The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-15

rudimsntary OF toys but observe what IL does with
them II strikes al tho pebbles with the STICK, ana
failing at drst hit them is plqued TO strive harder
to attain its object Its faco lights up with glow OF
determination, attention, and family the faculty Of
calculation, are aroused Striking repeatedly u At
length hits OF the pebbles. Encouraged by this
II aims al further success Who. watching now It's
| flushed checks. sparkling eyes and tense fingers
tightly cluching the stick. can doubt that its memory
ana imagination are both at play-that the motion
and exercise Il is gong through remind even II Of
something IN its brief little past (kc the pounding
Of spoon the table It was nicely
led), or inspire It with a vague idea OF over
coming difficulties and braveiy attacking OBJ
stacles yet 10 Finally q blow OF the
stick scalters tho pebbles! The child has accom-
piished something; note It's look OF triumph and its
sigh OF satisfaction All these thoughts and feelings
have been aroused In II by a toy which It could
handle without rebuke and which gave 1t something
10 do
very slight examination OF toy philosophy shows
that toys, which have an immense influence In tho
world and may be called the second seeds OF human
character ought TO be carefully adapted to the ages
dispositions and circumstances OF the children who
are to handle them
"My doll" exclaimed Nine de Sevign6, s'was my
teacher"
Cervantos. the author Of .'Don Quixote," averred
that the conception OF that mastery work dated back
10 attempt of his TO make q breach through stone
wall with toy cannon which gwen him when
be too young to comprehend other the
strength Of the wall the calbre OF the weapon.
Children under two years, unless they happen TO be
prodgics, require something more than protty bau-
blcs tor these they speedily tire of and throw away,
something less than games and object lessons, Tor
those thew cannot understand. Movable
things Tor babies.
Children 1--WE, six and years old to the
meanings and uses OF things They begin TO contrive
and be articers They love to sct toy soldiers in
battle array to build up toy ediaces and knock them
down again. watch the Old old fall OF the bricks to
toy horses racing TO ride hobbies TO toy tum
blcrs jump and toy trapeze performers whrl What
ever Will a STIR is nuts TO boys OF these
ages. Spring guns, bows and arrows, tops. marbles,
balls, kites and windwheels popular with them.
An excellent toy called "hod the fort" is to
have good SALE IL of painted fortress at
one end, with soldiers standing guard on the outer
wall. Set in the wall below three caunons, form
ing targets Al the opposite end, some
three feet awny Is the attacking cannon, the
ball from which expelled by stout rubber spring.
II shoots with sufficient accuracy to Fit the target
when good aim is taken, and whenever the cannoneer
| makes a "burs-cye" down goes one OF the soldiers
| behind the wall
At these ages, too dolls in great demand-dolls
that will stand good deal Of cruel usage. The first
doll baby is frghtfully maltreated a rule, being
dragged about and having pins stuck ipto
IT, and getting only hall dressed growing pteously
dirty and unkempt It's tate is usually decapitation
or severance The waist. Sometimes 1t loses leg
an arm, all four of its limbs, before It Is finally be-
headed and laid away in limbo In spite OF It's de-
tormiiies II gives real pleasure to q child than
the finer dolls that succeed It. Girls Of ten have been
| known cry the torso Of tho first doll which
invariably turns after years In some pasteboard
box other where 1t was consigned on the appear
ance OF The next doll conner. We glad, therefore.
to note that cheap dolls are more strongly put
together than they used be. and that II difficult
Tor small children TO yank their heads and logs Of
toy which exctes childs Imagination, pleascs
fancy without satiating It, exercises its admiration
or arouses It's ingenuity is manitestly better than q
toy which merely demands It's admiration, satisfies
| its fancy smotners Its Imagination by perfection
OF iorm color and finish and leaves nothing further to
be desired Like a house completely turn lshed
| and adorned that neither space opportunity ia
| left tor improvements and additions 1t pals and
grows wearsome. Its owner has no recourse At last
but destruction and reconstruction.
/ vi.
Who are the Aladdns who conjure up the inhabi.
tants Of the toy worlds
| Who are the artIlcers of the wonders that make
children's eyes grow big and their hearts nutter
| soY
VINO are the GruGs and Tackletons-who the Caleb
Pummcrs OF this happy holiday season IN New
York;
Formerly almost all the toys which were sold in
the United States, except the simplest and cheapest
class OF tin, lead and wooden images were Imported
from Europe principally from Germany and France
Immense numbers Of gay dolls and other fine toys
arc still imported, but nearly all the most popular
and Ingenious toys are now made in this country
There are several factories OF wooden toys In New
England, and few in New York. Tin toys, which
are the most durable the most widely distributed
throughout the world. The largest tin toy establish
msnt on the globe, that OF Leo Scblesngcr & Co, II
situated on avenue A., near Fourteenth street, and
is here that one may obtain some idea Of the enor
nous proportions the toy business has grown TO. tn,
old Singer building SIX stories high and lighted ii
front by sixty windows. Is crowded with machinery
and material. and shelters 100 operatives Tho die
ana machinery alone valued at 100000. some 0
me dies used for stamping zinc and tin into tn,
shapes of men and animals, cost $500 and 500
apiece.
II would be hard TO say what plaything is not manu-
factured here. Ten millions Of TIN penny whistles, o
double canary bird power, ars turned out every yoa
at only twelve and half cents gross wholesale
Ii is difficult how this rate OF manufacture car
90 Kept up without rendering tin whistles drug ii
the market, unless all Africa becomes whistle mar
ket children in other countries swallow the wills
lies as fast as they be m de aud sold. Five hun
dred thousand putty blowers-tnose 1endish. tube
through which the small boy OF every generation an
OF every race goes forever blistorng his elders L
rage and blasphemy-are put at his disposal yearly
by this designing hrm. or tin horses thore Is one
named .Dcxter," which. from its spirited design AM
first rate finish, has become celebrated among 70.
lobbers in countries. hundred Thousand
.Dexters' and the same number Of Tin wagons 4
match, are sold evory year. Baby rattcs 60 OF b.
tho hundred thousand a. Two and three apiece
VII.
Here are toys TO meet the views Of the livecst ur
chin and the quictcst little lass Hook and adde
wagons gayly painted, drawn by irottDg horses ane
| M IN sold like Wildurc II seams