Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-04-10
Children's Toys.


1t IS always very difficult task to instil
lthoughtfulness for the comfort of Others
into peoples minds. and very probably
those who have never given II consi,lera.
lion to the subject on which we propose to
say few words will regard our observa.
tons rs frivolous and totally beneath their
notice. We wish to call attention to the
extreme disregard for the peace Of the
elders of the family frequently manifested
by those who present toys To the iunior
members. 1t is tbC nature of all children
in health to make as much noise us posi-.
hle; but surely Providence has endowed
hem with ample means of rendering
themselves terror to delicate or sensitive
persons, in lungs that never weary and
feet and hands that never tire, without
considerate relatives or friends presenting
them with exlraneous means of annoy
ance, such AS drums. trumpets, whistles,
guns, or similar instruments of distress
Any person who is in the least degree ner-
vous-and in these days who, past early
youth, escapes the calamity well knows
the misery that II child armed with a pop
gun can inflict The child is delighted to
find that it can, as it supposes, frighten Il
grown up person, for it naturally is unable
to comprehend that the start, which il mis-
takes for terror, is merely an involuntary
action of the nerves. 1t feels that l. pos
seSses n powcr,and is never weary of exer-
cising it; besides which, almost all chill
dren are cruel by nature, and, until taught
better, delight in giving pain-witness
their treatment of any hapless animal so
unfortunate rs TO be left to their tender
mercies. Drums, trumpets, whistles, etc,
are certainly great pleasure to them, as
they enable them to make an unbenrablp
noise; but it is surely somewhat unfair
that the comfort of older persons should
be forced to give way to this unimport,nt
fact. Unimportant we Say advisedlv,
for children can be perfectly happy with
out making the house II bear garden, full
of unearthly noises, if they are never al
lowed to get into the bud habit of making
it so; and even if it We're some small re-
striction of their pleasure, it is well that
they should he tpught as early as possible
that the world was not made exclusively
for them, and that they must learn to give
up their will to Others. But in point of
fact, it is the elders, not the children, who
are to blame in the matter, us the latter
could not obtain possession of undesirable
toys without the folly of the former. Who
does not know the destruction that follows
the presentation, by IN amahle but very
thoughlless aunt, of Il box of carpenter :
tools 10 Il boy too young to understand that
The drawing room is holy ground, and
that only nursery chairs are improved by
having their legs sawed to unequal Lengths?
Who does not know the tribulaton and
woe that falls on the young carpenter
when long nails are found irregulnrly
studding the drawing room shutters, and
the mahogony dining table is discovered
to have been the object of his first expcri-
ments with the plane? But in Justice the
tribulation should fall to the share of the
donor, who is Of age to know better if she
chose to think, and not to buy the first toy
she sees to save further trouble. Natural
ly the recipient thinks the present is given
him to use, and as he is too young to dis
criminate between proper and improper
fields of labor, he falls into trouble accord
ingly whenever he escapes the vigilance OF
the nurse.
Too much can hardly be said in favor of
toy cooking stoves. ON which an immense
vi totlul iilb'lIllttLloil Slll J' itC-
quired; but these, of course, are unsuitable
to very young children For those young
er, baby-houses are excellent toys; they
afford an infinite variety of amusement in
the various ways of dusting. cleaning and
arranging. One thing should always be
insisted upon by those in charge of chill.
dren during their play hours-nam, ly, thai
they should put away their own toys, and
should do so neatly and tdily; it is one OF
the best possible methods of inculcating
order and neatness in after life, and ais,
induces Il certain amount Of furethought
as time must be allowed for - putting
away" before the play hour terminates
1t is trite, but nevertheless "a true. saying
that children are not the happier for hav-
ing Il Large collection of toys. They gen.
orally love tu be in motion, and games
either indoors or out, seldom require much
apparatus.
A few toys and games of skill, such as
spillikins. solitaire, etc, are excellent t.
keep them quiet on wet days, and the very
little ones, of course, require some toys
suitable to their age to amuse them in the
nursery; but the sooner the elders are en-
couraged to interest themselves in reading,
work. and other rational pursuits, the bet
ter. OF cou Sc, our remarks respecting
carpenter tools were only intended to ap-
ply to small boys: to older ones, capable
of approaching them, there are few letter
presents. In the country there is general
~ some outhouse which u boy can use as
II workshop; and in II town, very often
some attic or lumber-room may be appro-
priated by him, where the inevitable mess
will hurt no one, and where the sound of
the hammer will be comparatively molten
sive. A lad fond of chemistry derives end
less pleasure from Il small laboratory, but
this must be under careful supervision, or
mischief may ensue; and above all, the
other children should be imperatively for
hidden to enter it, excepting in charge of
some one in authority. Some boys are
very fond of photography. and it is wise
to disregard the inevitable staining of their
fingers for the sake of giving them IL IA
tional and improving occupation.
1t is very much the tendency of all
young persons to make " collections, and
this should always be encouraged, as they
can hardly fail to learn something in the
process; and, although they may acquire
the merest smattcriHg of mineralogy, ge-
ology, botany, or conchology, it may be
sufficient to give them an interest in pur-
suing the study in after life. Even the
collection of such comparatively insigniii-
cant things as crests and monogranls has
its use, and should not be discouraged.
Neatness and dexterity are requisite to
insert them properly in II book, and clev-
erness of fingers should always be en-
couraged as u most valuable possession.
Any taste for drawing should be assidu-
ously cultivated both in girls and boys, as
Il never-faiing occupation and delight in
later yeals; it also affords II quiet amuse-
ment. Ard we must end us we began, by
asserting that the comfort of grown-up
persons is of infinitely more consequence
than is the pleasure experienced by chill
dren in making a noise.
THE AMERICAN CoNTINENT.--The
A31,ey5ca,1 EuOlirpr thus rata 1ounes n faw