The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-09-22

Leaving the natural barrier of Italy
behind, when the traveller crosses the
Austrian frontier, he is all day long
in the midst Of beautiful scenery. The
Stygian Alps show cliffs from which
torrents rush, gentle mountain pastures
and dells, with health and vigor IL
every breath Of the sweet Alpine air.
There are tunnels and lofty viaducts
and romantic castles, and as the ap-
proach to Vienna Is made through the
plain Of the Danube River its history
Is suggested by It's surroundings. It
was first Celtic village, then Ro-
man fort, wherein Marcus Aurelius
died. Vienna was desolated subse-
quently by the Huns, becoming later a
fief of Charlemagne. In the twelfth
century the Duke Of Austria acquired
1t. It was greatly enriched by the cru
sades; and in the twelfth century it
became a fortified town. twenty-five
years later the Hapsburgs took it; in
the sixteenth and seventeenth centu-
ries the Turks besieged it. In 1909
it became a French possession, and in
1855 it fell into Austria's power. To-
day it Is the imperial city Of Austria
Hungary, the most turbulent realm
that any modern European sovereign
rules
At Its center is the old city. of mar
row streets and lofty houses. Around
1t along and outside the Ringstrasse,
that circular boulevard which was built
on the line Of the old Notifications, is
new Vienna, Of handsome buildings, fine
parks and broad streets. The people
are gay and light-hearted. To an
American, used to three meals a day,
the Viennese seems to be eating all the
time. For his first breakfast he has
only coffee and rolls, but he follows
this up at 10 O'Clock by eggs; at noon
comes his chief meal, both rich and
substantial; at o'clock he has coffee,
at 6 his early supper, and then this
second supper we have spoken Of at 10
O'Clock, to top off his day, and send him
to bed at peace with all the world.
The Viennese aristocracy are the
proudest In Europe, the Viennese poor
are among the most humble. 1t is a
city Of great contrasts. In juxtaposi-
ton to the busy, unpretentious commits
sionaire, the public's indispensable SER
want, stands the elegantly liveried por-
ter who PAGES In front Of the telegraph
Office wearing a cooked hat and coat
covered with gold lace and carrying q
long staff with big silver ball at its
end, remining one Of the pompous po-
licemen in Parma.
This city has predominant status in
the realm Of music Her name is as
ISOLATED with the names Of great COM
posers, and with great musical festi-
walls. Important periods Of Mozart's
career, and Beethoven's also, were
passed in the capital Of Austria Hun
gary. Schubert was born here. It was
at concert In Vienna that the boy
List. Hungarian by birth, played 80
well that at the conclusion of his per-
Torrance Beethoven came upon the
stage and kissed the child, in token
Of his appreciation Of his genius, a trib-
ute which List the man treasured in
memory when the older composer was
dead, and he himself had become a resi-
dent of Paris.
DR.. Brahms and Johann Strauss, too,
lived here. The population Of the city
Is nearly the same as that Of Chicago,
and officers and soldiers comprise one
sixth Of the people.
The soldiers are not, however, the
only people in Vienna. There are at