The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-06-04
VIENNA A SLEEPLESS CITY
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Chronicle

F. Harris Deans in Manchester (Eng.)
Chronicle.
~ LII viennese love their city as
WIZ they love their wife-some per-
haps more. This dual affection
is not to be wondered at; most visito.s
feel that they could ntirture, with but lit
tie effort, a similar devotion.
Masonry unrelieved, however beautiful
architecturally, is oppressive. The Wen
nese have realized this, with the result
that broad streets, green spaces and ave-
nues of trees tighten the somber magnifi-
cence of the buildings.
With but one rival, Vienna attracts the
womankind of the world. Here they seek
those articles which-a cynic would say
makes them what they are, but l, with
greater courtesy, prefer to say-paint the
lily and perfume the rose. Here before
the Siren windows they pass. gazing en-
tranced at the waxen effigies Of then
selves within. Effigies sometimes whole,
sometimes dsmembered, displaying
shapely silks or tempestuous laces, and
other things of which no man dare write,
lest his ignorance mocks him or his
knowledge damns him.
The perfect courtesy of the inhabitants
is magnificent. To me who knows no
tongue but his own, this is undoubtedly
the city to get lost in. . If he has
to get lost at all. A friend of mine lost
himself here once. He had been striv-
ing for some time to discover his hotel,
but had only succeeded in looking so
hopelessly lost that a good natured po-
liceman spoke to him. My friend ex-
planned his troubles at some length, but
to his mingled Indignation and contempt
the policeman spoke no English. So he
wrote down the name of his hotel and the
constable directed him. He directed him
quietly, he directed him loudly-his voice
ranged from a mellifuous whisper to a
hurricane roar; all without any effect
save to excite the sympathies of the
passer-by. Somewhat grievedly my COM
patriot suspected they were sympathiz-
ing with the policeman.
After this one imagines that most men
would have become disheartened. Not so
our warm-hearted Wiener policeman. He
drew map of the streets my friend
would have to traverse to reach his hotel,
and bestowed it upon him-whether with
or without his blessing my friend regrets
to this day he is unable to say with any
degree of confidence.
Ever since his incident my friend re-
CARDS the viennese policeman with love
and gratitude. That the map happened
to be incorrect, and led my friend astray
even more hopelessly than he was before.
has nothing to do with the subject. AS
he says, what he admires is the kindly
feeling which led that policeman, incap-
able as he felt himself, even to try to
draw that map.
Unlzind people have suggested that that
policeman was neither so good natured'
not so incompetent a mappist as ne leo
my friend to believe. Personally l think
my friends impression is more likely
to be correct Where he did wrong was
in leading that policeman to suspect ne
still retained the slightest atom OF INTEL
ligence Had he only looked natural
am convinced that policeman would have
| taken him by the hand and led him home.
That's what 1 think anyhow.
People tell me, people in whose veracity
I have hitherto had the greatest conf
dence that the viennese work. don't
| disbelieve them. 1 even think 1t is prob
| able. But how do they do it?
In England It's all right. We have to
work. The government sees to that. II
know human nature" you can imagine
| the government saying, IF let my peo-
pie stop up at night they'll be late for
| the office in the morning, or they'll be
| going to sleep there instead of work
| ing. or something like that" So to pre-
| vent this the Englishman is tucked into
actually tucked in, all the restaurants