The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-12-19

the land and Santa Claus found II sale TO resume
his visits and make the distrlouuons' NJ sun
met with a few frowns in New England put lor
the most part he vas welcomed In homes OF
varying degrees everywhere. There were no
steam pipes or hot-air registers in those days and
the chimneys were still hospitable. Inc SAINT
had to increase the size of his pack ana get d
new sleigh to the increased variety
and number of gifts for distribution, and whereas
two reindeer had been entirely adequate for draw
ing his load in the eighteenth century he now had
to add two at a time every few years.
Another war came along, but this time Santa
Claus decided that he did not need to go out Of
business; but he found a new kind of toy appro-
PIRATE to the time which proved wonderfully &C.
%ceptable to the patriotic young Americans. Enter
the wooden soldier in his painted uniform. Hap
py the boy who found a company of these on
Christmas morning. Sometimes he might even
get a toy cannon or a warship something like
those that were used in the stirring engagements
of the war. The little girls Of the period were so
expert with the needle that they could make flags
and even little uniforms for the toy soldiers.
In the hundred years since that time there has
been a mighty development in the toy ornaments,
and all sorts of figures and implements have been
evolved until at the present time a fortunate boy
of the twentieth century may have a sufficient
military and naval equipment to carry on a real
war with another boy whose fighting force is
equally impressive. The warships and torpedo
boats are exact models of real ones, and some of
them can float upon the water In all the majesty
of fighting vessels. Their equipment is perfect,
too, even to the wireless apparatus and devices
for saving as well as for destroying life. Ashore
there are forts of the latest construction and
fighting men Of all nationahties.
One of the latest achievements in the Christ
mas toys is in the aerial apparatus. From box
kites to real aeroplanes that will whiz through
the air there is everything that the boy who has
watched real airships and longed to fly one him
self can desire to possess. Some of them are al.
most large enough to st. Nicholas
himself. Even the railways them.
selves to the exigencies of warfare. The railways
and their equipment are the last word in the up
to-date toys for fortunate children. With the
training they furnish there should be developed a
race of engineers, managers and presidents OF
railroads in the future. The most complete sets
that Santa Claus brings in 1914 have tracks that
can be laid straight away and in curves, going
through tunnels, having improved signals and up
to-date stations. There are electric and steam
trains, coaches for several classes, baggage and
freight cars-indeed everything required for the
demands of travel and traffic.
If a boy has no taste for the details of rail-
reading he may be interested in moving pictures,
and Santa Claus has q fine assortment of appara-
tus of that kind, some of it simple enough for
almost anyone to operate and splendid for utiliz-
ing picture post cards or the photographs made
with the camera, which is one Of the favorite
articles in the Christmas pack.
Some persons say that Santa Claus has dis
carded his reindeer and pack and taken to using