The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-24
NEWS FROM TOYLAND
By FREDERIC ! HASKIN
DOLLS OF ALL NATIONS

small enough to go into an ordinary
vest pocket, and yet Is perfectly made
In every detail.
II is said that the toy dealers Of
England seem to think all dolls are
TO be married during the coming
year. Those exhibited on the Eng.
lsh counters are nearly all dressed
In their wedding garments, but no one
has suggested an explanation Of this
strange Fad. Dolls frequently have
figured In the affairs OF the heart of
real people. Everybody Is acquainted
with the novel method OF announcing
engagements with doll tea parties, but
a new use for dolls has been found by
several brides in New York, who have
had dolls made that are exact minia-
ture images OF themselves. These
are dressed by the lady's tailor and
the milliner who made the bridal out
At. in exact reproduction of the bridal
clothes themselves. Even the slip
pers, the veil. the jewelry and other
furnishings of the bride are exactly
duplicated for the doll. These bride
dolls are presented TO the bridesmaids
as souvenirs of the wedding.
Many teachers take advantage OF
the great number OF types OF dolls
to teach their pupils geography and
history. One of the first pedigogues
TO adopt this plan was the tutor OF
the then little Queen Wilhelmina OF
Holland. He was anxious that she
should grow up thoroughly familiar
with the history other people and her
subjects beyond the seas. To this end
- do 81 hn NJ
Holland fromathe foundation Of that
government lehd also Of her subjects
in Dutch Guinea and the Dutch Settle
ments In Africa. With. these dolls
and manikins he was able TO lead her
along the paths Of history and geog.
raphy during her playtime. The mu-
scum OF natural history in New York
takes advantage of dolls for this same
purpose. II has dolls which represent
every race and nationality on earth.
These are attired exactly as the types
they represent, and are placed amid
surroundings exactly like those In
which the traveller would find their
prototypes.
Dolls have figured In the supersti-
tons OF many nations. Among the
Eskimos OF our own continent are
found fetish dolls which are supposed
to scare off evil spirits. They are
dolls which have had their heads torn
from their bodies. When deer and
other game are scarce they place
images of Eskimo men on high poles
10 watch out for and TO attract game.
No such image is complete until a
headless doll Is fastened TO its outer
clothing.
In Japan when a little girl is born
there must be bought for her a col
lection >of dolls representing the EN-.
peror and the empress and the i'm
portant functionaries OF the royal
court. These dolls are treasured and
pass from one generation TO another
There is an annual feast OF dolls
known as Hina Matsuri. Tiny inita.
tons stamped with her own seal are
sent out to her little friends by the
child. This feast lasts for three days.
On the first day all the dolls which
participate are arranged according to
their rank, and each must have its
full equipment. The little maniGin
men must have their swords and their
court dress. The lady dolls must be
as faultlessly attired as If they were
real people attending some important
court function.
In many Catholic countries services
are held in which the figures in the
life of Christ are represented by man
ikins. The manger scene is one or
those depicted. Here one may behold
the infant Christ, Mary. Joseph the
Wise Men, angels, shepherds and even
the animals The Passion Play Is said
1 to have grown out of the scenes por-
trayed by manikins.
The little girls of the United States
will have no trouble to prove that
! Collector Loeb Of New York, is a
sworn enemy OF Santa Claus. There
| is tariff on china and also a tariff
on dolls. The tariff on dolls and parts
of dolls is only about half as great as
that on china; but Collector Loeb de-
clared that china doll heads must pay
duty of so per cent when they come
into the United States, on the ground
that they are china. His superiors
over.ruled him and declared that they
are parts OF dolls.
ororrow-SeIiinn IN Santa CIaus