Smyrna times., 1866-10-03
The Toy Business In this Country.

The manufacture of toys and "playthings
until within few years, has been almost Who'll
y confined to Europe. The Germans. and
swiss have furnished the rising generation with
the most OF these necessary adiuncts to the
pleasures Of childhood. But lately the faciIi-
ties OF the Patent Office have stimulated pro-
ductlon In this direction, and now our most
amusing toys are those of American manufac-
ture; And 1t is a profitable direction for in
ventive genius.
Everybody has seen the comical dancing
Ethiopian, cruelty impaled upon wire and
forced to respond, with every Joint in his sun
pie body, to the rattle of the fingers onhis piy-
oted platform. This ridiculous device, being
patented, has brought its proprietor fortune.
linen there is the growing cock, his intestines
a tin whistle, able to excite the envy of the
monarch of the barnyard by his clear. sbrill,
and natural challenge. This, also. is a paving
investment The Dervishes and Zouaves. fan,
tastlcally dressed suspended by an elastic cord,
perform feats of leaping which put to shame
the Bulslays and Hanlons. On the same prin-
cclpe Is the return ball, which, like the Austria
han boomerang, comes back to the hand that
projected It, A top of thin metal, hollow, and
gayly lacquered, when started by means of the
colled spring in the handle, will continue its
revolutions Tor ten minutes at stretch. The
[ IOP 10 SOOu OI the propeller
screw. Released from the shaft on which it is
made to revolve, it flies whirling at an angle
through the air until its momentum is lost.
, when back it comes, returning to the operator
| Tor new start. We saw the other day a whis-
| tie, mere gland of kid or thin leather, of a
crescent form, holding stretched between the
two horns, thin membrane, by the vibrations
OF which, aided by the operators tongue, a
great variety Of sounds could be produced The
grunt and squeal of the pig, the warbling of the
canary, the whistle of the quail, the piping of
the curlew, and many other calls of animated
nature, can be perfectly reproduced. This is a
useful implement for the sportsman, and af:
tords unlimited delight to incpient manhood
Almost all these can be used as illustrations
of Our'natural laws. Philosophy may yet be
taught in our schools by toys. The wonderful
resemblance to life of our American toys il
tween them and those heretofore furnished
from Europe. These last are usually carica
lures, and are misleading to the young mind
which receives ideas through objects and moi
through words mainly Take our rubber toys
Some of them are worthy to rank with the pro
ductlons OF the artist. They are marvels o.
beauty and natural expression. The dolls made
here of this material do not wear that appear
ance of corpse-like waxiness, or inanity, which
the traditional doll from time immemOrial ha
borne. They are pleasing to look at and won
derful in endurance. Some by hidden machi
merry can walk, others cry and move their eyes
but none are hideous and repulsive in expires
sion.
Tois toy business may be considered by som,
as unworthy Of notice by scientific journalists
but as We are more or less educated by our sur
roundings, and as the toys of the child are
prolific source of ideas which will cling to hin
through life, it is important that they do no
convey false impressions. These improvement
in our children's playthings are additional help
toward their education, and while their projeC
tors realize fortunes from their introduction
young humanity and the world at large ar
pleased and benefited. Scientific american.