Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-29
FUNNY JAPANESE TOYS.
Queer Mechanical PIaythings Made to
Amuss Young Orientals.


Amuss Young Orientals.
There are no people so fond of toys as
the Japanese. About one day out of three
Is holiday in their country. and even
their pilg1mages to temples of worship
are performed in gala costumes. with dane
ing and sports by the wayside Play is
from their point Of view the object of ex-
istence, work being the means to the end,
because it is necessary to earn pleasure in
order to End it enjoyable. Americans of
course know better than this, having acer-
tanned that the purpose of it is labor and
that fun in any shape is waste Of time
The japanese have the most perfect kin
dergarten system in the world. In fact
they originated this method of instructing
by entertainment instead of by punish
ment inflicted. Their play apparatus for
such purposes is elaborate, but all of it is
adapted to the infant mind, which is is de-
signed at once to amuse and to inform.
The little ones of that nation even be-
come somewhat interested in mathematics
by seeing and feeling what pretty thing
cone, sphere or cylinder is when cut
out Of wood with lathe. They make out
lines of solid figures out of straws, with
green peas dried to hold the joints togeth-
er, and for the instruction of the blind fat
blocks are provided, with the Japanese
characters raised on them.
Even the toys of Japan give instruction
to those who play with them. One sort of
playing cards has printed upon them 100
scraps of classical poetry, by which the
rudiments of the art of versifcation are
expected to be inculcated. Another set
embodies a collection of old Japanese
parallels, by which the syllabary of the
language and moral maxims at the same
time are to be taught Another set is of
natural history cards to give instruction
in the names and forms of animals, and
still another set, especially intended for
girls, affords examples of women who have
been celebrated for their virtue and noble
qualities.
All these things can be seen in the mu-
scum of the bureau of education, of the
existence of which few people in Washing
ton are aware. In the collection there,
which includes all the educational appli-
ances of civilized countries, is most inter
esting assemblage of Japanese toys. Many
OF them are types of playthings which the
youth of western civilization has adopted
from the east
For example, there are kites, but no
Yankee boy can fly such kites, in the shape
of birds and monsters, as can the urchin
OF Japan. There are tops also, but the
American schoolboy has never got further
in this play art than "peg- in the -ring,"
whereas his japanese contemporary is &C
quainted in the science of spinning many
tops together, of whistling tops, and SO on.
So far as both tops and kites are concerned
the young Caucasian is an ignoramus COM
pared with his oriental rival.
Among the babies toys from Japan at
the museum is mouse that feeds from
bowl when a little bamboo spring is
touched, lowering his head and long tail in
quite a lifelike manner. Another is a
small cylinder, into which one blows
through two small reed tubes, three balls
of pith being kept bobbing in bit of
cage over the cylinder by the breath, while
a cut in one of the tubes produces shrill
whistle
jump up a long stick by bamboo spring,
and still another is q wooden gentleman
who rides along between two wheels, being
attached to the axle with heavy base A
toy jinricksha is one of the more expensive
playthings, showing foreigner being
drawn in a hand buggy by anative between
the shafts
Further devices for toy purposes are ka-
Telescopes, boxes with glass tops filled
like cupboards with various household
utensils in miniature and bags filled with
shot for tossing.NWashington Star,
I am now ready 2 shoY. Nsr the largest
stock of fine winter wing and trouserings
ever brought to Xorth: r r.,