The evening times., 1898-08-20
THE BEAUTY QUEEN.
A Quaint Annual Ceremony in VI
cnDa.
From the Pail Nall Gazette.)

(From the Pail MAIL GaLette-)
The Vienna girl has her one day OF
triumph in the year-the fair and comeiy
Vienna girl, l mean; the unique type OF
beauty with the matchless complexion.
the tall. slender figure free of the Ger
man embonpoint, or the Anglo-Saxon
sparensss and angularity. In the Cath
olic calendar 1t is the festival of Anna,
or the "Annenfest," the name day for
all the Annas of Kaiserstadt. But IN
the peoples life 1t is the Fete OF Beauty
in which the masses are the jury, and
their sisters and sweethearts the rivals
for the coveted reward that proclaims
her the beauty for one year-the Venus
of Kahlenberg.
Once more this week all Vienna took
tue circuitous route up the sides of the
Kahlenberg to reach Beauty's trys.ing
place amid the trees that crown the
summit. The competition is open to all
comers. 1t Is Pippa's one bright day
when the sun shines all for her. And
the shop girl is there, too. decked out in
that simple taste that Is so becoming.
A birth certificate is not demanded of
the fair competitors. nor is the name
Anna" obligatory. Each visitor has a
coupon forming the counterfoil of his
mountain railway ticket, which he hands
to the beauty of his choice. The after
noon is hot and the parched people
gardens, and even storm the kitchens of
the restaurants until the police forcibly
place the larders under lock and key.
Hours pass by amid the crash of bands
and the thinking of foaming glasses.
Vienna lies far below partly obscured by
smoke and the eternal dust. The cool of
the advancing evening brings relief and
the jostling crowds begin to promenade
to and fro to get glimpse of the fair
rivals.
The agitation begins. Two young fell
lows precede the competitor. 1t may be
an Anna" from the student quarter
with a little farmyard of birds on her
capacious light and airy tulle dress and
the "feschen' Girardi straw hat. But she
is inevitably on the arm of a protecting
cavalier" who is busy greeting the
passers-by, while the fair one sends ap-
pealing looks from pretty eyes. By and
by the eliminating point is reached. The
young lady is helped on a chair, the pub
lie crowds round, and her companion, in
something of the tone of a Snowman,
sings out: Ladies and gentlemen, give
your coupons to this lady. She is the
most beautiful here. Just look at her
and convince yourself"
Close by is a rival with a numerous re-
tinue, and the most unattractive of phys
iognomies. They make tremendous
nodSe SnoutlnS Is tne principal thing,
and the other Venuses must perforce re-
QUESTION the services of equally strong
lunged champions. One old gentlemaA
takes advantage of the opportunity to
make himself popular. He declares he
Is collecting coupons for the ex-Princess
Chimay. In a few minutes he has a hun
dred coupons, and these he distributes
among the graces who have taken his
senile fancy. Finally. the coupons are
counted; the excitement Is intense as the
result is proclaimed. A Christine" and
not an Anna" has won-a petite blonde,
and an everyday figure among the peo-
ple simply but tastefully dressed. like
the typical Viennese grisette.
Such is the beauty Of 1898, who has Sc
cured 5A votes and is blushing with the
sense of triumph and the consciousness
that her photograph is to fill the win
dows Of the photographers for the next
month or so. Her success has not turned
her head. She is stenographer to a So
licitor, and she will be content, she says,
II she is able to achieve the feat Of writ
ing eighty words a minute. She is too
young to think Of marriage yet. Not SO
rival. the brunette. who has carried or
third honors. She Is waitress in fash
ionable resort where champagne corks
fly. She is decided: she will go to the
stage, and she is sure that no manager
will refuse her now that Vienna has pro-
claimed her one OF the fairest daughter.
and the papers are iilled with her praises.