CHRISTMAS JOYS

THE FASCINATING AND THE GROTESQUE IN THE LONDON SHOPS A PEEP .AT TOYLAND. (PEOM OUll OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, 12th November. In the very near distance one hears a medley of sounds — kine are lowing, lions are roaring, pigs aro grunting, bears are grumbling, yet even these sounds in unison are nob able to disguiso the plaintive mewing of what sounds like the everyday common cat, Dor do they drown a distressed wail for "Mummer, Pupper." There is no need for alarm, however, for all these sounds (except the last) are emitted by almost life-size, manmade animals, and their nearness only means that one, while prowling round the fascinatingly numerous departments, of London's large stores, has come unexpectedly next door to the toy headquarters; the realisation of one's whereabouts is instantly reassuring. Annually the space required for the display of toys grows vaster; annually the toy-rooms are more and more thronged with excited children—bewildered sometimes, too, and often struck dumb in their tense interest. Every year competition grows more ' acute ; every year the genius and intellect of the toy-makers are more keenly tried, until the tinie has come when toys are no longer the simple things they were a generation ago. Many of them are masterpieces of mechanical genius, providing an interest fox- young people whose nursery days are already quite remote, while the piecing together of the complicated and accurately turned engineering models provides hours of absorbing interest for the youth advanced in his teens, &a well as for his elders. "THE DREAM TRAIN." If is impossible not to feel a pang of regret that one has left behind the days of childish thrills. The children of the present are much more thoughtfully catered for than were the children of a couple of decades since, and it is an endless source of delight and interest and education for them to wander about in toyland. There is no doubt, though, that the grown-ups get considerable fun and delight too. Indeed, one wonders sometimes who is most enjoying the "Children's Dream Train," mother or child, which is one of the chief attractive novelties provided at one of the London toy-fairs. The train is a real one, and a ticket— first-class — taken for dreamland. During the trip, exciting lands of adventure are passed through and safely left behind. Before long an old Spanish galleo^ is sighted, and on its decks one may imagine that pirates are fighting, inch by inch, for golden doubloons. A little distance on, the house of Father Christmas is reached, , his door is flung wide open, out comes the jovial old man, giving a cheery handshake to the small traveller, and [ then, according to whether he is handed sixpence or a shilling, is the size of the package handed out. The cheery old man disappears, the child clasps the present, and the train, shrilly whistling, duly arrives back in real land. Small children' are generally accompanied by nurse or mother, and one often inclines to the fancy that the elders derive more I amusement than do the small people. Most of them ara puzzled. In another, room excitement reaches a climax in.' a flying airship. Each small spectator, in _ return for a few pence, earns the privilege of mounting the steps of a .terrace overlooking a miniature Hendon, with its flying fleet, while the airship brings round a load of dainty little packages. Not only the twentieth century aeroplane is there, but the railway as well, and delighted children will be able to see an express train rattle by as they wait for their aerial post office. "RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY." Keen indeed is the pleasure of the little girl when she is presented with a wash-tvb — one, moreover, that will do much real washing. Mother awl nurse may not be quite so jubilant, but what does that matter, especially at Christmas? The wooden tub, well mado of quite good timber, has a wringer affixed at one end, and thoro is a miniature washboard, too, bo that dolly's clothes may be put through all the processes just as the clothing of its little mother, and the nursery washing-day may become one of the red-letter days in tho week. If the washtub will afford joy, so will the iron that is to be hjeated on the model kitchen range, amply provided with enamel kettles and every kind of saucepau that is made, all steaming away cheerily on the top of the stove, white the ovon will most likely be ba-k» ing some cakes made by the small amateur, cook. Then, to make still more complete the equipment of the email domesticated chad, there is thg small sewing machio*, a perfect little model that will make anything the child .decides is necessary in the way of dolly clothes, while it will be quite capable oi stitching the clothes required by the child her«6lf. And these are just a few of the quite modern lines that go to complete the stock of "toys." Of course all these are outside the province of children whose parent* are not well off. Shops afford an endless source of. delight for small girls as well as small boys, and the show made by these, all well supplied with goodies, is attractive in the extreme. QUITE UP TO DATE. Little girls cannot but be entranced by the modern doll, which walks, and as it walks it moves its head from side to side, uses its oyes with a pretty knowingness, moves its arms with' just a graceful motion, and while doing all this it can make plaintive appeals' for ! "Mummer" and "Pupper." . Of French origin, it is dressed quite in the latest French fashion, and is a beautiful creature. Such a doll will cost perhaps a couple of guineas ; but a couple of shillings in these day's will purchase a charming doll with pretty face and real hair that will answer all everyday purposes. Furniture for the doll's house has reached perfection! and the chest of drawers of mahogany or maple \ intended for the clothing would be much appreciated by the grown-up as a receptacle for gloves, veils, liandkerchiefs, and a myriad of other small trifles. FLUFFY AND HUG-ABLE. True,' some of the toys made of plush are fearsome to look at ; many and weird and grotesque in the extreme, and they have very unusual names. The ludeousness of the Gollywog is as nothing compared with the strange features of the " Hitchy-koo," " Gjpsy Love," or "The Artful Dodger/ "What is it? A bird, a rabbit, a pincushion?" people ask when they see the bright blue furry body, the great glass eyes, the lack of legs, the floppy tail, and tho huge beadmade mouth of Hitchy-koo. ''We really do not know how to name some of the new toys — there teems no name to fit them; and not only in. England is there a craze for the grotesque, for \\a are shipping large orders all over the world, 'and most of these toys are English made," says the manager of a wholesale warehouse. However, whether tho children tako to them remains to be seen; ■ BM&y. &rg calculated to alum &$& .than

to please. In colours, the majority are bright, and that is a redeeming feature, and it is coloured plush that enters into the constiuction throughout. . Leaving alone these ugly creatures, wo aro immediately face to face with a plush man who calls himself " It," and who prophesies for liiniself that he will be the catch of the season; ho is a clown, with six' faces, and no matter which way he is viewed there is a face alwayß looking at you; on his chest ho bears a small verso, telling the world that he is the favourite clown, and that his name is "It." Another toy that carries a label on its breast is tho penguin, a majestic-looking bird, mado partly of black plush, partly of white plush, with yellow beak and yellow feet. Tho plush penguin is a hug-able pet, but he will havo no easy task in displacing the dear little teddy boar, who is still priis© favourite, in spite of tho growls and groans he emits when moved in a way he doesn't like. " Kwacky-jack " is a weird-looking creature, halt duck and half human. Asked if these grotesque toys were harmful to the minds of children, a doctor replied that 1 he did not think so, for tho imagination of tho little ones was not sufficiently developed to realise that the toys were not normal. Perhaps they are made to catch the eyes of the grownups. If so, they do. MECHANICAL TOYS. ' One would, think that the omnipresent cat would have been saved from imitation. Not so, however, and apparently he is going to be one of the attractions of the year. Mado of black fur, with feet on wheels, and a red ribbon tied round its neck, this cat is wound up, and then ho runs across the room, wagging tail, blinking eyes, and meow-ing in a very real way. But some peoplo would rather have his price — 23s 6a — than his company. Well-to-do mothora, apparently, are quite ready to buy the i ' sweet creature. ' And of course this J is good for trade. Kangaroos of medium j size jump about as if alive ; everything seems to walk and move round after the key has been turned, and each one gives forth the sounds as in nature — hence the medley that one hears in the distance. Representatives of the farmyard, too, are produced similarly. Then the more serious-minded will be delighted with the fire escape that tears off at top speed, and with the ladder j which rears itself against the wall at the scene of the imaginary fire. The j motor-car for the child is fitted with j steering gear and is made complete by the presence of a clock and a speedometer. Tricycle motor-cars afford much amusement for the small b6y of from seven to ten. !