The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-09
TELLS OF OLD VIENNA.
An Interesting Description of the City, Written by
Mrs. W. G. Jeffrles.

D W. u JCUuTJCSs
iously carry out this requirement.
There are of course other hospitals
and sanitariums here of a more
private nature, but they are so very
expensive that only the very wealthy
people go to them.
| The Art Museum and Museum of
Natural History are of Italian Rem
aissance and correspond in exterior
form, being separated one from the
other only by large open square
which is covered with grass, inter-
sected by neat comfortable seats.
In the center of this square is the
beautiful monument to Empress
Maria Theresa.
The Art Museum has collection
of terra cottas, vases, ancient metal
objects of Industrial art, cut stone
and coins, and armors such as were
worn by the knights, "In days of old
when knights we're bold The Art
Museum also contains the imperial
picture gallery rich in the works of
early as we'll as the present day great
artists.
The Natural History Museum
comprises mineralogy, geology, eth
biography, zoology and botany.
The HOfburg, vast palace, has
| been used as the winter residence Of
Austrian Emperors since the 18th
century. It contains vast number
of beautiful buildings within it's cir
cult of different styles and periods.
In the Imperial Treasury, which is
opened to visitors on certain days
are displayed the jewels of the royal
family. Here are beautiful jewels
such as diamonds, rubies, pearls and
many other precious stones set in
many beautiful designs. The most
interesting of these jewels to us was
the wedding outfit of former En-
press Maria Theresa which consist
ed of crown, necklace, bracelet,
and a waist piece with three pend
ants. The rose design was used for
this outfit and the stones employed
were diamonds and rubies. Another
interesting article was the royal bap-
tiZmal robe which was studded with
pearls.
Schonbrunn, the Imperial summer
residence with it's beautiful parks,
is only few miles from Vienna. 1t
was finished in the ] eth century but
little used until Maria Theresa
made it her favorite residence 1t is
rich in historical memories, having
walls. From 1906 to 1909 Napoleon
his guards in it's great courts. The
rooms, of which 1879 are kitchens
+ l.,
ly furnished. The parks and gardens
Of Schonbrunn, have an area of 700
acres. The palm house of the botan-
zeal garden is the finest of it's kind,
being built entirely of glass and con-
tanning treasures of exotic plants of
every description. There is also a
very interesting ZOO here which de-
lights the children as we'll as the
grown-ups.
Emperor Franz Joseph has been
living at Schonbrunn for the past
winter. Being in his S2nd year he is
in poor health and very feeble. He
assembled the throne in 184S at the
age of IS years and throughout his
long reign he has been much beloved
and honored by his people. They
tell US that he is. very unhappy, hav-
ing lost his wife, who was assasinat-
ed in 1898, and his only son and
heir to the throne who committed
suicide short time afterward.
At almost every turn in Vienna
one is greeted by beautiful monu-
ments and memorial fountains. BY
far the most beautiful and grandest
of all these is the monument to En-
press Maria Theresa, completed in
1888. High in the air on a lofty
pedestal rises the figure of the great
empress with right hand raised as
though in blessing while her left
hand holds a scepter. At each of
the four corners stands an eques-
trian figure and between these are
three figures representing her chief
counselors.
The Viennese being naturally a
pleasure loving people are very proud
of and take great interest in their
parks. Chief among the parks is
the Prater, a splendid natural park
on an island formed by the Danube
canal and the stream proper. 1t has
a beautiful driveway nearly one
mile long where may be seen many
beautiful carriages and horses. Aside
from the natural park it contains an
English Garden. This is a place of
amusement much like our own
amusement parks with giant wheel,
merry-go-round and all kinds of
shows, cafes, etc. When we visited
the Prater March Srd, everything
was in full swing and the amuse-
ments were doing a good business.
The coffee houses here are very
popular. They much resemble our
cafes only the management is some
what different. They are crowded
from about $3.50 to 1890 a. m, as
a great number of people breakfast
there on a cup Of coffee or tea, roll
and butter after which they usually
remain for some time reading the
newspapers. In these coffee houses
they always have the latest papers
and magazines which may be read
on renuost nrnvidinq cl1n Of c0ffea