Washington sentinel., 1898-04-30
IT, : -, SENTINEL
Vienna aud the Viennese.
B. Fetch ey Robinson, fE "CaSsslVS
Magazine"

AANh N'-efHN'
There is a fascination about
Vienna tn at no one can resist. 1t
is the proudest OF Imperial cities,
the guardian OF all that is left oil
the ieudal past, the capital Of the
strangest conglomeration OF
nations ever welded into a Euro
pean Empire since the time of the
Romans. For centuries It was the
frontier fortress OF Chrstendom,
behind the stout walls Of which
the followers of the Cross gathered
20 give battle to the fanatics OF the
Crescent. 1t is still the meeting
place of the East and West, where,
on the Prater, ,orin the broad boule
wards, the Austrian noble, whose
ancestors fill pages OF the Altman
ach de Gotha," rub shoulders with
the Slav and the Czech, the Mag
var and the Bosnian.
The Viennese are the gayest and
most laughteT-loving OF people.
To them, more, perhaps, than to
any other nation, the easy going
cate lie appeals. In the summer
they crowd the Prater, the finest
public park in Europe, and in the
pleasant shade OF chestnuts and
acacias sip their 1eer and criticise
the gallant equipages that whirl
along before them; they throng
the CITY gardens and dine in the
little restaurants, while military
bands make perfect music they
scale the woodland eyTie Of Kah-
lenberg, and sup on the broad
veranCas that overlook the city;
they drive to Imperial Schoen-
brunn, and saunter away the long
evenings in the palace gardens. In
the winter no good citizen is with
out his regular cate; to his favor
ite little table within its hospitable
doors he clings as closely S TO his
religion. He is known as SfaWm-
msRMsfS, a fixed guest, whose wants
take precedence IN the eyes Of
the walters ever those of mere
casual visitors. His cafe is his
club. 1t is here that he meets his
circle of friends and discusses, with
equal aviditY his meals and his pol
tics. In the evening there is a
very eNbayyaS aWHSeWeNts. For
lovers OF music a feast Of melody is
prepared; for the light hearted an
ever changing kaleidoscope OF fun
and irolic presents itself There
are operas and plays, concerts and
music halls, entertainments, car.
nivals and public dances. 1t is
scarcely surprising that, during
the season, Vienna has established
areputation for gaiety second only
to that of the fair queen Of frivol-
ity. Paris itself.
This temperament Of the Wen
nese, this careless manner in which
they are content to look on while
others writhe and toll and push and
strain, is at the bottom Of the anti
Semitic question which is to-day
agtating the city. They hate the
Jew, for they see in him all the
qualities which they themselves
lack. He peIsonihes steady ap
plica ion, calm calculation and
ultimate commercial success. He
alone amongst them does not
spend half day drinking and Cos.
siping in Gates. And thus it comes
about that he is regarded as a kind
Of business "blackleg," who, when
halt the city has struck work, goes
plodding on, taking the beer out Of
the mouths OF the others, and the
price Of opera stalls out Of their
pockets. In return, that born
demagogue, DIR. Lueger, the
mayor, and his friends have given
the Jews a remarkably bad time Of
It according TO the best trade union
pTecedents.
In an angle made by the Ausstel-
lungs Alice and the Hau~t-Allee
is a small park formerly known as
the Kaisergarten. Some FIVE years
ago It was bought by a private
company, VINO started a series Of
exhibitions similar to those to
which we are aCcus omed at Earps
Court Venice" is the present
subject; but it needs no particular
description. There are the usual
canals, gOndolas, gondoliers, res
taurants, bands, theatres and side
shows. Outside its walls, how
ever, lies the Wurstel Prater. which
presents, on a fefe day, a spec
tacle equally interesting and anus
ing. ltisa permanent fair; a town,
theatres, booths and shows OF all
kinds. But, unlike the majority
oil our English fairs, the surround
iDgs are charming and the people
seem to give themselves up TO the
fun as If they were born with
talent for being easily amused.
The good VIennese have poured
out OF the town bent on a frolic,
and they will Joke with a stranger,
ride on a merry 60 round, roll
cOcoanuts and dance with their
sweethearis without bothering
their heads about their appear
ance. WHAT strange mixture Of
races is to be found IN that merry
crowd Here you will see the true
Viennese loafer, lounging along
with his patched felt hat, cooked at
rakish slant, his long black CIGAR
and red necktie with flying ends;
there a bluejacketed Hungarian
stares open mouthed around him,
his stalwart wife in high top boots
and the shortest Of skirts leaning
on his arm. A broad shouldered
highlander from the Tyrol elbows