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

is his own boss, not a hireling. His
greatest pride are his horses and his
skill in driving them. And the Wen
nese are very fond of fast and good
driving, which they like to enjoy as
often as they possibly can. 1t docs not
matter much to them, il they cannot
afford to keep a carriage of their own;
for the driver will make them feel as
if they owned the carriage. To every
one of his patrons he will give title
of nobility, by calling each male at
least "Euer Guaden," and each female
"Guaedige Frau" or "Guaediges Freu-
lein" and, if he knows their names, he
will prefix "von;" or, if they look par
ticularly distinguished, also the title of
baron or count He is skillful driver,
his horses are fine, and you can rest
assured that he will let no other driver
get ahead Of him; for that he would
feel as personal disgrace. He is in
variably obliging and gentlemanly, will
comply strictly with your orders and
wishes, and will give you much valu-
able information if you so require. In
short, it is pleasure to be driven by
Vienna hackman. When, at the end
of the journey, he politely raises his
hat and assists you out of the carriage
with the grace of courtier, he may
sometimes overcharge you very little.
But when you look into his goodna-
tured and smiling face, and remember
the fine drive he has given you, you
will not wrangle with him about q few
cents, unless it so happens that you
are rather short of cash. Perhaps
some other day, may tell our readers
few amusing stories about these cab
men and about other Viennese
peculiarities.
The visible effect of the free, easy
| and amusing life on the morals of the
Vienna people, is decidedly good one.
They appear for the most part to be
happy and contented; the middle and
the lower class even more so than the
richest and most aristocratic. The
number of divorces is paramount to
nil. This might be partly accounted
for by the fact that the Catholic relig.
ion forbids divorce. Yet, have lived
five years in Austria, where 1 was q
member of many societies, and where
1 have come in contact with many
families, being family man myself
and can assert that surprisingly few
cases of domestic infelicity have come
to my notice. immortality exists ir
Vienna as everywhere else in tht
| world, but it does not make itself con
spicuous, and is not Haunted in th'
face of tie public. There is almost {
total absence of that class Of hypo
critical reprobates who, under tn
mask of piety, indulge in all kinds O.
excesses, and which class of reprobste
is so numerously represented in Eng
land and America, where we hear 8,
frequently of the denunciation of per
sons who have INDUCED in such nefa
rious practices.
, The Viennese drink their beer ant
wine, 60 to church ON Sunday and al
J days, but also to places Of amusements
, Their church and their own conscienc
sees no evil in that. One Sunda
evening I invited the two daughters O
! one Of my friends to 60 with me t
/, hear a certain Volksaenger. On Ou
> way we passed q church, and the younl
> ladies asked me to step inside wit
+ them for few minutes. There the
: took out their rosaries. knelt before
I shrine of the Madonna and ssid thei
3 prayers. Then we walked to the cor
f cert hall, where one of the ladies in
f dulged in iced coffee, while the othe
Q and myself called for Pilsner beel
8 When an opportunity was offered tn
9 audience to join in the singing, bot
:. ladies, and all others present, joyful
/ and animatedly took part in it. O