BEAUTIFUL DOLLS OF THE PAST

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 24

BEAUTIFUL DOLLS OF THE PAST

Dolls’ dresses have always been important to grown-ups. As early as 1391 the Queen of England sent to Paris for several dolls, so that she might see how Parisians dressed; Isabella of Spain did the same thing later, on. To-day, historians study dolls from Egyptian graves to learn what was fashionable in the sixth'century. • Some of the dolls of the past have been astonishingly beautiful and lifelike, and some have been chunks of wood with strings of beads for hair, but all have been loved. As gi£ls hjtve been steadfast in their choice of dolls, boys have changed their

playthings with the times. It was when Frederick the Great glorified war that tin soldiers became the rage. The French Revolution brought in a horrible toy guillotine which Goethe wished to buy for his son, though his grandmother refused to permit it. Small John was having his first ride . in a train and was very much impressed particularly when the train dived into the darkness of the tunnel. He sat spellbound, and ■ when they came out into the light again just gasped: “Why. it’s to-morrow!”