The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-28
AT A MALE BEAUTY SHOW
ONLY TWO APOLLos OUT OF 1O3 MEN
ON EXHIBITION AT VIENNA.
Practice OF Athletics Does Not Favor
Harmontou. DeveIopment-Mere
Biceps Not the Thing.


that were not the reverse of handsome.
Is that came in for second choice and two
only that pass for Apollos in Vienna.
though American girls might probably hes
itate for a long while before according them
the title OF matinee idol.
The show was held under the auspices of
the most prominent athletic societies of
the country, only private gentlemen being
permitted to compete, no actors. showmen
or pugilists; each candidate had to furnish
evidence OF his moral character, an easy
thing in this country. where the police
know, or are supposed to know, every
thing. Scientists and artists of the brush
and malet literary men. editors and physi-
clans made up the jury. Privy Councillor
Won Benndorf represented the court, Pro-
fessor Frisch. the great anatomist, the uni
versity; Master Temple the society of paint
ers and Messrs. Benk and Schwerdtner
sculpture. There were no women on the
jury and very few in the tremendous audi
ence assembled to see the show.
Earlier in the day 1 had called upon
Princess Pauline Metternich, grand dame,
society actress and impressario Of Peoples
Amusemsnts-
Ten horses could not drag me to that
e0OWs she SAID lou nave PERMISSION
from me to announce that Princess Meter
mich has. and never had, any use for beau
tiful men. They are so disappointing. Dur
Ing my long career at various courts, in
society and private life, 1 have not met
one male person who was handsome and at
the same time did handsomely Napoleon
III was a genius-ano ugly. So were Bis
marck, Garibaldi, Victor Emanuel, Cavour,
Zoia. Talleyrand. Munkacsy. Gambstta.
from the fashion Journals standpoint"
Seeing that meant to enter a mild protest
her grace anticipated me by adding quick
ly: MY observations apply to Europe only.
OF course I am well aware that the United
States could not be as prosperous as 1t is IL
success was welded 10 unprepossessing
persons only. Though Mr.. Morgan cannot
be called pretty, the portraits of most other
successful Americans have seen suggests
that both In the female and male lines
Americans achieve remarkable comeliness."
SMALL FEMININE AUDIENCE.
When Princess Metternich sneezes all
Vienna says God bless you" The mega
tive view she takes Of male beauty must
have been well known in the Austrian cap
ital, for, az already said, few women had
turned out to feast their eyes the self
appointed Apollos. Those present seemed
20 be either sweethearts or wives of the
men competing for medals, and to listen to
them and watch their faces was a treat.
The wives. of course. knew what they were
talking about and extolled their lords
charms with many high-sounding adjec-
tives, interlarded with athletic and sports
manlike terms; the girls cheeks were red,
and IL looked as IL their eyes would burn
holes into the curtain separating the world
of viriIe loneliness from the curiosity seek
ers.
AS a newspaper correspondent was priv
neged to go behind the scenes; there were
10s candidates in the costume of our blessed
forefather Adam, plus bathing trunks; all
of whom belonged to athletic, gymnastic,
swimming or rowing clubs. But though
the majority wore on a bracelet encircling
their upper arm medals and other insignia
OF decoration telling of deeds of muscle
and Drawn. some fifty or sixty were rather
"beefy gents" remarkable only for coarse
ness and assurance.
Assuming the right of the weaker and
handsomer sex to be always late the male
beauties kept the audience waiting good
three-quarte-s of an hour. and it was near
ly 9 o'clock when the curtain rose above the
ufSL DQtCn Oh I0lIly-IOuT III
number. At the same time one of the artist
managers addressed the audience, remind
ing 1T that brute prowess alone burst not
count in their judgment. harmonious bodily
development far better. and pure
beauty best OF all.
The names of the candidates were called
out and the maneuvering began. Attitude
of the gladiator" turn about-face."
above the head" ETC., etc.
The beauties seemed to regard the orders
as so many requests for display of muscle.
and there was a dangerous exhibition of
biceps and much straining after effect all
around-things that made the artists groan,
while the athletes In the audience gave
every evidence OF delight. At the same
time there were some really fine fellows in
the lot, men who would attract attention
In any crowd.
The second batch less well favored
and the third and the last ran conspicu-
ousiy to pot-bellies and enormous thighs"
as the representative of athletics on the
judges bench. sculptor Benk put it, These
heavyweight athletes evidently suffered
from entertaining. INDUCING in exercise
without moderation. rule. and including
all forms and degrees of fatigue. they had
exposed themselves to injuries that gradu-
ally developed into deformities.
GYMNASTS GOOD LOOKING
At roll call noticed particular the nature
of the clubs to which the candidates be-
Ionged. finding that, a rule. Turnvereins.
swimming and rowing societies furnished
most OF the good-lookers. while the ath-
letic clubs seemed to have a tendency to
distort rather than improve members bodi-
ly appearance. Qet me add, though, that a
German athletic club is quite different
from the American article.)
The appearance Of the Turner'S" SWIM
mers and rowefs, on the other hand. proved
that muscular work performed In gradual
~ increasing quantity and according to the
rules Of graduated training. brings about
q progressive adaptation or the organs 10
exercise. improving the human motor by
giving to all its machinery greater strength
and ease Here were the results OF exer-
else considered as an abstract factor and
reduced TO the quantity OF work represented
by IL. Most remarkable from the American
point of view, there were only three or
four college men among the exhibitors The
German student leads too dissipated a life
and. above all, drinks too much to aspire
to bodily perfection. even to sports.
Most Of the candidates were middle-class
merchants. officials and artisans. One man