The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
GA|ETY Of VIENNA
FAST DYING OUT
Only Few Traces of Life Tha,
Has Made the City
World amous.
NOT STAGED FOR TOURISTS
People Hope for Return of Merry
Days When Ferdinand
Mounts Throne.
ny KAnL H. voN wIEGANn.

Berlin. February 2t.-"Gay Vienna"
OF tinklng siasses, beautiful women
and Merry Widow" fame, Is rapidly
disappearing. Only here and there is
stll trace of the life that has made
the city world-famous Gay Vienna"
has become a misnomer. It's gaiety ia
dead when compared to that of Berlin
and Paris and only the beautiful oper-
cts ana sensuous dreamy music OF
Franz Lehar, is keeping this famo
alive The streets at Eight formerly
presenting u lively animated picture OF
! cosmopolitan life, are almost deserted
/ by 10 o'clock, in sharp contrast to those
OF Berlin.
10 one who has not been In Vienna
fo. some years, the caarge Is surpris-
ing. There are still tbs cafes. whero
people enjoy themselves as only tho
Viernese can, hut there is e lack OF
the former zest. bubbllng vivacity,
spontaneousness and enthusiasm. Pleas
uro is at a low cbb when compared TO
years gone by. The cafe frequentera
and the Vennese are still fond of
spending the evenings In the cafes. but
depart carly, and few of them keep open
all night
Possibly 1t may be attributed in part
| 10 the fac, that gaiety in Vienna la
not staged for the particular beneht OF
the tourists. as is the case In some OF
one Of the most interesting OF European
! cities. il is a little on the beaten tourist
path.
Two reasons are given by the Wen
Eese for the dying out or Gay Vienna"
| First. the fact that there has been no
| court life to speak of since the death OF
| Empress Elizabeth by ASA ssination in
1887. and second, that Vienna has not
been touched by the great whirlwind
OF sudden wealth and prosperity that
| MT Berlin several years ago. In q capt.
tai. brilliant court life has much to do
| with prosperity and social life and
| activity. Franz Joseph Is a lonely old
man.
Ferdinand. heir to the crown Is not
| very fond of society and functions. He
/ married beneath his rank, and conse-
/ quently his wife is not regarded as his
| equal. Thsy have lived quietly and re-
TIED. She cannot be and has not at
| tempted TO be, first lady OF the land.
| There has been little need OF new
| gowns and Jewels for court functions.
| Ihis has had dampening effect upon
the various grades and degrees OF So
cial order.
THE Berlinese have lost their heads
| as result OF their tremendous pros
perity in the last few years" declare
tho Vienncse. We keep on in our
own more quiet and more natural way"
| l1S llOl Deen nit Dy the wave
! of prosperity and sudden wealth that
| has swept over Berlin. In fact, it
seems to have passed over the Aus
tTtan capital and touched at Budapest.
The capital of Hungary has had q re-
| markable growth in the last few years
and much of the Vienna's former gaIety
! has transferred itself to Budapest. Build
! ing operations in Vienna have virtual
! ly been at n standstill Tor soma time
and as consequence rents are ire
mendous, and the need Of dwellings In
this city of 100000 people has be-
| come so urgent, that the city authori-
/ ties are taking measures TO help cree:
! buildings for the poorer classes. This.
together with the general rise In the
cost of living. keenly felt In this coun
| try of low wages. and n dead court
| life" has been the wet blanket that
| is eNtingu!shing the gatety OF Vienna.
For, after all. il takes money to pay
the fiddler
! Vienna is still, and long will remain.
the city of magnificent theatres: or
wonderful acting and Of sweet. dreamy
musical productions. It Is nm advance
post near the Occidental Oriental from
tier-the capital OF twcnty-six nation
| alities-with very interesting ana
charming cosmopolitan life. It still
! has it's quarters. where lift Is by no
means dull. But Viennas tame rests
upon Its gaiety in the higher circles
q. society, and the Viennese have the
hope that when Ferdinand mounts the
throne, the merry days Will r.turn q
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