The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10
A BIRMINGHAM WOMAN WRITES
GE1ARMINGLY OF VIENNA CAFES
RYfANNIE kENpRlcK WALKER.

these days wandere no doubt to her
hearts content through picture galleries
and gees into estasies over oathedrals
but she seldom attempts to take her
friends at home hand in hand with her
through pages OF descriptions Of cathe-
drala OF TO regale them with Old world
history. She prefers instead to write Of
foreign life. which to the average reader
Is far more fascinating than the detailed
description of Westminster Abbey.
But then one might travel abroad and
know no more of foreign life than the
average visitor to New York knows life
In its most opulent phase, just from
having seen Grants tomb. or glimpsed
New Yorlts East Side from the elevated
trains.
The woman. however, who is Interested
IN life itself and who is capable of ap-
precia4ing the striking and varying
characteristics, is the woman who really
enjoys life not alone in her own coun-
try. but abroad. and whose observations
OF foreign life are always interesting.
It is this type of woman who insists
upon travelling independently and who
steers away from the beaten track; and
IT is now said that it Is no longer sun
prising to meet little parties Of two and
through Europe and ignoring all the adj
vice laid down In the guide books.
Mrs. e. G. Stevens OF Birmingham
went over this summer determined to
avoid the regulation tour" With two
charming New York women sne IS haN-
ing the most ideal summer. They even
ignored all precedent about how many
walking skirts TO take and at what par
ticular minute they must go for drive
1. sd al To-
nored London-declined absolutely to be
seen In London at all They had seen
London for several successive summers.
and they raised the same argument
about other foreign cities. 1t is only
Paris that lures them back again.
They declared they would not again
be handicapped with baggage, and so
they left their trunks in America and
bought grass telescopes just before they
sailed. They made a close study OF just
what they would need and a woman can
do this to perfection. And now this trio
of bright women are following their own
inclinations and have every opportunity
of making a study of foreign life. They
have recently spent some time in Wen
ma and Budapest, and from there Mrs.
Stevens sends the following letter In
which she tells of characteristic phase OF
life, the cafe life, which she declares Is
gayer than that of Paris:
We have heard of the Vienna cafes
and probably imagine them large places
where people go to eat. But that is all
a mistake, for the only thing you get
to eat are Sandwiches and cakes.
They go there for coffee and beer and
sit for hours and read the papers and
magazines. In the summer they sit at
the tables on the sidewalks and IN front
of the small tables are screens in the
- Trtth a vii
netting over which Ivy Is grown. The
first thing the master does after you
select your table Is to bring the papers,
and this he does with great discrimina-
ton. He brought us the New York Her
aid and Harpers Weekly, while the table
adjoining us where the people were un-
mistakably English he brought the Lon
don Times. They have a large assert
ment from the daily to the picture mag
azine.
When you give your order coffee me.
LANCE seems to have first choice. 1t Ii
served in a very tall glass with about two
inches OF whipped cream, and with thi:
they bring a glass filled with long. rounC
waters which they use often for spoons
They have a variety of fancy waters
filled with cream. chocolate and different
mixtures. which they bring you in a sill
yer basket, and there one sits for hours
watching the gay crowds.
You are somewhat surprised in settling
your bill to have the waiter ask you how
many cakes or pieces of bread you have
eaten.
These cafes are located in every block
not only In the fashionable quarters, but
IN the poorer districts. and seem to be
most popular from four in the afternoon
until ten at night. After that hour every
thing seems very quiet, and probably the
and pensions one has to pay the porters
fee after ten at night.
The Vienna bread had a worldwide
reputation and certainly deserves 1t; one
can almost live on that alone. We could
not enjoy the European breakfast which
is only coffee and rolls, only the bread is
so satisfying The coffee is always serv-
ed you individually on a little tray with
an individual sugar and cream and is
most tempting The Foilsgarten, which
is located back of the Emperors palace.
is beautiful garden. and at night q fine
orchestra plays, and here you can spend
a pleasant evening. At one table you
can see a crowd of Americans, and when
the band plays one of Sousa's marches
they break out into great applause. At
another table you will see a crowd of
solid Germans. all drinking beer, touch
ing glasses and drinking each others
health in their favorite beverage At an
other table you will sec a party OF gay
Viennise ladies and gentlemen, all smok-
ing cigarettes and thinking cordials
American drinks are unknown here-the
nearest approach TO a cocktail being a
mixture of cognac and benedictine. These
cafes are sometimes to be seen In the
middle of the street, something like a
tent. They have restaurants where one
can get good dinner, either table d'hote
or a la carte. but here the social feature
Is eliminated
In the cafes as we'll as the restaurants
there are three walters that serve you
and one has to tip them ALL The mar
that brings you what you eat and does