CHILDREN'S CORNER

Evening Star, Issue 12623, 30 September 1905, Page 10

CHILDREN'S CORNER

A PEEP INTO A TOY FACTORY. Perhaps some of the best and most useful toys for children are good models of animals,, for, in playing with them, the little people learn first their names, then their characters, habits, the countries to which they belong, and their relation or uses to man. An object lesson, taking a toy JtnimnJ as text, is as interesting—or can be made so—as any story, and is a source of instruction as wellIt is near the great forests of Thuringia that the carver and modeller of toy n/nim.-Jtt is to be found. This man has the eye and the hand of an artist, and his place in the great toy factory is an important one, for it is his business to imitate the outline of nature in the wood that he carves, or the plaster that be moulds, and his skill makes, or his mistakes mar, the toy. And u these animals can be made—as they are—to move easily, and even to utter sounds, no wander that such toys are precious to a child's heart! Try to imagine one great factory devoted to the manufacture of such animals, and also of every description of vehicle, from the toy chaise and light waggon to the tramcaz. The various kinds of work necessary to the completion of even one small toy are done in separate departments of the factory. For example, the modelling of an animal's body and head is done m one department; while in another the workmen are occupied in making legs for the bodies of horses. The men in these workshops do nothing but their own special part of the particular toys in process of manufacture; thus, with constant practice, they become very skilful and rapid workers, and the article, as it passes from hand to hand, in the successive departments, grows quickly, developing from the rough, tnough correct, model to a graceful and accurately finished imitation of a living creature. There are different makes and qualities of toys, so as to suit all purses. Take, for instance, the horses, so dear to every child's heart,, just as soon as he has learnt to know what a gee-gee is. The cheaper kinds of, horse made of pasteboard and plaster; and these, not being of very strong material, are glued or screwed firmly down on to boards.—'Cottager and Artisan.'

THE ELF OF THE PENDULUM. (From the German.) In my old clock upon the wall There dwells an elf both spry and »m»TI This very morn, Boon after six, He roused me with his playfal tricks. For, as I lay, with half-closed eyes, Methinks I saw, to my surprise, A ipanling—height of half a thumbCome sliding down uie pendulum. • There, in the dawning, grey and slow, Clinging and swinging to and fro, | With gestures frolicsome and free, Smiling, he waved bis hand to me. Then, sudden, came the clang and shock 1 Of the first quarter by my dock. I turned and marked the brightening dawn, And rubbed my eyes and gave a yawn. " I must get up," I said—and did; A good child does as he is tu~. For when my clock-elf waved his hand. He meant " get op " —yon wndfirrtaiid. And now I looked and longed once more To find him swinging as before. In vain I peered, in vain I lingered, And touched the pendulum " Where are yon, oh, my sprite?" I cried. "Come back] I will not'be denied!" A wee voice droned "' Can't come till dawning; . ' ;.!•',' '■';"., JEH 4o-iiim iw> -mtnaing.** i