Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-08

toy deslgpqg, IS very crude and so
childlike that its appeal was only
to the 2 and 3-year-old Amer
lean. The toys were cheap, recon-
mel ding them to riother, the COLI
servationist ct The family, but da1
end 6-year-old Billy had a supreme
contempt for them because of tuc;r
Soph,stication.
This year when daddy, as a good
American and fond forebear, went to
buy the Christmas benefcence o;
toys for little son and daughter, IL
was actually sm. :td at the evjla.
:ior that has taken place in the toy
business.
American manufat turers had SER
ed the golden opportunity and nld
made the most of it. On every toy
counter in the city Of Omaha their
products monopo.ize the space. Not
only is there a lavishness of variety,
but also is there a lavishness OF
novelty.
Makes Play Real
The American child makes play
very real thing in his or her life.
The American child has 4 lively
Imagination and an inventive mind,
as we'll as clever hands.
The thing that made Billy ask
for a BIB airgun was his desire to
be prepared to handle !22 target
rifle when he attained the manly
years of Brother Jack. aged II, and
Jack is anxious for the time when
he can own a fine Parker hammer
less automatic shotgun like older
brother, Fred, who is now overseas,
one Of the many markesmen, who
accomplished wonders of straight
and deadly shooting with the mod
fed Enfield rifles in the trenches of
France.
Whole Railroad System.
Billy will also get set of Tinker
toys, chest of mechano parts and
real railroad system, with its de-
pot, block signal system, switches,
side and main tracks, bridges and
tunnels and locomotive propelled |
by electricity or clockwork. With
hand and mind and heart he will de-
vote solid hours to the work of crea-
ton, of assembling and of operation.
His father will quit reading the eve
ming paper many times during the
long winter evenings and will get
down on the floor and play with
Master William, and while Billy will
be general manager daddy will be
the willing colaborer and there will
be no strikes against hours or COM
pensation- on the public works that
will be built or the transportation
system that will be developed, al
though there are sure to be some |
rather heated quarrels because of |
fathers dense stupidity and Billy's
masterfulness in his own field of |
exploitation.
Rapid Fire Guns.
Daddy found in his rounds of the
stores devoted to toy selling that
the war spirit was reflected in a
thousand different realistic toys.
Whole sections were devoted to
display of trench mortars, rapid fire
guns, light and heavy field guns, the
latter drawn by galloping horses,
submarines, destroyers, battleships
and cruisers, motor lorries and army
motor transports, all of the enginery
and impedimetary of the modern
army. He also found top automo-
biles with electric lights, horns and
all other accessories, up to the min
ute in streamline bodies and fend-
ers.
One OF the most unique thingst
was real chemical laboratory, the
same thing in chemistry as the me-
chanical sets. In this laboratory
were chemicals which would make
the most mysrifying color changes
in fabrics and which, combined,
would produce a wizardy fascinat-
ing in the extreme. All of the
chemicals are safe and the book of
gives the recipient OF
a gift of this character chance to
wander far aheld in the realm OF
chemical exploration.
Never before has there been such
a showing of educational games as
this year. Some of them are so in
tricate and, so intensely interesting
as to make the grownups look at
them with wistful eye and realize
the poverty of their own childhood, |
so far as accessories to play and
are concerned.
Toys For the Girlies.
The girls share equally with the
boys in the prodigality of the Amer
lean toy producers genius. The toy
doll houses and toy doll furniture
are made artistically, as strongly,
finished as handsomely as the fur
nishings for the homes of the
grownups. Then there are marvel
Gus push automobiles for the dolls
as we'll as the most beautiful selec-
tons of doll buggies. l.
Only few years ago French and
German dolls were the only kinds
found on the market. Today the
doll maker is supreme in
the field. He reproduces real babies
in size and every doll has real
character and personality. The
larger sizes can be clothed with the
dainty garments that are found in
the infants departments of the
stores. The smaller sizes of dolls
also have an Especial appeal.
A few years ago all friction, me
chanical and iron toys bore the
brand Made in Germany" and the
Teuton manufacturer boastfully
paraded his supremacy before tl.s
world.
Now American manufacturers