Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-12-16
wARLlKa cHRrsrMAs TOYS.
The Ola style Toys Give Way to soldiers
Bstles, warships, Bic.
fRE wOoItY DOG RELEeArID.

The war is over, but II ls just begin.
ming 10 bear fruit in the minds OF the
children. And what staunch little pat
riots these children are, 10 be sure.
Don't fancy that you can give them
any old civilian sort OF a Christmas pres.
ent this year. There will have to be a
CLINT OF the Stars and Stripes somewhere
about q toy 10 make It acceptable to these
miniature men and women who have
opinions Of their owl. IL you will give
your boy a fac -simile OF the Maine, 10 be
proudly drawn around on wheels. and 10
your lassie a doll with the sign OF the
Red Cross on the sleeves Of its sOmbre
dress. you may rest assured you will have
made some little people very happy.
For though the war is over II is all
soldiers and armored cruisers and drums
and charging cayalrymen and battles
and sieges-the wal lived over again, In
fact, with the children. These are the
things they are clamoring for. They
haunt the toy counters and pay no at
tention whatever to the wonderful new
devices In mechanism evolved for their
amusement. The woolly dog and the
hook and ladders have no attraction for
the chubby little boy or the boy who Is
getting old enough to have aspirations.
It is all war. war. How Dewey captured
Manila; how Havana was blockaded
how old Cervera was made 10 bow his
proud head 10 the Yankees. The atmOs-
phere Of the nursery is permeated with
the herolcs OF the war.
"0h, no. we don't have any sale for
anything that has not some hint Of bat
tie aud soldiers about IT," said the people
behind the toy counters, where are ar
ranged In seductive fashion, the most
life like United States volunteers and
regulars.
Haven't you got some Arizona regi.
ment menp' asked q small boy in one OF
the stores the other day, "and | much pre-
fer New Mexico Rough Riders than any
ether kind" he added.
IL used TO be that soldiers OF other ma
lions had more attraction for the little
people, because of the brighter coloring,
but II 10 hard 10 imagine the scorn with
which anything but American soldiers
are now viewed.
or course spanish uniforms are In
favor, because then the blue coated fell
lows can be made 10 demolish their lines.
Following the example OF their nam
mas. the girls know Just as much about
the war as do their brothers. and dolls
have no Joy for them, except they may be
made to serve as Red Cross nurses. And
even then they prefer TO help lay siege IA
III Caney or make q Hobson sink a Mer.
rimsc.
All the very latest fashions In these
martial toys are to delight the Albuquer.
que children this year.
There Is a Maine Of generous siz,, re,
produced almost exactly in papier mache
There are cannons and drums and soldier
suits.
Then there are games-sueh very elab
crate ones. There ia the Capture Of
Manila" with little boats representing
Dswey's fleet, TO be moved around az the
spinning Of q little wheel indicates
Then there Is q beautiful game called
war In Cuba" with a large board show
ing the city Of Havana, while palm treei
and Cuban recOncentrados play an i'm
portant part.
One game shows the blockade Of Cubl
and tho route Of the vessels Of Sampson
leet. The harbor Of Havana, Key Yves
not far away, are all pictured, and artist
lcally, too.
One realistic game is entitled "TeariEl
Up the Tracks" There ia a line Of sol
diers and the track being torn up by in
i%antrymen to interrupt the travel Of IN,
} enemy. II is all very exciting and yeTl
up.to-date, and II is possible that through
these games the children Of the Spanish
American war will know much more o
the history Of 1t. OF the anecdotes ant
deeds OF bravery, than did the children
Of the civil war.