New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
S4NTAS STOCK OF TOYS,
4rships, automobiles and 'Teddy
an africa" AmOng Them.

window OF q large toy store in the shopping
district for a parting glance before tearing
| themselves away from the visual feast In
that particular store were several models of
| aeroplanes which would actually fly.
| Old st. Nick may be old in years, but in other
respects he Is just as up to the minute any
highly enterprisng business seeking to
| capitalize the future for his own benefit. He
| has keen news sense" Wherever his Office,
shops or storehouses may be it is certain that
they have live wire" 'live wireless con-
nection with the world. Every year the young
Sters find the most up-to-date things in their
stockings. This year will be no exception. IL
| one may judge from the bulletins coming in by
way of the toy shops
| One may buy for Al cents paper winged flying
machines, which in no wise infringe the patents
| OF the Wright brothers They fly with the sue
cess of $4,000 prize winner for distances
| commensurate with their size. Propelled by a
simple engine that has an advantage over those
usually found in aeropanes in that it never
fails until it has worn out-namely. a stout
| elastic bandit will wing its way across u room
with speed that will make n deep impression
if it chances to bump a bOdy's forehead.
Indeed it would be quite possible to reproduce
a battle in the air with dirigibles and aero
planes. for accurate representations of the Yep
pelin and Deutsch arships have also been de-
vised. They. too. immune from the disas-
| ters to which the original is so liable for they
| are entirely of metal and not dependent upon
| their buoyancy for support. y string takes the
place of gas
! game with miniature parachutes has also
been devised in which a parachute is shot up
| into the air by means OF q bow and arrow.
When the arrow falls the player is supposed to
| catch it up and try TO take the slowly descend
ing parachute it's tip.
Santa Claus possibly could give Cook and
Peary points on reaching the North Pole. but
| evidently he has decided to keep out of the
| controversy by the diplomatic means of pass
ing it on to children and making it possible for
Peary to win at one time and Cook at another.
Whatever the scientific societies decide upon.
the children can solve the problem for them
| selves. The chief instrument is fiat, rectangu-
Lar cardboard box three-quarters of inch
| thick and six or eight inches square. on one
side is printed 4 chart of the polar regions. In
| the centre, on either side. is round hole half
| an inch in diameter.
| The question itself is settled after the Greek
manner of selecting public officials brown
marble represents Cook. while a blue stands
! for Peary. After careful examination of the
chart the box is shifted around at different
angles until one of the marbles falls out of the
hole. The one which drops forth, of course.
settles for the time being the veXed question.
The toy stores carry herds of plush polar
bears that growl not, neither do they swim:
Esquimau and explorer dolls and Arctic scenes
in plaster and cardboard whose icebergs glisten
| and whose snowciad wales thronged with
iglOOs, Esquimau dogs, sledges reindeer foxes,
/ seals, penguins and all the other objects con-
| nected with life in the Arctic regions. while
whales swim about in the darkIing seas
| Mr.. Roosevelt took great pains to prevent his
! movements in East Africa being reported in
the press. Perhaps the getting ability
/ Of the patron saint of Christmas is best illus
trated in what he has been able to accomplish
| in reproducing the life of Teddy in Africa"
| Teddy in Africa" comes in a box. but when
unpacked the former President is able per-
form remarkable gymnastic feats without los
ing his pith helmet his spectaces, while
| Kermit does Il giant swing without dslodgng
/ from his shoulder the camera slung thereon
In the box jonted reproductions of many
/ Of the great animals which reported to have
fallen before the guns of the hunters. tents
| and native gun bearers and guides.
Every kind of automobile from the powerful
racing car, with bent figures at the wheel.
and the hulkng limousine to the taxcab, rum
about and autotruck, is reproduced with fdel-
ity. Garages are also provided. Operated by
cIockwOrk, these machines have rubber tires
and all the other noticeable appurtenances. So
/ accurately are they constructed that would
expect to find the taxicab indicator charging
up fares at the usual ruinOus rate and the
metal chauffeur insisting on the correctness of