Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-26

him. Mr. Lincoln sometimes made the selec-
lions himself. and frequently slipped out of
the White House and went to the store alone
In order to surprise Tad with toy or some
thing he thought the boy would enjoy, which.
perhaps included the toy soldiers of which he
was so fond, and of which he had whole COM
panies and regiments arrayed In bright col
ored uniforms, with guns, swords and cannon
It was the closest store Of its kind to the
Executive Mansion, and during the Cos It
could almost be seen from the east front of
the Presidents House. since it was only four
squares from that point.
The untz store was not pretentious one;
in fact. it had frontage of but IA feet
inches and the lot upon which it stood IS
feet inches. It was two-story brick. with
slanting roof, and originally had a balcony
across the entire front. at the second story.
protected by an ornamental iron railing. Mr..
Stunt. the founder of the toy shop. was born
in Tyrol but we are told that the name
Bonaparte pulled him to France, where he
was apprenticed to Cadieux, who was cabinet
maker to the Emperor Napoleon. He entered
the French Army as a color bearer. as he was
too young to 60 in any other way, and carried
the flag across the Seine. He was shot in
the leg by the Russians. from which he suf-
fered all his life. He became an expert carver
in wood and toys. and in his little shop in
Washington many hundreds of toys were made
by his own hands After the death of Presi-
dent Lincoln, and in the rearranging and prep
aration of the White House for another occu-
pant, it is said that in upper many
remnants of the toys that the good President
had purchased from the toy shop were found"
The writer's old friend, Washington Topham,
who died year ago. that he re-
called the pace distinctly when he was a small
boy and used 10 pull himself up to the glass
to lock into the quaint old window filled with
its wealth of toys
place from his boyfood days. says: Mrs A
untz formerly kept toy and variety store
at 1907 New York avenue and I well remem-
Der buying toys there as a child. and how Miss
Kate, the clerk would try to hurry us up when
we could not decide how to spend our pennies"
After the death of Mrs Stuntz in 1900 the
adopted daughter, Miss Kate France. succeeded
to the business, and conducted it until her
death August rs, 1913. A few months later it
was sold at auction and bought in by r. T. War
wick for Sl2100. Adam A. Weschler con-
Quoted the auction
Miss France was born in Frankfort ON the
Main came to this country when quite young.
and was buried in st. Marys Church Gem
etery, out on Lincoln road.
Thomas T. CTad) Lincoln lived to be a prom
Using young man of IS years of age. when he
died on July l6 1871 At the time it was said
of him: During the period of his fathers adj
ministration he the petted child of the
White House, and of all who frequented it.
full of life and vigor. but with all his insuo-
ordination and reckless mischief, he was at
leass child of remarkably truthful and gen.
erous nature The shock of his fathers sudden
death greatly scbered and steadied him. His
education under the direction of his brother
Robert, progressed rapidly and he had recently
returned from Europe, improved by his resi-
dence abroad and with every promise OF use
fulneSs stricken down in the first flush