The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-01-28
THE COMING TOYS.
A Peep at some OF the costly Novelties for
santa Claus.
New York World.1 r+- tHe


tits impossible to inspect the wares
of the toy dealers at the present time
without dropping a tear to the memory
Of that poor child who faded away into
the land Of the blest while her father
was yet hewing logs to made home for
himself in New England's stern and
roekbodnd coast" IF the little deaf
could only have remained a child until
now! These are verify the days OF
miracles; and it is pleasant to record
that there is an impartiality about the
miracles of the present day. A wizard
makes S little machine by grown people
can converse with, one another however
far they may be separated, and then
comes along another wizard and makes
of metal, in the Interests of the children,
a marvellous little mule, which, being
straddled by q aiplinutive wooden
darkeY, will at the desire of the smallest
child elevate his tin and tiny hind legs
with that earnestness for which his race
is pr0verbially famous, and deposit his
rider headforemost upon an uncom-
promising tree trunk provided for that
fpurpOse. This is, said to be the very
LATEST Invention of the toyman, and ac-
lovrding to the advocates of cheap and
simple playthings, has already thrown
seventeen children into commissions.
Perhaps, however, of all the latest in
ventions in the toy line none is more
deservedly praised than the automatic
1ute-player." 80 go
2 The automatic Hute-player" in his
present form, though he is, of course,
suspectible of many changes, is plaster
or pGpiey-mGcte darky, dressed in 8
wonderfully elaborate costume of blue
silk, who stands on an apparently in
noeent platform which-like many ap-
paTently innocent platforms cOnceals
much that is marvellous and astOnish-
ing. For instance, certain wheels and
things which are hidden beneath the
platform on which the little African
with his flute to his lips is standing, oc-
casiOn by subtle mechanism the fingers
of the stops of the flute to rise and fall
in su9a wiss that familiar and pleasing
strains com, forth.
An able-Dodied automatic flute
player" will, it is said, If properly
wound up, discourse half a dozen of the
worst popular melodies of the day
without the least hesitation. Adult
dyspeptics or business men who feel the
need of occasional checks to their deep
pre-occupation would find him an in
valuable assistant. "l'a'.
In the midst of all these new inven-
tion for the amusement of children it is
a somewhat singular fact that the old
Swiss carved boys are stillpopular articles
about Christmas times. Whether the
Swiss peasants really do or do not whit
tie out the washtubs and miniature
furniture which is accredited tc their
ingenuity, these bit of housekeeping
ware have always been and will be
known as Swiss. a#as H-.
3 "Games" are likely, from the present
outlook, to form large part of the
Christmas gifts which children will get
this year, This, the philosophers will
OF course decide, is as it should be.
Toys appeal to the senses, games to the
intellect. It is now several years since
the most instructive game of "Authors" :"
was invented for the instruction and
amusement of youth, and since its re-
ceptiop many Improvements in the
idea have been made. The latest is
the game of United States Geo
graphy," suits consisting (instead OF
the names of authors and those of their
works. Of States and three towns or
rivezs in the States. He was indeed &
clever I Yankee who invented the twenty
five cent watch with ga real bona Jfde
tick" but a foreigner has now put into
the market one which will not only tick,
but which will strike an hour or two il
properly managed. Mechanical toys on
q large scale comprehend such subjects
as the g Elevated Railroad and
'' Velocipede Races" These, however,
are the sort of toys which could not
conveniently be put into the stocking
even of a Michigan boy. The Elevated
Railway " is six feet in circumference.