Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-02

interest, especially to see what made
them move SO comicaQy.
y +
AS with all things, whether toys or
more serious inventions, the idea wal
simple, once some onA thought Of 1t.
The hollow, bell-shaped body was so
placed, in regard to the legs and their
supporting wires, that when the legs
kicked forward the back rim OF the
ping them for the time being.
Here was where the real craftsman
ship of their construction came in. II
their feet had been entirely fiat on the
bottom, once stopped they would have
remained stopped. They did nothing
of the sort, however, because the wood
cutters of Czechoslovakia had "thunK
1t all out"
BY deity cutting away bit here, a
bit there and leaving the feet uneven
the figures turned and twisted, at each
Stoppage so thct the law Of gravity
started them off again on their descent.
Here again these little things are en-
tirely lifelike. When they get to the
bottom of the hill, they fall over and
there is nothing to do but pick them
up and put them at the top again,
whereupon they proceed with all the
gravity of wooden men land human
beings to Shuf1e down all over again.
That is q lesson all boys learn with
their sleds, when they go out to coast
on q cold Winters night, and discover
that for every mile of glorious flight
downhill there is miles slow dragging
of the steps back again.
One peculiarly good point which these
primitive yet clever toys have Is that
they permit, nay, invite, the meddlins
Of the ultimate purchaser. If one
doesn't go" as the owner thinks it
should, there is nothing in the world To
prevent him from going in for little
wood carving Of his own.
This absurd penguin, like no real bird
ever seen in the Antarctic, and yet
marvelouSly like che. too, one must
think. this clumsy fellow has a great
tendency to swing to the right when
Every time he is put down for the run
he swings around, and, after few
swsying motions and hoistings OF his
left leg in futile effort to 60 on, slows
down TO a complete halt
One thinks, "Ah, / see where the
rub is" and then one Seizes penknife
or file, and proceeds to whittle or raSI
away at the foot, sure in the convic-
ton that shortly a complete and speedy
racer will be made out of this blue
penguin.
But no, he does no better this time
One picks him up critically. and ex-
smines the bottom of his feet as II
they were something precious.
Indeed, something precious has beer
aroused, just the same by this little
fellow, even If he Is made Of wood ano
cost only q dime.
Human interest has been aroused, anC
that is a great deal. The operator files
away a bit more, puts the figure bach
at the top of the board, watches II
descend
Bravo! AS they say across the sea
There he goes shuff1ing, completely
to the bottom, where he executes the
customary tumble into the oblivion
Of wood, the inertness Of the thing cut
by human hands.
Only moment ago it seemed alive
almost, as it shuff1ed with a Chaplin.
esque motion; now 1t is as completely
still as the block OF wood from which
it was cut so far away
Well, the world is not completely
lost. as long as the men Of all nation.
have enough sense to turn their wooC
into toys to intrigue and to amuse, no
only little children. but the perpetua
child who lives in the heart and minc
of every man and woman.