The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-03

magic lantern and is modern in every
detail, and shows real moving pic
lures. Then there are the toy auto
mobiles with the friction devices,
equipped with monks and lanterns
and the features of a modern car.
Wooden garages, doll houses and
printing presses made of steel and SUI
perior to anything previously put on
the toy market are being offered this
season.
The moulding clay, which has been
a craze in the east for several years,
has reached Topeka and this year it is
feature on the holiday list.
Considerable attention is being paid
the displays of brass goods and the
merchant with a line of this ware will
do a big business.
Probably 90 per cent of the Topeka
children are excitedly counting on their
fingers the days until Santa Claus ar
rives-if all of them can count that
far-and the big down town stores are
helping along the restless feeling by
placing on display hundreds of articles
that are almost giving the little tots
spasms of delight. Already the store
windows are a creation of Christmas
tide suggestions and hundreds of To-
pekas little boys and girls spend their
vacation hours looking wistfully at
the toys and games, the big dolls that
/ really and truly go to sleep and the
sure enough guns that shoot real shot.
On the playground at school each
morning these same little folk are
holding their regular meetings and
discussing the things they ARE just
sure to get for Christmas" Each seems
to know days and days ahead just
what that traditional old chap will
| drop in their particular stocking; and
each of these hundreds of Topeka
children will be just as surprised and
happy when they awake three weeks
hence and find what things they really
did receive. AS consequence no one
cares to interrupt these bright day
dreams that are just as real as real
can be.
Holiday shopping Has Begun.
Today men and women from every
part of Topeka, from the suburbs and
surrounding towns are in the stores
looking and buying and every one of
the many hundred men and women
are thinking of little boy or little
girl who will awake Christmas morn
ing and be happy because Santa Claus
brought just the things they wanted.
There Is practically no limit to the
extent of the Topeka holiday shop
ping From the thousands of books and
toys and games in the ten cent stores
to the higher priced articles in other
stores, the 1910 Christmas shopper
finds Just the things he or she is look
| ing for andAat the price that just cor
responds with the buyers pocketbook.
Christmas isn't much like 1t used
to be-" said a fashionable society wom-
an whose husband Is a wealthy whole
sale merchant and keeps a five figure
bank account. when was a little
girl, there wasn't so many things to
buy. A calico dress or a cheap doll
looked like a whole world of Christ
mas to sister and me in those days, but
| times have changed and it requires
q great deal more money to do the
holiday shopping than it used to. But
after all, dare say it's worth the price
| If the children are happy.
Sometimes this woman or her neigh
bors buy the rich imported things for
their daughters and the little five
year olds must have the finest toys the
market affords, but the old time spirit
of Christmas giving is there and the
day is happy one.
s'Trade is starting off unusually
strong this year. said a down town
merchant this morning. I'VE are just
getting our goods well displayed and
we can notice that the interest in
! Christmas buying this season is much