Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-02

dolls, and so on through all tne endless
ramifcations of their Lilliputian industry.
1t is most curious sight to watch them
at work. They use no models, and work
entirely by rule of thumb; long practice
having made them so perfect that they
turn out the the tiny articles without the
slightest hesitation, all of them precisely
alike as if they had been cast in mould.
In this way are manufactured the varied
collection of animals found in Noah's ark.
Some families will cut out lions, tigers,
camels and elephants; others, sheep. oxen,
and deer; others, chiefly birds; while
another group will produce the wonder
fully dressed little men and women pOpu-
larly supposed to represent Noah and his
seven human companions. The colOring
of these productions is quite another
branch of the trade, and while the carving
goes on ut all times with unabated regu-
larity, the painting Of the various articles
is only added as they are required; that is,
when orders come from the toy dealers;
and this frequently varies according to
circumstances so that the colOring and
gliding business is not on the whole so
steady and profitable as the carving.
There are several shops and warehouses
where the articles thus manufactured are
sold but there are two leading merchants
who act as wholesale exporters, buying
the carved work either from the people
themselves, or from minor agents, who
realize a small profit by acting as middle
men. Permission can readily be obtained
to visit these establishments, and it is Il
curious and amusing sight to walk through
their vast repositories and inspect the
extraordinary collection of dolls and toys
gathered together under one roof The
dolls are in themselves very wonderful
exhibition. There are rooms upon rooms
quite filled with them, of every size and
style, small and large, painted and I'M
painted; their size varying from tiny
atoms scarcely an inch long to huge figures
of nearly yard in length, most of them
jointed, and the greater part uncolored,
and lust as the came from the hands Of the
carver. They are carefully sorted accord
ing to their various sizes, and great shelves
and cases in every direction are crammed
with them. Some sizes are more popular
than Others, very flvorite length being
about two inches; of This size one of the
great doll merchants of St. Ulrch buys
81, 900 every week during the whole year
The makers of this kind can turn out
about twenty dozen day, each skillful
worker; the painting being quite an after
concern, with which the calvers have with
nothing to do. Here also are bins filled
wooden animals, also of different sizes and
different degrees of excellence, for while
some are merely roughly shaped and the
production often OF very young children,
others are carved with very great care and
dexterity, and are faithful representations
of the creatures they are intended to imi-
tate. All the numerous toys with which
we are familiar in the shops, Or which we
have played with in childhood, here first
spring into being. Noah's arks, empty
and full; armies of wooden soldiers on
horseback and on foot; farmyards of va
rious dimensions, stored with every arti-
Gle needful for the juvenile agriculturist;
dolls furniture of every shape and pattern
sets Of teacups and saucers, and all kinds
of domestic utensils little wooden horses,
little wooden carts. In short it is TOYS,
toys everywhere; and even with all our
experience of the capacity of children for
such possessions, 1t is really
difficult to credit the fact that this enor-
nous manufacture and unccasing distribu-
ton go on, like the poets brook, for
ever"
Quitting the premises, the visitor is still
pursued by the prevailing occupation.
Carts are coming and going, all carrying
the one universal load-toys; while at
every cottage door are sea ed some of the
inmates, busily engaged with their own
special branch of the trade mothers sing
ing to the children on their knee, while
they yet deity carve COW or goat; old
men and women whiting away, the
ground at their feet strewed with the chips
md shavings; and quite little boys and
girls gravely cutting the portions entrusted
TO them, and soon acquiring skill which
enables them TO add materially to the fam
lily gains. The men are usually employed
IN carving of u higher class, chairs, boxes,
or on the superior quality of
oys, as well as on that special branch
which has attained very great perfection
n St. Ulrich, the cutting out and ornamen-
alton of cruclixes, figures of Christ, the
Virgin, and the saints, and of numerous
,ther articles employed for the decoration
If churches and sacred buildings.
AS we have already said, it is an inter-
sting sight 10 watch the people at their
work. They are very willing to crafty
he curiosity of visitors, and will readily
communicate all the information in their |
power regarding their trade and its emol-
lments. The trees from which the differ
mt articles are made are II soft kind of
oine, very easily cut and worked They
ROW In abundance in the district, and are
he main source of its prosperity. But
With this prosperity the steady and indus
rious habits of the people themselves have
lso much to do. The youngest members
If family begin to work as soon as they
re able to do SO; and this regular occupa-
ion is continued through life till the
fingers Can no longer hold the
.arving-tools.
AS Il rule the inhabitants of St. Ulrich
ire simple and domestic in their tastes
hey are fond of flowers, and their little
gardens are carefully cultivated and gay
With bright colOring. AS yet their isolat-
ID position, remote from the track of the
ordinary tourist, has preserved them from
many of the hurtful folles and vices too
'ften found in more trequented districts,
md but few of the villagers have ever
passed beyond the bounds of their own
ecluded valley. And yet this little ham,
ct has u world wide reputation. The
oys of st. Ulrich have delighted genera
ions long passed away; they are to be
ound in palace, hall and cottage; in the
,opulous cities and quiet country homes of
europe; in far-distant nurseries of Asia
md America; and in all probability they
will continue to be poured forth in mex
laustibe profusion when this and MANY a
ucceeding generation have gone from the
yhirl and hustle produced by the less in
,npnnt tnVG md Df