The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-11-15

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his consort, the beautiful Empress |
Elizabeth, was assassinated by an |
anarchist; his brother, the Emperor
Maximilian, was executed by the
Mexicsns at Queretaro, and several
other trsgical accidents and
scandals in the families of his
nearest relatives caused him great
grief; while the continuous quarrels of
his conslomerate family of subjects
made it imperative on him to throw
his own personality into q breach
which was never closed during his en-.
tire reign. Tho very kind, amiable
and chivalrous, Francis Joseph pos
sesses none Of the brilliant traits which
distinguish great rulers, and he was
often i'll advised by his counsellors.
In spite of all this his people, and the
Viennese in particular, have stood by
him Loyalty and lovingly, sympathizing
aud participating in bis sorrows as il,
he were q member OF their own family.
This love of the emperor's personality
mot love for the Hapsburg dynasty
is so interviewer with life in Vienna,
that 1t has to be taken into considers
ton if we wish to account for many
things that must seem surprising to
all foreigners.
The people of Vienna, like those of
all the German provinces Of Austria,
are almost excessively fond Of art,
song and music; but in point of tenn
permanent they differentiate essentially
from their more serious brethren OF
Prussia, of Northern Germany. The
Viennese are "gemuethiieh," q word
for which the English language offers
no adequate expression. Its meaning
combines contentment with joviality,
kindness and good will towards their
lfellowman; but it also denotes cer-
tain levity of character which forces
into the background everything that is
disagreeable or distasteful.
4 "Alleweil idel, fdel, slleweil fdel,
Traurig sein mag i nicht, bel meiner Seel!"
is the refrain of very popular song in
Vienna. 1t means in somewhat free
translation, that the singer wants to
be merry and jolly all the time, and
that everything which savors of sad
, ness is abhorrent to him. That the
people Of Vienna have their troubles
and sorrows like the rest Of mankind
. need not be said, but it is 8 fact that
} the merry side of life is very strongly
impressed on their character, as ID
| plainly noticeable to ell close observers
) Vienna is. inhabited by 1,350O00 Ro
: man Catholics, 10000 Israelites, ami
l only 5000 Protestants and other. be
b levers. Austria is today by far th'
4 strongest bulwark of the Church, d
t Rome, and the entire country is stud
8 ded with Catholic churches; cloister
f and monasteries of all orders, male ami
9 female; shrines of the Holy Virgil
r and of the patron saints; and with in
q Vulnerable sacred places to which pil
q grimages are made by the pious. Fo
lall that the Austrisns are very liberia
s in their religious views; much more 9
It than the English speaking Protestant
/. The Catholic clergy also, is very lit
s eral, and, while strict in regard to th
It dogmas and ceremonial, rites Of thei
d church, extremely tolerant toward
b most sins the human flesh is heir b
d They mingle with the layman in q
Is walks of life, in respectable places
70 amusement, and in restaurants, and !
ir wine and beHr houses and garden
is The word "saloon," or 'barroom" cal
al not be used for these places, as no suc
re abominable places as We designal
o, with these words, exist in Austria,
" hardly anywhere on the continen
d. Many of the monasteries own valuab
is vineyards and produce excellent win
Ill The pious monks, as well as almost
be priests in Continental Europe, 81
in known as connoisseurs OF good eatir
be and drinking, delectati0n whil
lis should not be begrudged to men who
CO devotion to religion excludes the
'e- from participation in 80 many 9th
y; enjoyments.