Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-06
COPYRIGHT BY JAMES ElyEnsom

hands; when the materials were ready, the
neighbors would all be willing to help him.
hasper set to work, and very soon a set OF
planks were planed and polished until they
shone again, and with the help of friends the
little shed was put up. The floor was made
the level of the road, because floods are ire
quent In that district An overhangng lime
tree strewed the road with blossoms, and as
kasDer stood on the top of the sloping plank
that led up to his small shop on the first day
that it was opened, he felt that no one in
the world had ever owned a more convenient
shop, and was quite convinced that he was
the most fortunate being in the whole world.
The little house was built in the same pro-
portions as its owner, and would hardly have
been large enough for full grown. man to
turn around in: but Kasper, with his care
ful movements, was quite at home in the
tiny place. The sole furniture consisted Of
a table and two rough benches; two broad
shelves held number of his wares, while
other objects hung from the roof or were
nailed to the walls. A small table was put
on either side of the door when the weather
was fine, and some of the toys most likely
derful tops made of polished wood, queer
little Grades, just like punts, tiny models of
the real Styrian cradle, made entirely Of wood
and painted deep red, lay there all ready
for baby doll. Wheelbarrows, just large
enough to contain a cargo of beech nuts, or
possibly load of mountain Strawberries,
stood in rows, and could be bought for half
penny apiece. Rakes and spades for gar
dening or working in the sand could also be
had, for children in Austria dig among the
silver sand Of the pine woods and make cas-
ties and fortresses Just as American boys and
girls make them by the seashore. The wood
en- dolls are by no means of an elegant shape,
and there is decided stiffness in their limbs
their toilettes, too, are rather snowy than
useful. They wear the peasant hat with its
immense brim and pointed crown, trimmed
with two very long feathers of bright green
and brilliant scarlet.
There were cups and saucers wonderfully
made, just right for a tea party that could
be given on the mossy root of some old tree
in the woods. The cups would not hold
very much, but that was not altogether a
disadvantage, as raspberry juice and water
/ last much longer when each guest only gets
a small quantity. The tiny plates, too, could
| be piled high with wild strawberries or biber-
| ries.
Inside the shop the shelves were covered
with dolls furniture, all in imitation of the
objects seen in the peasant houses. There
were chairs with sloping seats and rickety--
| looking legs that bent outwards; chests of
drawers painted blue with white flowers;
| chests for linen, of bright scarlet with pret-
| ty designs Tiny wooden shoes to fit every
| dolls foot stood in rows. and Kasper never
| allowed the smallest customer to go away
unshod. Curious brackets are made of giant
mushrooms, cut into two pieces and dried;
the surface of the mushroom looks just like
| the bare fiat side of q mountain, and the
tiny log hut standing near the edge of a
precipice is surrounded by railing to pre-