Celebration of the Emperor's Birthday in Bozen

Tyrol.

Botzen. The birthday of His Majesty, our most gracious Emperor, was celebrated in this district town in a worthy manner and with the most heartfelt participation. Early in the morning, mortar salutes and the ringing of bells in all the churches of the town and its environs announced the dawn of the festive day. At 9 o'clock in the morning, all the princely provincial authorities, the imperial-royal military, the civic and mercantile magistracies, led by the District Captain, proceeded in a festive procession to the cathedral church, where they joined an extraordinary crowd of people at a solemn high mass in fervent prayer for His Majesty's long preservation. — At noon, the officers, civil servants, and most distinguished citizens of the town assembled for a festive banquet, during which the cheerfulness of those present rose to the loudest jubilation with toasts, greeted with tumultuous applause, to the health of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and the entire most serene imperial house. — In the evening, an amateur theatre society performed the drama "Der Lohn der Wahrheit" at the local theatre for the benefit of the poor. The entertainment was opened by a festive hymn specially composed for the occasion; the conclusion was formed by an epilogue written by the patriotic poet Joh. Kapistran Knoflach, in which the wishes and sentiments of those present were expressed just as genuinely as they were touchingly. The house was overflowing with spectators, and the box office yielded a net profit of 391 florins 33 kreuzer for the town's poor. — Thus this joyful day concluded with a charitable act that provided much relief to suffering humanity.