Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-11
CHRISTMAS TOYS.
Some Of the Years Novelties for the
Little Folks.
Mechanical Devices From The Land Of Tho
French.

What are the boys and girls going to
have for Christmas? is, the question
that supersedes all others for the next
three weeks. Perhaps sfhe boys and
girls already think they know what
they would like. Perhaps some of
them even think they know what they
will receive, but great MANY of them
will find themselves pleasantly mis-
taken. for Santa Claus this year has
prepared several new things, the like
of which no boy or girl ever has seen.
Few OF those who visit the collec-
tions of dolls and toys in the big de-
partment stores between now and
Christmas will consider the immensity
OF the undertaking of preparing for the
Christmas exhibitions There will be
no outward sign to show that the
special displays are occupying any
more than their regular space, so sys-
tematically will the adjustments be
made. A glimpse behind the scenes. as
it were, is required in order to realize
that the Christmas preparations were
not made in day.
The big department stores, for one
thing, soon will fill their windows with
Christmas displays, each striving TO
Guido it's rivals in novelty and attrac-
tiveness. One of the State street es-
Establishments is going to show the in
terror of doll theatre. complete with
scenery, decorations, electric lighting
doll performers in costume and doll
audience IN evening dress. Now. this
exquisite little productions life of
three weeks will he the result of the
most careful work and planning Of
several months. The window decorator
who designed it combines the qualities
of artist and mechanical expert. His
labOrs for the whole display of the
house began last July. The toy buyer
for the same house began to collect his
Christmas goods last February. The
expense of making the changes before
and after the display of the toys, plus
the cost involved in the window dis
plays will amount to something be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000.
French inventiveneSs is on hand, as
usual, with variety of mechanical
toys of the gayest kind. One daintily
dressed little doll holds in her hand Il
mirror. which she coquettishly raises
and lowers, showing unmistakable adj
miration of her own pretty face dur
ing the time of her look into the glass.
The pedestal on which the lady stands
furnishes music during her perform
ance. Another piece is COW that has
most natural low" and can be
MIXED. The milk of course, is previ
ously poured into the cows -. back.
- = 4. 4
cult for papier-mache COWS to 4 give
milk without some such a ssist afice. A
clown in another toy holds conpan-
ion clown by string. long enANgh. to
let the prisoner run around circle;
the second clown is badly frightened
by the attentions of dog which re-
fuses to let go of the seat of his trou
'sers. Again. an acrobat performs
most astonishing tricks at the top of
a ladder. There are numbers of others
Qzssimilar nature. These droll little
people are not for every family. Most
of them are expensive. The acrobat.
for instance values himself at SIS.
But there is no scarcity of things with
in reach of every one. The French toy
once4 lnvented. the Germans can copy it.
and seAdt for so much less as really to
but origin. German rubber tire cabs.
lQas1e after American patterns, and rum
cling afong the floor with all the reck-
1essness of the cabs in real life. are sold
for as cents. The same article. while
made in France cost 81. This is a single
example. Countless others are furnished
by walking elephants. railroad trains.
and other locomotive devices. The Ger
mans also are most successful in the
manufacture of tin ships, built after
A Cai
coming as antiquated in toys as in the
less real life of commerce. Steam is the
proper caper and men-of-war ought to be
equipped with brass guns that can be
fired Off
France sends over a couple of inexpen-
Sive novelties in the shape of a balloon
that 'ascends-up string-and bird
that flies along the same sort of a sup
port. An ice wagon has appeared stocked
with. almost real ice. made of glass. The
neweSet1ectric car is propelled by cur,
rent from storage battery, carried
through the rails. Bicycle toys are out
in force-single wheels. tandems. and
trips. with little white-sweatered men
and women pushing the pedals. One of
the female types in this class bears
most comical resemblance to Lillian Rus
sell.
Children like things that have a SEM
blance of usefulness. things that furnish
an opportunity to copy the work of their
elders. The semi-utility type of toy if
such it may be called. each year becomes
more elaborate. While frivolous little
climbing monkeys and kicking donkeys
have approaching the zero mark in price.
the educative toy is improved. and. in it's
improved form. made more expensive or
course. specimens of the older and cheap
err always are to be found.
This year there is toy sewing ma
chine that performs actual work. At $2l
there is an extensive machine shop. with
lathes drills. and all sorts of things.
The new piano has real sharps and flats.
an innovation. New doll cooking sets are
made in genuine enamel ware, and doll
baths to closely initiate porcelain Waf-
fle bakers are shown that are capable of
cooking real waffles. Printing presses
are included in the tendency: they arc
more complete than ever before, while
enamel doll furniture. which may be
classed among the educative toys is al
ready attracting attention. Brass bed
steads are shown in greater assortment
than ever before. Toy engine manufac-
ture has progressed far enough to have
a measure of toy engine power. The unit
is one rat power" A ten-rat power en-
CINE is capable of pretty strong work
They grade down to the weakness of
three-mouse-power
Magic lanterns. too are rising in stand
ing The rickety little box of dozen
wears ago is seldom called for now; Il
really good instrument is wanted
In subjects of slides, too, change of
taste is taking place. The old Humpty-