The Helena independent., 1894-12-20
FIX THEIR OWN TOYS
Pleasure for the Little Tots, Though the
Tmos May Be More or Less
Hard.
HoMt.aAot TOYS CHEAP AND FINE.
Things That Can Bo Made for Almost no
Expense at All by oeit
Fingers.

Jiigt about the Christmas season there
is great deal OF sympathy expended
upon the stockings that Santa Claus
forgets 10 nh with toys, and this year.
because OF the hard times that have
prevailed, there Is likely TO DE mor,
sympathy than ever needed, because
great many stockings are going to be
Tar from full, and many morc are going
20 be empty,
But real plucky child is not going
10 let thar worry him or her, and this
Is why-because clever Children can
make splendid toys for themselves,
some Of them quite as good as those
out Of tbs toy shops; besides which ony
must take into consideration the enDi.
nous amount OF fun TO be had out ui
the making OF them,
Suppose this clever boy wants 90 blow
soap bubbles, but has no pipe FOR the
purpose. Does hc SIT down TO fret and
10 wonder why he can't have things
like other boys? You don't know him
He finds out something else that will
Serve ns well When he wants 10 blow
bubbles he cuts on the top of an acorn.
digs out the meat inside boTes a little
hole on one side, puts a long goose
quill into the hole ms a pipestem, AMI
there is his pipe. which will blow just
as big bubbles as the clay ones do. But
perhaps he's a boy who lives In town
and therefore acorns are not easily come
by. so then he makes u substitute. The
grocers all keep the long straws that
people drink lemonade through they
don't mind giving away few. This
straw he slits down very gently about
quarter OF It's length. making two cuts
with the knife at right angles to each
other so that when he bends outward
the part that has been slit the four
pieces form an exact cross. II this
is dipped lightly into the suds and one
blows gently from the other end as
big bubbles can be made as any that
are blown.
Perhaps II Is jackstraws that this boy
who is so Independent OF circumstances
wants 20 play. This Is how hr sets
about having the game 70 play. He gets
a bundle of those lemonade styaws
from the grocer He cuts out some lit
tle round discs of paper which he num-
bers 5, 10. Is, 20, 25 so. rs. 100. $50. 200
Then he makes very small slit In the
top OF each straw puts little glue on
the edge OF a disk. sticks Il into the
slit. and lays II away TO dry while he
makes another. When these are all
done he opens out short hairpln. bends
one end into a hook, dips the other
end into glue and thrusts IL into the
last straw he has left, and there is his
Set OF jackstraws complete. with the
hook with which 10 pick them up.
There are other toys that cause u
great deal of fun among the younger
children. He calls one the girl skat-
ing" and I'm the nursery IL Is Consid-
cred his masterpiece
For the girl skating he cuts out a
round piece of cardboard tout of u
picture card) about tive inches in diam
eter In the center OF this he cuts a
round hole n little less than an inch
across Then he cuts out disk OF pa
per just the same size as the cardboard.
but with hole IN The center only half
as large as the other This paper he
pNstes smoothly under the bottom OF the
cardboard. Then he takes a visiting
card, rolls Il lcngihwlse into cylinder.
the end Of which viii just lit into the
hole In the center OF the fiat circle Of
card. This he CLUES into place and
then drops Il small marble down the
cylinder. With some crepe paper,
which mamma had left over after MAX
ing lump shade, skirt Is made ami
tied around the girls waist. Another
bit Of the paper serves as cloak. Still
third piece tied up az the back, acts
as n big poke bonnet. and into this Il
face Of cardboard is stuck, on which
features have been drawn with "A pen
A little roll OF the crepe paper stuck
under the cloak looks Ike mun
Some bits ~ cardboard are cut into
shapes resembling the points OF skates
and a9c pasted on the cardboard just
under the edge Of hor skirts Now she
Is quite Gone. and set on the top OF
pasteboard box she VIII run back and
forth as if skating. according as the
box Is tilted from side 10 side
There are lots OF other toys that "A
clever boy can make II he is ingenious
and will use the materials that come
70 his hand, not expensive materials,
either. but little odds and ends oi
waste matter. such as visiting cards
matches. corks, and the like. one
clever girl made herself a whole set of
dishes full Of dinner, such as come in
costly French toy boxes out Of such
cheap materials as old cards, which
made the dishes. and dough out II
which she nodded all meats aud yrgc-
tables-she had learned u model a
lille at the hndcrEnrtcu-Rnd these
were painted tp resemble hams peas,
asparagus. bread and sausaEes. with
her own water cplors. She and the
dolls had many "A most nOurlsblng ana
refreshing meal cut ~ thosc same
Glsheg.-intcr Ocean,