Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-01
GREAT VARIETY
OF EASTER TOYS
sHoPKEEPERs HAVE ENDLESS
STYLES OF ATTRACTIVE De
VICES FOR SEASON.
MADE i'm GERMANY
FatherIand and Japan Supply Many
of the Noveities-Mechanical
Apparatus Is Being
Used.

VIII tllS liSoi ttPpiSs1SAA
Easter season the shopkeepers are
filing their novelty departments with
a variety Of attractive articles ap-
propriate to the day when the sun
dances on the wall. Easter dyes, pretty
cards, Dummies, chicks, animals and
fowls beggaring of description are all
bidding for their share OF the Easter
spendings that go to make the little
folks happy. Almost anything that
suggests reincarnation, returning lie
and the resurrection is made use OF
by the crafty toymaker who has gone
to Germany and even to Japan Tor
some new ideas in supplying the
wants of the Easter trade.
Geological Novelties.
While Christmas is generally con-
sidered the proper time to purchase
fuzzy cotton animals, and while in
wears past it has been the. rule to use
eggs. both natural and candy. by
way of celebrating Easter day, it IS
gradually becoming the custom to de-
light the hearts of the young ones with
something more elaborate and to sup
ply the demand for goods of that class
the manufacturers are constructing
some WOuQ6llul CISdllollo w eiS 1850
ter trade.
Rabbits, from little woolly ones to
life sized ones; ducks, dogs, storks,
geese, chickens and the like are being
carried home by fond parents to be
turned over to the younger members OF
the family on the glad Easter morn.
Many Mechanical Devices.
While some of the animals are con-
structed after the good old plan, with
hollow insides for the storage of candy
eggs, others are wonderfully and fear
fully made with clockwork insides
and will do remarkable stunts If first
wound up.
The intelligent Easter duck, made
of wire, pasteboard, paint and feath-
ers, with steel spring concealed with.
in him. will rise on his webfooted
toes, wildly flap his wings and hike
across the floor in mad chase after
little green frog, which always man
ages to keep just few inches in front
of his nose The walking rabbit, not
to be outdone by the flying duck, will
| walk along in a truly lifelike manner
until the spring is all run down. These
animals are put In the shade though
| by the talking babe, which nestles
snugly in half of an egg shell. The
diminutive baby girl is made of papiel
mache and plaster of paris and has
only painted smile, but one can al
most see the twinkle in her eye as
she cries out plaintively, papa" OF
"mamma'-accordin to which string
| is pulled.
Germany Makes Them.
Most of these mechanical Easter
toys come from clear across the
briney sea and are made by German
workmen and many of the other Eas
Rter animals who are not blessed witt
mechanical insides, but which bring
Joy to the hearts of young America
/ Just the same, are also made in Ger
many. American dealers must look tt
the land of the Rhine for the brigh
colored egg shaped candy boxes, al
though many of the Easter souvenirs
are imported from the land Of the Jap
While these limitations of the mem
bers Of the barnyard family are be
| coming more and more prominent a
Easter time the candy man says tina
| the good old custom of holding good
ly supply of candy eggs about tn
house for the youthful members of tn
family to hunt out and devour durin
the day is not passing into oblivion
but is. If anything, on the increase
the toys being considered as an &C
ditional feature.