The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26
TOYS OF PHARAOH's CHILDREN.
They Were the Same That Delight
Little Ones To-day.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
Within the last forty or fifty years toy
making, every middle-aged person
knows has been revolutionized Gone are
the simple delights of past generations;
even the speaking doll which was once
wonder sufficient TO attract all the neigh
bors, is now a mere commonplace The
rich may pay as much as several hundred
dollars for dolls for their children. and
mechanical toys are built on so vast a
style that the boys of millionaires. should
their fathers suddenly become poor. might
hang out signs and go into trade with no
other equipment than that OF the toy shop.
Yet after all, the marvels Of the toy
shops of to-day are only old friends, grown
elegant and prosperous. A doll is "A doll,
and wagon is a wagon, even though
dozens Of dollars may separate them from
their ancestors of fifty years ago. You may
change toys but children remain the same
Pharaoh. in soft moment, ordered for his
little ones just the same sort OF toys that
now fill the shops. For certain toys are
the divine right Of childhood. and chill
dren make them for themselves If they
can't have them otherwise: so parents
since the world began. have been helping
the little ones TO fashion what their hearts
desired.
few stay on forever. girl will have her
doll and a boy viii have his weapons and
his boats. while both cry out for wagons
and carriages and animals. These are
the staple toys. which always have been
and always will be. until children are
born grown-up. Excavations show that
the children or ancient Egypt played with
them just as those Of to-day. What is
more, these toys Of three or four thousand
years past are just about good as those
of half as many hundred years ago. The
children Of the Pharaohs were I'm the mat
ter of toys about well on as were the
little ones of the Puritans. IL IL recently
indeed that the art OF toymaking has
become so elaborate, after remaining for
generation after generation almost station
airy. Dolls and animals were cut out for
young Egypt and queer boats were fash
toned with the greatest care. At least
one elaborate sedan chair with lady in
side who can be taken out. has been dug
up This however. IS less ancient than
the dolls and dates back only TO the Ro-
man invasion OF Egypt IL was the Gus
tom 10 bury a child's toys I'm its grave
thousands OF years afterward 20 be dug
up and put in museums. but not Il ~
hoped without a sigh for the little life
that went out ages ago or for the weeping
mother, whose hands placed her darlings
toys beside his tiny body.
Not only in regard 10 toys were the chill
but they were told stories similar 10 those
which put children TO bed nowadays A
papyrus has Decn found which gives some
OF these stories. IL tells tales Of animals
and trees that talked with men. and OF
fairies that fortOld evil at the birth OF a
prince. much as twentieth century chill
dren hear them.
Young Egypt OF long ago would open its
eyes at the marvels Of to-day. but turned
into toy shop. or with volume OF fairy
tales, IL would md 20 many Old friends that
ancient Egypt and young America would
seem 10 be only a step apart.