The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-19
TOYS OF TWO EMPERoRs.
The Dolls That Amused Napoleon Ill aud
RCIar's FupPet Soldiers.

The Dolls That Amused Napoleon III. aud
RCEar's FuPPet soldiers.
The recent discovery at Buckingham
palace of the dolls which the queen
dressed as child has caused almost as
much interest on the continent a. ia
this country. The French especially
have been struck with the idea that
this woman Of serenty-three. covered
with glory, queen OF happy England
and empress Of peaceful India"
should again let her eyes rest upon tho
toys with which she played more than
sixty years ago
Another fact in connection with the
queens dolls, on which French news
papers love TO dwell, is that her males.
ty has shown an interest in the dolls
which, in the words Of one French
chronicler, looks almost as IL she would
have liked 20 be- left alone with her be-
loved toys and take once more into her
arms the ugly. old-fashioned dolls
Curiously enough, the last emperor
of the French had an army of dolls,
which in many respects were like thosa
Of the queen. Instead Of shepherl esses
and sleeping beauties, however. tho
dolls of Napoleon Ill were ali soldiers,
each one representing regiment in
the French army, and each = perfect
model in every way. II WAS quite by
chance this army Of military dolls was
started. One winter night. NJ Premier,
the artist WAS passing the Tuilerie>,
where ball was going on Outside. At
the gate, he saw - mounted artillery
with the motionless figure IN
the snOw-covered square that next
morning ho made Il clay model
of it. NJ de Nieuwekerke Jaw 10.
told the emperor Of it and caused
series Of similar statuettes 20 be made.
each representing a different type 81
soldier Napoleon Ill presently i'm
quired. some what 20 tho sculptor's con
sternation. whether the clay models
could not be colored They would then.
he added, be quite perfect After some
difficulty this wss accomplished. and
the miniature regiment Wa pronounced
quite perfect"
The noble army Of imperial dolls vas
not, however. destined 70 a long life.
and the work which it had taken thu
sculptor over ten years TO complete vas
slmost destroyed in single day. OHs
morning the late prince imperial, then
a child. was playing with young Flsury
Ia the room where bis fathers TOY asl-
diers were kept under glass H.s tutor
gave permission 70 the boys On play
with them, aad the son Of the emperor
led cae half Of the nun Der against thu
rest, which were beaded by the son az
the general In half an hours time ths
army Of statuettes had erased 20 exist
Nicholas l.. ezar 81 al the RussiAz,
was another Of the EOvereizua who had
q leaning towards TOY .oldierA When.
in 1895, he made changes ia the uni-
form 90 the Russian army. hs had Tho
new apparel Of each regiment drawn
By the clsverest artists IN the country.
Next. forty figures were ordered to -
contracted by The leading sculptor,
and uniforms were then MADE after tss
yvater-color dra wings 20 81 the yuVpess.
It. wzz thus that The great Nicholas
stsdisd he effect Of The Bssv uniforuA
Later o. To- figures were placed ia
large cas-s with z zss toorE ln the en-.
peror'z study a. Erasno~-seio. sVhsra
taey may SILL - sss5 Pal Nal E1--