The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-13
WOUNDED SOLDIERS
TURN DOLLMAKERS
Handiw0rk Of French War Vic.
tins Arrives Here to
BE Sold.
ND IN RELIEF WORK

something beautiful and joyous can
CONE out Of war after all. Let those
who doubt 20 TO the Old Knickerbocker
Club. $40 Fifth avenue. and be con-
WINGED.
The rooms of the club are filed with
dolls. big dolls. little dolls, boy dolls, girl
dolls. dolls In silk attire and dolls In
simple calico. dolls that are the images
or famous prima donnas and we'll known
historical characters and dolls that are
Just n%obodies. but very cunning. And
these dolls, which will make Merry
Christmas" for many a little American
child. would never have been but for the
war. for many Of them were made and
all OF them were dressed by convalescent
soldiers In Paris hospitals n artists
from Poland : and other countries,
stranded In Paris and without funds and
glad TO turn t. toy making for their
bread.
1t was to provide an occupation for
these soldiers and refugees that the
French Toy Federation was formed In
Paris. with Mile. Valentine Thomson as
its head. Nine. Charles lie verrier. who
chaperoned the dolls to America and
who introduced them yesterday to rep
resentatives OF the press at a special
reception, explained how II came about.
soldiers a. Toymakers.
You see.'' she said, az a soldier who
was an artisan has lost both Of his legs
he can no longer build houses or operate
machines. but there are things he can
do with his hands. SO we who wished
, to make life tolerable for these brave
men and assist them to provide for their
future went into the hospitals and said
to them. What would you like to do?
| Would you like to carve toy furniture or
would you do the weaving or wOuld you
! learn to dress dolls? And may Of them
become very dextrous in these small
/ things, but OF course "a way had TO be
found to dispose of them. So ] have
brought these specimens of their work to
America. not to take the trade away
from the toy makers of other nations.
but because we believe there Is n market
here for the wars victims too"
1t should be explained that there
are many toys besides dolls at the ex-
h!bitior, which Is to be opened to the
public next Tuesday. There is fascinat-
ing furniture with which the Tolls can
go 10 housekeeping. there are games and
puzzles. There Is a folding garden.
which when spread out on a table shows
a spacious rustic scene, with trees and
flowers, and a pair Of lovers on a
bench and which will fold up into =
small box. Their there Is n folding
market. showing a Paris vegetable mar
ket In full operation. But most i'm
posing is an Interior showing an AL
gerian wedding. This contains more
than a score Of figures-larEe sized
dolls-and is abou IL feet long.
Algerian Wedding Reproduced.
"It was something to bring over in
ones luggage" said Nine. Nerrier. ID
course we hardly expect to sell this tC
any Individual. but surely II might
find a place in some museum. The Tolls
were dressed In Algiers. and the cos
tunes are absolutely correct. II NJ
cannot dispose of It," she said with q
laugh, II him I shall use II rs q
bungalow. for 1t is big enough"
The dolls refused to be interviewed
Yesterday, their chaperon stating tina
they had been In America too short q
time to have any Impressions worti
recording. Most of them lay fiat OF
their backs in their glass cases. and APP
. peared to be quite probabl,
from seasickness. Mrs. William Asto
|, Chanler who assisted Nine. lie Verrie
in introducing. said they would be quit
recovered by Tuesday. when they vii
!. be offered to doll lovers at prices rang
ing from 80 cents to $500.
The Lafayette fund 3 intereste'
in SOLDIERS Toyland." and the womel
of the fun are helping with the de
, tails.