shade as her
| eyes. small spanie! trotted along beside her.
| STRANGE COUPLE.
| She looked back as / stood staring with undis.
| guised interest ct her once or twice. and then
turned her attention to other men. Presently she
| stopped, and then, resting one hand on her hip
| with her shoulders thrown well back, stood out
Lped against the intense sunlight OF the spring
| DAY, and waited Tor queer-l0okng couple u
come across the street. These Two Approached
her familiarity. and the tall and Nubian-looking
girl kissed the younger or the newcomers gOOI
| naturedly. Then they lighted o couple o. ciga-
rettes and adjourned past me to place across the
way, before which Was the sign or a beer-sarden.
Or the two newcomers, one was an old aud
wrinkled women Of SeventyOdd years, and the
other beautiful girl or the pure TeutOnic type OF
beauty, who was really about 1fteen years OF age
but Was made to look like ten. She wore a chiid's
bib and tucker over her childish dress, and She
looked around with her baby blue eyes, after the
| fashion Of an infant who had lost It's rattle
IL did not take very keen bit Of discernmenr to
see that she was acting part, but It is only due
TO her TO say tina. she was acting 1t very well and
I the majority OF men might easily have been de-
ceived into believing that she was child out for
| a walk with her Old mother rather than a duly
licensed and registered young person gaining q
! livelihood under q recognized profession, and un-
| der the laws OF Vienna.
| l suppose l am not unlike other men, and I
| stood ON the corner, with my hands In my pOck.
| cts, wondering where two such remarkably Op-
| posed types as blond and TeutOnlc looking
| child, and tue big majestic and superb LOOKING
Nubian-if she was "A Nubian-had come from
| and now IL was they had drirJed together.
| ANOTHER ENCOUNTER
While thus musing voice at my side said In
| very bad English:
| "Goot Hayvings! hat loose my poorze."
"YOur what?" asked.
| "My pors-Iny portmanteau"
She was evidently rather fond of her English
| but the episode OF the purse was so old thai She
| was affected by 1t even at the outset and She
| grinned mockingly at her own deception for She
held her purse In her hand, She might ha va hean