Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02
TAKING PLAYTHINGS.
What Children Need Away From
Home In the Summer.
Written for The Star.

| Written for The Star.
mo, children, you simply can't take all
those toys. I can put only ono for each of
| you In the trunk, and you must choose
| something that won't take up much room"
This is the mothers usual dictun1, de-
livered as she is packing up to go TO the
| country, and in spite OF piteous looks ana
fervent pleadings she stoically adheres to
1t. How can she do otherwise with trunk
space at a premium and all the family
wardrobe to dispose of Besides it would
require a trunk the size OF Noah's ark to.
contain the combined pet playthings OF two
or three modern children,
The only toys adapted for packing within
limited space are those OF what one ex-
perienced mother calls the "non-squash-
able" variety, You can tuck a ball or a
racquet or set OF paper dolls in anywhere,
but there is a certain uncompromising
hardness. not to mention bulk, about trains
Of cars. express wagons and the like, which
seems to dlsqualify them for too close prox-
unity to summer apparel As for the arts
tocratic bisque doll, with her Lady Clare
de We're aspect and her Partisan wardrobe,
one trembles to think what might happen 20
her in such restricted quarters. Wherefore,
the wise mother decides that even she must
be left at home
The rag doll, however. can be taken to the
furthest ends of the earth without damage
and In very little space. And the rag doll
of today Is very desirable doll indeed,
The face is printed in indelible colors, and
the hair is made either of yarn or, In the
higher grade dolls. of bieached goats hair,
In either case the doll Is washable and
energies from a bath and a day on the
clothes line as fresh as the proverbial
daisy,
Pretty Gabrielle frocks of bingham with
lawn guimpes trimmed with Swiss eulbroid-
cry, are provided for these dollies and the
costume is conapieted by sun bonnet OF
material matching the frock
It Is not difficult matter to make rag
doll You can improvise a very good figure
out of a child's white stocking and a sup
ply Of cotton waste. First make bag OF
the stocking by cutting on the foot ana
head by stuffing It to the depth OF about
two and a half inches. Tie string around
1t to form the neck and below this add
more stuff1ng for the body, sewing firmly
across when OF the required length
To make the legs, divide the remainder
of the stocking lengthwise into two parts,
stuff each with cotton and sew up with
strong thread Make the arms separately
and sew them on. For the hair, use black
or brown darning cotton and an overland
over stitch, finishing each stitch In little
loop to simulate curl. Sketch In the eye
brows eyes mouth and nostrils with IN
delble ink or water colors. The Ink Is the
better medium as Il can neither be washed
out nor sucked out If there is demand
for a colored baby, use brown stocking
instead of white one.
Even If animals are wanted. II is easy
enough to make one with an old stocking
as the basis. IT may not exactly hold the
mirror up to nature. but It's small owner
is not likely to be captious on that score
Do not use beads for eyes, either with dolls
or animals as there is always danger OF
their being swallowed.
Among the toys that little people Ike
best the woolly Roosevelt bears are most
readily packed and easily cleaned. linen
there is a reversible doll that is a fayorite
with children who tire OF their playthings
quickly. IT is a white baby one way up
and a pickaninny the other, having a sec
ond head where the legs ought TO be ADDED
10 this, there is an endless variety OF paper
6oIIs and collapsible doll houses, beside
cardboard villages. farms and gardens, any
or All of which may be put into the trunk
without taking up much space.