New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-25
from the Scientific American.

From the Scientific Americana
The manufacture of toys and "playthings :"
until within 4 few years, has been almost wholly
confined to Europe. The Germans and Swiss
have furnished the rising generation with the most
of the necessary adjuncts to the pleasures of
childhood. But lately the facilities Of the patent
once nave stimulated production in this direction,
and now our most amusing toys are those Of
American manufacture And it is a profitable
direction for inventive genius.
Everybody has seen the comiCal dancing Etho-
plan, cruelty mpalcd upon wire, and forced to
respond with every joint in his supple body to
the rattle Of the fingers on his pivoted platform.
1lla ridiculous device, being patented has bI ought
its proprietor q fortune. Then there is the crow.
ing cock, his ntestines tin whistle, able to eX-
cite the envy Of the monarch of the barn-yard by
his clear, shrill and natural challenge This also
is O paying Investment. The dervishes and
2ouayGs, Enthusiastically dressed, suspended by an
elastic cord, perform feats Of leapipg which put
TO shame the RnisldyS and Haulons. On the same
principle is the return ball, which, like the Aus
traliai boomerang, comes back to the hand that
projected it, A top Of thin metal, hollow and
gaily licquered, when started by means Of the
colied spring in the Aaudle viii continue its reyo-
lutons tor ten minutes al a stretch.
T. The Lying top is good illustration Of the pro-
peller screw. Released from the shaft on which
It is made 70 reYoive, it flies whrling at an angle
through the air until its momentum is lost, when
it comes back, returning to the operator for a new
start
We say the other day a whistle, a mere gland
Of Ea Ur tim icather, OF n crescent form, holding
stretched between the two horns thin mem
branc, By the vibrations Of which added to the
operalOt tongue, q great variety of sounds can
be produced. The grltut and squeal of the pie
the W4rbing OF the canary, The whstling of
quart tile piping Of the curlcw, and many other
calls Of animated nature, can be perfectly repro
duced This il q useful implement for the sports.
man, and affords unlimited delight TO incipient
mauhuCd.
Almost all these can be used as Illustrations of
natural laws. Philosophy may vet be taught in
our schools by toys The wonderful resemblance
to lie OF our American toys in many instances
makes broad distinction between them and
those heretofore furnished from Europe These
Last are usually caricatures, and are misleading
TO the young mind, which receives ideas through
objects and not through words merely Take orr
rubber toys. some OF them are worthy to rank
with the productions OF the artist. They are mar
wells Of beauty aud natural expression. The dolls
made here Of this material do not wear that ap-
pearance of corpse-like waxiness or inanity
winch the traditional doll from time immemorial
mas borne Ihey are pleasing to look at and won
derful IN endurance Some, byhidden machinery
can walk others cry and move their eyes and
none are hideous aud repulsive in expression
This toy business may be considered by some as
unworthy OF notice by scientific journalists but
as we are more or less educated by our surround
ings, and as the toys of the child are a prolific
source Of ideas which will cling to him through
life, 1t Is important that they do not convey false
impressions. y These Improvements in cur chill
dren's piaythiugs are additional helps towards
Their education aud while their projectors realize
fortunes for their Introduction, young humanity
and the world at large are pleased and benefited
Co.
We publish elsewherea very sensible letter from
our old friend Blanton Duncan, upon the subject
of the Confederate debt What he says is unmis-
takably true-there is no Confederate debt The
debt has never matured. 1t was conditioned to be
paid two years after the ratification of peace
between the Confederate States and the United
States" Those who took the bonds took them
with the full knowledge of this condition, and
were careful to charge heavy per cent. for the
hazafa 10y soae mas gone against IT, tnem they
of the United States. 1t is certainly not our bust
ness to pay the losses of spectators who gambled
in such stocks to detriment, and not the bust
due, Mr.. Duncan's letter, we think, very effect
ually settles the radical cry of an intention of
the conservatives TO assume the Confederate
charlottesville Democrat