The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-01-11
THE BABY's RATTLE.
(oung Man Goes to Buy One and
Finds Ont There Are Many
Kinds.

GAAAssS ON4 AAASAC AA~ NAoAA4
Kinds.
"Give me baby's rattle, please said
the young man, bashfully, and he de-
posted dollar bill on the counter.
'Aay particular kind or style?" in
quired the salesman, indicating the
shelves back of him, on which appeared
hundreds and hundreds of articles,
beautifully, ,queerly, fearfully wrought.
'Great Jupiter! Is there more than
one kind or style?" returned the young
man, surveying the jumbled display
with every evidence of dismayed aston
ishment.
"Just about one thousand" answered
the salesman, calmly. "There is hardly
limit to the styles and the variety Of
materials now used for baby's rattles.
The old tin rattle, probably associated
with your infancy, is still made in two
familiar styles-one shaped like di-
minutive bass drum, with the handle
soldered to the rim, and the other
shaped like the section of a cylinder,
headed at both ends, with whistle, at
the end of the handle.
"Celluloid rattles are made in great
variety of shapes, such as tambourines
and drums, with tiny bells attached.
Some of them are very cheap; others
are very expensive. Then there is a
confusing varity of bone rattles and
combination of bone and metal. AS for
the rubber rattles and the variety OF
styles we handle, there is no end to
them. Many rattles come in the shape
of cloth figures, with handles to them,
the extended arms of the figures hold
ing in each hand small bell or one of a
pair of cymbals.
.sIn musical rattles some beautiful
things are made. Usually they consist
of dolls head and body, with handle
attached. The body of the doll contains
musical box, and when the doll is
twisted around the handle some lively
or soothing air designed to please the
infant ear is ground off. For the exer'
else of the baby's own musical talent
there is usually o whistle in the handle
Several kinds of musical rattles with
the dolls gayly clad in bright-colored
satins and silks are really delightful and
interesting toys.
sAn old-fashioned rattle whose pop
ularity has survived the mutations Of
time and the vicissitudes of fashion j.
the light, pear-shaped article Of basket
| work. Inside Of many Of this type arr
tiny sleigh bells. In some of the rattle!
| made of combination of materials th'
metal used is aluminium, which is EN-
ployed because Of its extreme lightness
ssThis year fashion seems to decre'
that the silver rattle shall reign-fol
fashion dominates this nursery acces
sorry as well as the baby's apparel-ant
a number of styles are to be had. SOM
have ivory, pearl or celluloid rings
| with silver bells attached. Others ar
made entirely of silver. Then the mar
ket is flooded with silver dumbbells ant
silver wheels, pagoda-shaped rattle
with silver bells dangling from them
and silver trumpets with silver bells at
tached. The prices of silver rattles var.
/ almost as much as the styles, and som
| of them do rot cost as much as yo'
might think. Gold rattles are also mad
in some variety, but the predominatini
style calls for pearl handle, gol
whistle at the end of the handle and
cluster of tiny gold bells attached to tn
head"
what do babies rattles cost r ven
tnrcd the young man, visibly impresse
\ and awed by the salesman's discourse.
Anywhere from two cents to $35,
was his reply. 'sThe old-fashioned Il
rattle fetches the minimum price, an
the most costly silver or gold rattle tn
maximum. If you want to see somt
! thing finer
"Gee whiz!" murmured the youn
man, breaking for the door. Il gues
I'll let the baby's mother attend to thi
deal."-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.