Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-15

Il
influence at work to her unknown. The clerk
outside the counter grabbed him by the ears at
once and gave him knock against the frame of
the glass case that knocked the wind and the
music out of him instantaneously.
MINIATURE TRAVELLING SHOWS.
Very pretty, too, were the miniature travel
ling shows. with a man at one corner Of the
temporary stage pounding on drum and play
ing pandean pipe, while inside three or four
figures danced with furious energy. Some of
the shows were on larger scale than usual,
with drop curtain and scenes for three acts, pri-
vate boxes and full orchestra. Interesting.
also, We're the automatic singing birds, with
notes as clear and sweet as any golden crested
canary.
For an edifying and instructive TOW. the min
iature kitchen, exhibited in another part of the
establishment, appeared to fill the bill. To an
Intelligent little girl it offered all the teaching of
Kindergarten. There was a complete cooking
range; crockcry cupboard set of jelly
moulds, set of preserve Jars, all kinds of
cooking utensils. and the entire paraphernalia
of perfect kitchen. Ever, thing was clean and
bright as a new pin. and many housekeeper
VINO looked at the picture sighed to think how
hopeless thing it is to get the proper help to
keep rea! live kitchen in similar good order,
The price of this toy was S2l.9S. The alphabet
cal obelisk is series of graduated hollow blocks
which slide into each other like the ports of
telescope, and. when compressed. take up only
small space, but when projected out at full
length, make an Obesk about five feet high,
bearing the letters of the alphabet conspicu-
ously. and good deal more matter for primary
instruction.
NEW PARLoR GAMES.
These toys are In the line OF helping the young
idea how to shoot. 1.-THE Fish Pond" is the title
of new paror game which may or may not be
great success. 1t finds it's place among the
toys. 1t consists in number of small, square
blocks of light wood beveled on the upper
edges, and in the center at the top is fastened
small ring. These blocks are disposed of on
table, and the players proceed to fish with rod
and line and hook for them. skifully endeavor-
ing to put the hook in the ring on each block
and bear 1t away off the table. On the bottom
OF the block is its number. and the man who
fishes off the table the blocks bearing the largest
aggregate numbers is declared the winner
"BinaidO" Is another new game in which a
wheel with two holes at opposite sides of about
two and halt inches diameter is made to
revoive with great rapidity in front of a target
and II man succeeds in firing pin with a
tufted head on 1t through one of the holes in the
revolving wheel and hitting buIs-eye or a
place near thereto he wins more or less. A box
about twelve inches long and eight inches deep
mounted on wheels was proclaimed as travel
ing menagerie and aquarium. BY turning a
crank on top of the box and sliding back the
doors in front q moving panorama is revealed
giving with beautiful dstnctness and as if
through the water itself pictures of all the IA
nous fishes In the sea. Reversing the crank
another panorama is presented of all the known
wild animals on the earth. This class of toy
may also be claSsed with the educational series
already mentioned. 1t is said that Mississippi
river captain once boosted that his steamboat
was of such light draught and such versatile
ff,ofb \ L
In heavy dew, but in this collection was a
steamboat which could dispense with even the
dew and run across the ground like a locomo-
tive and then take to the water like duck.
MISCELLANEOUS TOYS.
Besides all the curious toys Just enumerated
there was an endless profusion of more ordinary
ones, and yet of a superior quality There were
ferryboats that never feared to come into COL
llsion with anything on the East or North rivers
and will never be responsible for the loss of any
human life. There were gallant looking trot-
tiers and race horses, fully caparisoned with
bride, saddle and harness. who will never i'm all
time win match, and yet may afford more gem
ulne satisfaction to their owners than if they
had been made of flesh and blood There were
drums by the thousand that will never beat to
arms on the battle field and will never know the
miseries of war; there were Noah's arKs by the
hundred that must wait long time before they
q
number OF other objects we'll calculated to be-
guile and captivate the eye and fancy of children
WHERE TOYS ARE MADE.
In crowded region on the east side stands a
toy factory. covering nearly whole block 1t
Is said to be the largest factory of its kind in
the world and sends its products everywhere,
even into Germany, the ancient home of toy
building, but rapidly yielding the palm to
America, where toys are turned out wholesale
by comprehensive system of machinery. 1t
employs 275 hands, male and female; makes
5000 different kinds of toys. and sends out in
the wear Is, DOC, 600 tin horses and 10000 600
putty blowers to amuse the rising youth of this
and other nations. TO the question. 'What
kind of toy is most sold?" the superintendent
form"
What next?"
"The horse and wagon"
"And next"
''Team of horses and wagon"
''Then what foiiows?'
Revolving toys, trains Of cars and magic lam
terms"
''After these?'
britannia toy tea sets and horse reins for
boys"
who buys the most toys-boys or girs?"
'The boys buy most of the larger and more
expensive class OF toys, but the girls equal them
IN the average run OF toys. girl will buy
Hoio anu "dSol qultc us QUICK as q U0y.
What class of toys is in greater demand at
Christmas?'
Mechanical toys. The Santa Claus musical
sleigh, recent invention, is great favorite"
'How are these tin toys made:"
"A sheet of tin eight feet by two and half is
taken to the cutting sheers and cut up into
pieces the size of the horse or other animal in
tended to be made from it. These pieces are
equally divided into rights and lefts. AS
plain pieces of tin they are then taken to what
are called the drops. where die is
placed between two upright posts and
heavy weight descends and the piece of tin in
simultaneously assumes the shape Of horse or
whatever other animal is intended to be de-
picted. This is, however, but halt of the animal.
reverse die gives the other half and both
having been put through machine that cuts
away the superfluous tin outside the outline of
the figure have their concave surfaces brought
exactly together and soldered. When this is
done they are taken to another part of the build
ing and if horses they are harnessed to wagons
or placed on platforms. After this they are
thoroughly examined to see that they are pro-
perly made. and then taken to the top floor,
where they are given to girls to trim and paint |
One girl simply paints the horse or the wagon,
another does the stripping, third puts on the
artistic touches, a fourth varnishes fifth does
the stencilIng of the name on the sides of the |