Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-02


q qualifications of their Lilliputian industry
e 1t is a most curious sight to watch then
: Mt work. They use no models, and worl
, entirely by rule of thumb; long practice
having made them so perfect that they
turn out the the tiny articles without Inc
slightest hesitation, all of them preclsei J
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 colsrlng
of these productions is quite another
branch of the trade, and while the carving
goes on at all times with undated regu-
laritv, 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 rs wholesale exporters, buying
the carved work either from the people
themselves, or. from minor agents, who
realize small profit by acting as middle
men. Permission can readily be obtained
to visit these establishments, and it is a
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 II very wonderful
exhibition. There are rooms upon rooms
quite filled with them, of every size and
painted; their size varying from tiny
atoms scarcely m inch long to huge figures
If nearly Il yard in length, most of them
ointed. and the greater part uncolored,
md just as the came from the hands of the
carver They are carefully sorted accord
ng to their various sizes, and great shelves
md cases in every direction are crammed
With them. Some sizes are more popular
han others, Il very favorite length being
Ibout two inches; of This size one of the
great doll merchants of St. Ulrich buys
$1,000 every week during the whole year.
The makers of this kind can turn out
bout twenty dozen day, each skillful
worker; the painting being quite an after
oncern, with which the carvers have with t
othing to do. Here also are bins filled
wooden animals, also of different sizes and
ifferent degrees of excellence, for while
ONE are merely roughly shaped and the e
reduction often OF very young children, /
theirs are carved with very great care and I
exterity, and are faithful representations u
the creatures they are intended to imi- !,
tie. All the numerous toys with which
e are familiar in the shops, or which we
ave played with in childhood, here first
>ring into being. Noah's arks, empty 3.
1d full; armies of wooden soldiers on t
orseback and on foot; farmyards of va s,
Gus dimensions, stored with every arti- il
G needful for the juvenile agriculturist Il
'll's furniture of every shape and pattern al
is of teacups and saucers, and all kinds
domestic utensils; little wooden horses,
tie wooden carts. In short it is TOYS
US everywhere; and even with all our in
,perience of the capacity of children for VI
curing such possessions, it is really ~
tlicut to credit the fact that this epor-
Gus manufacture and unceasing dstribu. OF
en- 8 go on like the poets brook i" for Z
Cutting the premises, the visitor is still
rsued by the prevailing occupation.
ITS are coming and going, all carrying
one universal load-toys; while at
cry cottage door are sea ed some of the
mates, busily engaged with their own
eclal branch of the trade; mothers sing
: to the children on their knee. while
y yet deity carve COW or goat; old
N and women whiting away, the
)und at their feet strewed with the chips
shavings; and quite little boys and
is gravey cutting the portions entrusted
them, and soon acquiring Il skill which
'bles them to add materially to the fam
gains. The men are usually EMPLOYED
carving of a higher class, chairs. boxes
ckets, or on the superior quality of
s. as well as on that special branch
lch has attained very great perfection
st. Ulrlch, the cutting out and ornamen-
on OF crucifixes, figures of Christ, the
gin, and the saints, and of numerous
81 articles employed for the decoration
hurches and sacred buildings. '
S we have already s%id, 1t is an inter- -
1lg sight to watch the people at their 4
X. They are very willing to CRAFTY -
curiosity of visitors, and will readily
hunIcate all the information in their
er regarding their trade and its emol-
nts. The trees from which the differ.
articles are made are soft kind of NE
; very easily cut and worked. They ~
V IN abundance in the district, and are man
main source of its prosperity. But b bme
this prosperity the steady and indus graz
Is habits of the people themselves have a n9e
much TO DO. The youngest members ". Ct
family begin to work as soon as thew -,
'nle TO DO so; and this regular occupa-
IS continued through life till the II
,bllng fingers can no longer hold the
ing-tools
rule the inhabitants of St. Ulrich
simple and domestic in their tastes
are fond of flowers. and their little
ems are carefully cultivated and oav
bright colerlng. As yet their isol,t.
oslt'on' remote from the track of the
lary tourist. has preserved them from
OF the huftful follies and vices foo
found in more frcquented districts
put few of the villagers have ever
81 beyond the bounds of their own
ded valley: And yet this little ham ri
las q world wide reputation. The E;a5#
OF st. Ulrich have delighted genera SsS
long passed away; they are to he No
IN palace, hall and cottage: in thc
lous cities and quiet country homes Of )
pc; in flr-distant nurseries of Asia .
a a merlca; and in all probability they
commune con to be poured forth in mex
a1i proluslon when this and many a
eding generation have gone from the
and hustle produced by the less in
u toys and amnsements of maturity {