The Washington herald., 1908-01-05

envy Of neighborhoed companions, rather
than for any personal pleasure they will
get out of them Imagination. that de-
iightful attribute that Belongs 10 youth,
dies early these days for want OF stimu-
lation. Children don't have 20 throw rain
bow tints Of their imagination over their
playthings to make believe that they are
something grander than they really are.
for nowadays toys are as perfect as they
can be made. Stuffed animals so lifelike
as 20 deceive the eye Of the grown-up;
dolls that talk, walk, sing, cry. and whis-
tie; mechanical toys that simply are mod
els Of working machinery on a larger
scale.
And what is the result Of all this
catering 10 an artificial taste Of up-to-
date childhood? Simply a host Of bored
little ones who have tasted and tired Of
all the delights OF t0yland by the time
| they are old enough 10 go 10 school un-
accompanied by their nurses. l heard
two mothers talking over their Christmas
gifts and one said Wearlly: It's so hard
10 please the. children any more J didn't
give nay little girls any toys this year az
all There is nothing new in that line
and probably will not be until some en-
terprising genius gets out a balloon that
children can sail around in the afr In.
They said they would rather have jew
e!ry, and so ] got each one a gold BARGE
/ let; and viii you believe ME. they were
unhappy because the tTinkets didn have
stones set in them. and have gone down
to-day TO have them exchanged"
One shopkeeper Informs me that he
does quite an onterprising business in the
selling Of damaged glass and china ware
| ~ ffs f.fffI Ia.
come in there looking for something TO
send 10 friends out Of the city They
think that Il they get some expensive
looking piece that is nicked or cracked
and have it packed and sent off from
the stores that their guileiess friends will
infer that the damage was done in the
packing and that they viii get credit for
a generous gift that they purchased for
about half price. So much for the mer-
ccnary, seamy side of Christmas giving.
There are 50 many new wrinkles in the
art OF serving edibles so many forks and
spoons and odd dishes. that one marycls
at the aptitude Of those who keep up
with fashions latest fancy. To be sure
it is no longer considered the correct
thing 10 have jewelry houses array Of
SILVER bIduGNiNB oAl LOT tdCn SIDE or
ones plate. an array like that in former
days Of ostentation smote many manly
hero's heart with fear and there Is one
solon prominent in the nations affairs
who used 10 say when ne Was invited out
to a knife and fork and goodiI Iess knows
how many spoons" function. that the
only way he could make a start with
the cutlery was to say "Eeny. meeny.
miney. moe &c. after the childhood
fashion of making a selection.
Bouilion cups have been in vogue for
many a long day, but they were evil
IDENTIFY an innovation to d welI-dressed
couple who recently dined at one Of the
most painfully correct hostelries in town
The man was irritable and the walters
jumped about at his commands They
, brought the bouillon in dainty cups with
butterfly handles and the monogram of
the hotel done in gold When the waiter
set the stedming b0uillOn down in front
Of the man. he stared at it and his face
grew purple with rage. Here" he
bawied aggressively. take this stuff
away! ! ordered coffee, not tea"
A globe-trotting friend Just back from
London springs an innovation upon Us
provincial Americans in the shape Of
dainty mouchoirs of paper. something on
4I,o nrco,- F.n.voeo z,,r,.~