Invite Me, Invite My Dog

1901

Every fashionable woman has now a tiny toy dog, which she usually carries about everywhere with her under her arm. These small animals, says Lady Violet Greville in London Graphic, have taken the place of the dwarfs, monkeys and spaniels of the fine ladies of past centuries. They cost a great deal of money and are generally very ill tempered. One wonders what the ladies' maids and footmen, whose business it is to look after these little darlings when their owners cannot have them with them, think of the new craze. I know people who never visit in country houses where their dogs are not invited.

Seeking to Help Wounded Veterans Regain Lives

1915

No one has yet computed the sums which have been contributed by this country to the relief of war victims in Europe. The list of the official relief societies grows daily and the contributions run into seven figures, while placards announcing teas, dances, bazaars, fashion reviews and theatrical performances meet us on every hand. And still the insistent appeal goes on, in changing form to catch the attention of the generous. The greatest artists turn orators to beg for their pitiful, starving compatriots, and every ship brings an emissary with another earnest plea which cannot be resisted.

The latest of these emissaries is Mme. Charles Le Verrier, wife of the head of the College Chaptal, the great Lycee, or boy's school, of Paris, which is now, like all the others, a military hospital. She comes to the United States as the accredited representative of the Federation des Jouets, which has been formed for the benefit of the mutilated soldiers of the republic.

"Something had to be done to bring together individual effort and save the waste of funds and energy which comes from the lack of cooperation," Mme. Le Verrier says. "Wonders have been accomplished, but there is still so much to be done that we cannot afford to lose the smallest amount of time, strength or money. We found that we must organize, affiliate with the relief work of the provinces, and all pull together toward a definite end. The Federation des Jouets is one of the results of this attempt at organization.

"One of our greatest problems is the maintenance of disabled men after the war is over and during its course. We cannot consign them wholesale to institutions. There are too many, in the first place; France would become one vast institution if she attempted to care for all the wounded, the widows and orphans, and the destitute in that way. Besides, family life, the very foundation of the nation's life, would be in large measure destroyed. How to leave the wounded soldier in his home, how to provide him with a means of livelihood so that he may remain there with his family, is our great problem. Obviously he must first be taught to make something, and then a steady market must be secured for his work.

"We naturally thought of toys. Years ago the dolls of France had a great reputation, but we allowed Germany to learn from us how to make them, and then apply her genius for organization to take our market away from us. But we are going to win it back. The education of the men has already progressed wonderfully. While they are still helpless on their backs in the hospitals they are given wood and tools and models, and they dab at the bit of wood, happy in their hopes for the future. I have brought some of these tentative efforts with me, not that their crudity is interesting or attractive, but to compare with their later work as examples Of the rapidity of their progress. They learn very quickly indeed, and their delight in their own achievements is touching.

"More difficult than the teaching of the men is the finding of a market for their work. Europe doesn't want toys."

Perpetual Motion Machine

1909

Runs Perfectly Without Any Aid, Declares Pennsylvania Inventor

UNIONTOWN, Pa., Oct. 6. — After labor of years Allen S. Snyder believes he has solved the problem of perpetual motion.

He has a model which he declares proves that his principle is right. It runs by force of gravity, and besides being able to put out perpetual motion toys at 50 cents each, he declares that a machine capable of giving 100 horse power is possible under his plans.

He has been working and studying for fifteen years, and has now given up his work here and retired to a farm at Mosley Junction, eighteen miles from Richmond, Va., where he can give more time to the work of building a larger model and overcoming the imperfections that are manifested in the one now completed. He expects to put his completed machine before the public within a year, but at this time he refuses to give out the details of his apparatus.

Snyder is 39 years of age and for many years was a successful school teacher in Dunbar Township, this county. In 1902 he took the mine foreman's examination and has since served as mine foreman and fire boss at various plants throughout the coke region, including the Fairchance plant of the H. C. Frick Coke Company, and the Revere plant of the W. J. Rainey Company.

Before leaving for Mosley Junction Mr. Snyder said: "I will throw my model before the public within a year and it will demonstrate the reality of perpetual motion. My model may admit of many improvements, and it will likely open a wide field for the inventive mind: The machine simply runs by force of gravity."


Kissing Ban Lifted

Baltimore announces that the ban on kissing in the city parks has been lifted. The suffragette movement should "go big" in Baltimore.

German Toys Made of Wood – Lack of Material Because of War

1918

Makers Forced to Use That Material Because Better Stuff Is Now Almost Unobtainable

The German toy industry is showing the effects of three years of war. Simplicity is the rule in toy shops at present. Wood, which formerly was used only for cheaper sorts of toys, is now the chief material employed. The manufacture of new dolls is becoming impossible through the lack of flour (used with cement in making the bodies). Wax, which is employed for the heads of the better class dolls, is almost unobtainable; the same is true of the stuffs and lace used for making dolls' shoes, hats, dresses, stockings, etc. These are obtainable only at prices four times higher than before the war, consequently the prices of toys are higher.

The simple, cheap toys that formerly could be bought in the stores or from street vendors for 10 pfennigs now cost 20 pfennigs or more. Jumping jacks of paper and cheap picture books no longer can be had except where old supplies are still in stock. Metal toys are few in number. The pretty toy trains and magic lanterns which used to be so common have been turned out only by those manufacturers who also were engaged in munitions work and so commanded supplies of the necessary materials.

Toys which were intended for export, but which could not be shipped owing to the war, made a welcome addition to the supply for home consumption, large quantities of the better class of toys thus being put at the service of the home dealer. Great difficulties stand in the way of conveyance from the maker to the large towns, and only after long delay do toys reach the retailer.

An Editor Who Loves Babies

1877

We love babies, and also anybody else who loves babies. No man has music in hiss soul who doesn't love babies. Babies were made to be loved, especially girl babies — when they grow up.

A man isn't worth "shucks" who doesn't love babies, and the same rule applies to a woman. A baby is a spring day in winter, a hot-house in summer, a ray of sunshine in a dark day; and if it is a healthy, good-natured baby, and if it's yours, it's a bushel of sunshine, no matter how cold the weather.

A man cannot be a hopeless case as long as he loves babies — one at a time. We love babies all over, no matter how dirty they are. Babies were born to be dirty. Our love for babies is only bounded by the number of babies in the world.

We also have sorrowful feelings for mothers who have no babies. Women always look down-hearted who have no babies; and men who have none always grumble, and drink, and stay out nights, trying to get music into their souls; but they can't come by it. Babies are babies, and nothing can take their place. — Atchison Patriot.


Oops

"No," said the smart boy-baby, when the pretty young woman wanted to kiss him. "But why not?" asked she. "O, I am too little to kiss you; papa will kiss you, papa kisses all the big girls." He was permitted to play with his toys.


Somebody, Meet Nobody

Nobody likes to be nobody; but everybody is pleased to think himself somebody. And everybody is somebody; but when anybody thinks himself somebody, he generally thinks everybody else is nobody.

The Wonderful Tree – Story for Christmas

The Wonderful Tree
By Christopher G. Hazard
(1922, Western Newspaper Union)

It stood in the corner of a rather needy room. It was festooned with strings of popcorn and cables of cranberries. Wisps of tissue paper and tinsel ornaments were out upon the branches, and small candles stood ready to illuminate the occasion. There were many invisible things upon the tree, too. The imaginations of the children had been as busy as their dreams. Family resources may be limited, but there are no bounds in the realms of Santa Claus and hope. In the magical Christmas time the clouds of poverty are all as gilded and beautiful as any sunset can furnish. Anything may happen then. Cinderella is as hopeful as her more favored sisters; not an urchin but has an expectant eye. So the Tanner Christmas tree was as beautiful as a picture and as full of presents as a picture could be.

But, however pictured by fancy and made of good wishes, the presents were all invisible. No one could see what was in the heads of the dreamers and the hearts of the anxious but needy providers. For weeks the mill had been closed, and now the family pocketbook was about empty. Father Tanner looked at the tree, could not see a gift on it, and shook his head. Mother Tanner was inclined to make the best of it.

Yes, the tree was one of the family. It had been the tree of last year's Christmas and the tree of the year before that. It was a tree that kept its evergreen habit and that did not seem to grow old. It was like a living tree, made to bring forth its fruit every year. It had been so good to them that they had named it Bounty. And now it stood there in the dark, all dressed up, but with nothing but blossoms, without any fruit. It could see the hurrying children running to their morning disappointment. It could hear their cries of surprise and chagrin. Silly Sam, more needy of amusement than the others, would look in vain for his expected go-cart; Sue would miss the two dress patterns for her big doll, her new hat and high chair for her little doll; Bill Tanner would not get his skates; Dick would still need a sled. It was anything but a merry tree.

But it was a wonderful tree. It had a power of making itself felt all over a neighborhood. It could summon Santa Claus by a kind of wireless message that went through walls and everything. It reached as far as the folks who were having a Christmas eve party two blocks away and made them think of Mr. Folsom's mill boss and Mrs. Folsom's laundry woman. They had been wishing for some new fun for their party that day and now it came into their heads to go over and be Santa for the Tanners. So the tree drew a very silent but very busy company to the Tanners' back door.

As the children had left directions for Santa on the table it was easy to find out what the tree was expected to do, so, presently, it did it. There was more, too, than orders for the wanted things; the merrymakers had brought with them enough to satisfy any reasonable tree; there were picture books, picture puzzles, games, a scissors grinder that could make the sparks fly, a train of cars that could go, a doll that could say "mama," and candy enough to go round. For Father and Mother Tanner there was a pocketbook with gold in it, and a note of good cheer that was better than the gold.

So the wonderful tree spent the rest of the night in trembling joy. It could not sleep for thinking of the friendly love that had provided such a happy morning to come. And when the first of the morning light brought all the Tanners downstairs the tree fairly shook with pleasure, amid the wonder and the glee of that Christmas day.

As for the servants of Santa Claus, they had never had such a merry Christmas before. Their hearts were so warm that they did not mind the frost. They sang over the pleasure of giving pleasure and relief. They said they knew that Santa Claus had to live up North so that he could cool off after his warm interest in the happiness of others. They addressed him in verses that must have made him jollier than ever, calling him:

THE MAGIC MAN
There is a man who lives up north
All clad in robes and furs,
And every year he sallies forth
As love his going spurs.

He mitigates the winter's cold
That otherwise would freeze,
And keeps himself from growing old
By tending Christmas trees.

The children for his coming wait,
So do the old folks, too;
Unhappiness goes out the gate
When Santa comes to you.

And their own presents never seemed so large and good before.

Blowing Bubbles is Fun

1912

INTEREST IN SOAP BUBBLES

Those Made of Soap Water to Which Glycerine Has Been Added Are Quite Attractive.

Have you ever stopped to think what a really interesting thing a soap bubble is? Soap bubbles are not only interesting to boys and girls, but they have long been a source of and interest to men of science. In fact, scientists have employed soap bubbles in trying to perform certain experiments.

A soap bubble is nothing more than a film of water molecules (tiny particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye), held together by the sticking power of dissolved soap. As most all of us know, in making bubbles the bowl of a common clay pipe is dipped into soap water. The bubble maker blows air into the pipe and the bubble at once expands. While bubbles made of plain soap water are interesting, those made of soap water to which some glycerine has been added are even more attractive, because they have such pretty colors.

There are many ways of making bubbles. For instance, smoke may be blown through the pipe into the bubbles or one bubble may be blown inside of another. Very large bubbles can be made by using the hands instead of a pipe. Cover the hands well with suds and then hold them so as to form a cup, as if drinking with the hands from a spring, but leaving a small hole in the bottom. With the mouth about a foot from the hands, blow a current of air into them. Some of the bubbles will be more than a foot in diameter. Try this experiment the next time you wash your hands.

—The Daily Commonwealth, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, December 17, 1912, page 11.

Supreme Court Unable To Classify Ouija Boards

1922

CANNOT PASS ON OUIJA BOARD

Supreme Court Admits Inability to Classify It.

WASHINGTON, June 5.—The Supreme Court today announced it would not determine what is a ouija board. The question was presented in a case brought by the Baltimore Talking Board company, which protested against taxation of such boards as sporting goods and insisted that should the court refuse to hold that the board "is a grade motor automatism, involving considerable subconscious action of intelligence," that it should at least classify the smaller boards as "children's toys."

The lower federal courts sustained the government's contention that the boards should be classed as sporting goods.

—The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, Nebraska, June 6, 1922, page 1.

Toys of the Zuni Indians

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Zuni Toys
Zuni Indians make their toys out of clay and bake them hard so that they will not crumble. They know how to model dolls and goats and frogs and cows, and birds that warble when one fills the hollow body with water and blows through a tube inserted in the back. And they make all kinds of curious clay rattles.
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The Imagination of Corot
Imagination and invention are often taken as the same thing, whereas they are as different as wit and humor. The question of imagination in a painter's work is not to be estimated in terms of literature, but in terms of paint. The delicate silver grays and cool, translucent greens of Corot are of the essence of imagination, as I understand the word. -- R. B. Cunninghame Graham.
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Horse for Sale (Advertised in 1911)
Mildon 41876. This handsome six year old standard bred and registered, sound trotting stallion for sale. Sired by Don Roma 27667. As pretty as a peacock, good disposition, and will be sold at a great bargain. Will sell on all or part time for good paper. Call and see him at Hays, Kansas, at my barn. This horse holds a certificate from the Kansas State Live Stock Registry Board. If you want to buy a first-class horse cheap, call, write or phone, E. F. MADDEN, Hays, Kansas.

--The Ellis Review-Headlight, Ellis, Kansas, 1911.