FOR THE LITTLE ONES

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

FOR THE LITTLE ONES

A BATTLE ROYAL, WON WITH HELP OF TOY CANNON. My Dear Littl<- Friends, "Fetch u P the cannon into Position," ordered the captain of the First Tin Soldier Brigade. ahell the right flank, gunners." »hella rained upon the enemy's undefended right flank. The little cannon shot shell after .hell, .mashing the enemy', rank asunder, t.ll suddenly there came another order. "Armoured car approaching, g've her a heavy one. And a heavier shell -was placed in the breach. Plop! With a heavy thud the missile struck the motor car, and almost capsized .t Another shot was sent, and this one completed what the first had almost done: the motor car capsized, hurling the half-dozen soldiers it carried in every direction. All fhi* happened the other night on the dining room table. Jackie's Red Coats wer~ engaging Betty s All Blues in a fierce battle. The Red Coats were defending the big Red Dictionary fort nobly, and in vain did the AH Blues launch attack after attack, even though they were helped by two motor car*. Jackie had the advantage all the time, for with the noble fittl* cannon mounted in the midst of his .oldier. he could "pick off" his tnemiet with light shell, and upset the motor car. that brought stores and ammunition. After half-an-hour's hard fighting the Blues gave in. "Oh Jackie," cried Betty, "do tell me how to make a cannon like yours. If my soldiers had had one they'd have beaten your old Redcoats As Jack was feeling very pleased with himself over the victory he helped his sister make a cannon, and now when the wars are on Betty s Bfae. have just a. much hope of winning a* Jackie's Red Coats. I will tell yon how Jackie made his cannon. Take a piece of ,very stiff paper three and a-half inche. wide by nine inches long, and roll it round an ordinary pencil, gumming the flap down so that it will give you a firm paper tube three and a-h&lf inches long. Put a pencil line round the tube one inch from the end, and with a sharp pair of sciuors make two cut. down to this line. Cut the paper between these two marks so that it will form the "breech" of the gun. Look at the flliutration before doing thi., and you will not make a mistake. Now obtain a .trip of fairly pliable rubber about four inche. long, and bind it on to the barrel, the curved end fitting .nugly against the end of the breech. Mount thi. on a cotton reel by driving two long tacks half-an-inch apart into the "axle" of t te reel, binding the gun between these. Use plenty of twine, and be sure to make a very secure job of it. A piece of thin card gummed into position on the gun barrol give. quite a realistic "bullet proof .hield" look to the toy- A coat of slate grey paint, and the cannon is ready for action. The light ammunition i. wooden match stick., and are fired by placing one in the breach arid drawing it back with the rubber which, when released, hurl, the match several yards away- The heavier "shells" are small pencil, like tho.e given out at parties. Make a cannon to-day,, and. never let it be .aid that your Blues /5N were beaten because of the .uperior arms of the Red Coat..