The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-11-29

Vienna, where the goOdnatured, charm
ing inhabitants will meet your advan-
ces more than half way.
x f* X
Among the people of Upper and
Lower Austria, Salzburg, the Tyrol
and Styrla, are to be found an unusually
large number of persons possessed of
fine voices, and with these singing is |
a natural trait, an enjoyment to be
practiced and cultured at all possible
opportunities. Vienna can boast of
the best opera. This does not say that
the most renowned soloists are always
at that opera; but that the ensemble,
the harmonious cooperation of soloists,
chorus and Orchestra-which alone is
the standard by which the quality of
an opera can be determined-is the
best in Vienna. The operetta, tho first
introduced in Paris by Jacques Offen-
bach, has found its real home in
Vienna, where Johann Strauss, Suppe
and many other composers have Gre
ated a large number of these popular
and amusing operatic comedies.
Vaudeville had no place in Vienna till
about eighteen years ago; but since
then it has a magnificent theater of
this genre, whose extensive locali-
ties are also used for masked and
costumed balls and other festivities,
and where only the very best of vaude-
vile is represented.
A special feature of Vienna are her
Volksaenger, i. g., popular minstrels-
but not of the burnt-cOrk variety-whO,
sometimes in pairs or in quartettes,
but generally single handed, entertain
vast crowds in the large restaurant
halls with sentimental, humorous and
sarcastical songs and ballads. Many
of these singers, males as well az fe-
males, have acquired fame, and have
become great fsvorites of the people,
who frequently take active part in the
singing, whenever catching tune or
refrain offers them the opportunity.
. The most respectable people attend
these kinds Of anus ements, tho there
are some singers to which young ladies,
. as rule, are not taken, because the
songs, be the words ever so innocent,
have double meaning, which is often
= not of very chaste nature.
Over ninety per cent Of the inhabi-
r tants live in fats and apartment
: houses. These, as well as other resi-.
: dences, are closed the minute the clock
r strikes ten p. m. After that, access
f and egress to and from the house car
r be had only by ringing up the janitor
i who, on payment of five cents for every
b person entering or going out, will oper
It the house door. Keys to the house are
: not given to anybody. 1t is strangt
n and often very vexatious custom: fol
u it certainly is no pleasure to stand il
+, the cold, or in the rain, and wait til
r. the janitor makes his appearance
h But it has its good side also. Fol
O there is no large city in the worl(
IS where the inhabitants are at home al
l. early as in Vienna, which city has DO
b one quarter as much night life as Pari
n or Berlin. Five cents in Vienna buy
fully as much as twelve cents in New
10 York, and when family of four ant
1t more has to pay this sum for eacl
u member, it amounts to quite an item
ID which thousands Of people do not lik
D. to incur for trivial reasons, just a
8, there are thousands of people in on
n large cities, who frequently walk con
it siderable distances in order to avoi'
IL paying car fare. Many of the theater
is commence at seven and close at hal
d, past nine p. m. and in other places o
I'd amusements, in the cafes and in tn
d. restaurants, q large number of patron
g. will take their leave in time to be abl
,h to reach their homes before ten o'clocl
d. While so many Viennese are unwil
I'D ing to contribute their five cents to th
at support Of the unpopular janitor, bu
IN few of them begrudge much large
,r- amounts they pay for carriage hir'
st Cabmen and cabhorses have rathe
n unsavory reputation in most parts q
II, the world. Not 90 In Vienna, wheI
On the average hack driver is almost
No. gentleman in speech and dress (nt
It. uniformly and general appearance. b
ny owns his own carriage and horses, IN