Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-20
Toys FOR THE LITTLE ONES.
Some of tho Novelties Displayed for
Christmas In h Stores.

Christmas toys and novelties for the
little ones are displayed co~nspicuously
in all the shops. The improvements
since last year have been many, but lit
eral new novelties invented have
been very few. Mechanical toys seem
to lead, and every child that car speak
wants a toy of some kind That either
moves or squeaks.
A large firm On Broadway, who have
an immense toy factory at Bridgeport,
c., and who buy up all the patents OF
new-fangled mechanical toys, have a
few ingenious novelties inven ted this
season.
How are toys selling this SC. ,sonP'
asked a reporter of the head ,9f the
firm.
"Oh, much better than l expected.
The run on mechanical toys is some
thing wonderful. The baby doll that
walks and speaks, says mamma and pa.
pa at each mechanical theatrical stride.
60 like hot cakes. They have simply
been improved upon very much. but
not recently invented.
1.-The mechanical smoking man is o
late patent. II is Il comical figure Of 3
man eleven inches high, seated On a
black walnut box and a small keg at
his elbow, with the historical long pipe
and mug of beer in his hand. Place a
cigarette in his pipe, and, when wound
up and the cigarette lighted, the figure
will draw and puff the smoke in a per.
fectly natural manner. The motions
of the head and arm, and the action
while smoking, arc perfect. These soil
rapidly to the small boys. ambitious to
learn how to smoke aud use tobacco.
"Then there is ssthe walk around,
two figures that 20 cavorting around
something on the style of IL go-as-you.
please wnlking-matoh. This Is new
and saleable.
''But one of our latest hits is the
stump orator. 1t is a negro with a car
| pet bag in one hand and an umbrella in
the other. He makes motions, pounds
the desk in front of him with the uln
brella, and assume positions of appeal,
eptreaty, f%ierceness and humor such rs
the orators of the day do when speak
ing. We paid a good deal to tho in
ventor and do not regret it. The dos
cart with the dude in it drivinga pranc
ing horse will be put in the show-win
dow for the first time this season. B,
winding it up, away it goes until it rum
down. The bear that walks about snap
ping his jaws cost a lot of time ane
money to perfect.
"Ah! here is something" continued
tho toy man, (which fires the younf
American heart and sells splendidly
The idea is not new but the modus op
erandi is the work of a genius. 1t il
our Home Guards. You see here ar.
thirty7eight wood soldiers, Autograph
ed in bright colors. A platform OF
which they are is supplied with wool
pins, and Us tho soldiers and pins ar
removable the soldiers can be forme'
into an endless variety of positions
and when so formed can be made t.
march and counter-march with the ut
most precision, in single or double file
by companies, columns, battalions O
hollow squares.
1.-THE Donnybrook Fair toy is a re
cent invention. 1t is called Shoot tn
hat A native of the Emerald Isle sit
under q ball suspended by an elastic
cord. You take the ball and try t.
knock his hat off without knocking
over the figure. 1t is as difficult to d
as winning hats on election bets, and
ought to know, for l lost only seven.
IN. Y. Mail and ELDrcSS.