first, that Indians and men may cross the water to the lumber region beyond, and cut logs for their rafts (Fig. 125).
Fig. 125—The little bridge built of kindling wood.Fig.125—The little bridge built of kindling wood.
Select two sticks of kindling wood as near of a size as you can find, and lay them side by side, a short distance apart; then connect the two by placing sticks across the ends, log-cabin fashion. These four sticks form the square foundation of one bridge pier.
Continue building by crossing the second layer of sticks with a third layer, the third layer with a fourth layer, and so on until the pier is built up sufficiently high, six or more layers, according to the thickness of the sticks. As you build be sure that the two sticks forming each layer lie absolutely steady and are of about the same thickness, that those built on top of them may not slant, but lie level and steady.
All sticks should be of the same length, but the layers may vary in thickness; one layer of sticks might be thin and thenext thick; it matters not, provided that the two forming the same layer are nearly of a size.
When the first pier is finished, build a second one like it a short distance from the first one, and lay a strip of stiff pasteboard, cut from an old box, across from pier to pier; then lay a second strip of pasteboard from one pier to the ground, a third strip from the remaining pier to the ground on the opposite side (Fig. 125). If you wish, the two end strips can be longer than those shown in the photograph, and slant from the piers down to the ground on a level with the water. The banks in the photograph are built up with boxes and covered with green cloth.
For each of the two archways, take two thin sticks of wood and stand them at the top outward edge of the pier, with ends braced together at the top, and spread out at the bottom, as in the photograph.
Use either natural or tissue-paper trees stuck into empty spools for foliage, or little toy trees, if you happen to have them among the children's store toys.
Though the bridge is not intended to be over real water, you might try the experiment and strengthen the hollow piers by filling them with stones, when building the bridge out-of-doors.
Fig. 126—Kindling-wood rafts that will float on real water.Fig.126—Kindling-wood rafts that will float on real water.
Fig. 126shows two little
which will float on real water. Have the slender sticks for the raft all of the same length, and use about sixteen or eighteen sticks for each raft. Weave them together with a string. Begin by tying the centre of a long string around each end of a stick, which should be about eight inches in length (Fig. 127).
Fig. 127—Begin the raft in this way.Fig.127—Begin the raft in this way.Fig. 128—Lay a second stick up against the tie.Fig.128—Lay a second stick up against the tie.
Fig. 127—Begin the raft in this way.Fig.127—Begin the raft in this way.
Fig. 128—Lay a second stick up against the tie.Fig.128—Lay a second stick up against the tie.
Place one end of a second stick up against one tie, allowing one string to come over and the other string under the second stick (Fig. 128). Cross the two lengths of the string over the second stick, bringing the lower string up and the upper string down (Fig. 129); then lay another stick up againstthe crossed strings, carrying the strings in turn over this stick (Fig. 130). Again, bring the lower string up and the upper string down, before placing another stick. Continue crossing the string and adding kindling wood until the raft is of the desired length. Tie the ends of the string securely on the last stick, and weave the opposite loose ends of the sticks together in the same way, tying the string firmly together on the last stick. Clip off the ends of the string and the raft will then be ready for the water, and will carry either passengers or freight.
Fig. 129—Cross the strings around the second stick.Fig.129—Cross the strings around the second stick.Fig. 130—Cross the strings around the third stick.Fig.130—Cross the strings around the third stick.
Fig. 129—Cross the strings around the second stick.Fig.129—Cross the strings around the second stick.
Fig. 130—Cross the strings around the third stick.Fig.130—Cross the strings around the third stick.
Put up log-houses for the toy people to live in. Select two different lengths of kindling wood for
that the buildings may be longer one way than the other. They will look better and be more comfortable than if square.
Place two long sticks of kindling wood a short distance apart and running parallel; across these sticks lay two shorter ones, bridging the space at each end between the long sticks, then place two long sticks over the ends of the two short ones; keep building in this way until the little house is seven or eight layers high.
Fig. 131—A Klondike settlement with dog train and sledge.Fig.131—A Klondike settlement with dog train and sledge.
Cut a piece of white cardboard or light-weight pasteboard the length of the house, and wider than the width of the house, to allow for the slant of the roof. Bend the roof lengthwise through the centre and lay it on top of the house (Fig. 131). Make a door of stiff pasteboard painted or covered with a layer of brown tissue-paper pasted on the outside. Cut the door a suitable size and stand it up in front of the house.
If you want
spread a piece of white cloth over a table for the snowy ground. Canton flannel, fleecy side up, is best, but any kind will answer the purpose. Then erect several kindling-wood houses and form a Klondike settlement (Fig. 131).
Original home-made toy men, dogs, and sled may be usedto complete the scene, or they can be cut from newspapers or old magazines. Stiffen by pasting them on cardboard; then cut out the men, dogs, and sled more carefully in detail. Bend one leg forward and one backward to make the men stand alone, and bend two legs outward and two inward to enable the dogs to stand. Paste narrow strips of paper on the dogs for harness.
Fig. 132—The Virginia rail-fence.Fig.132—The Virginia rail-fence.
Make another kindling-wood scene likeFig. 132.
are peculiar to America. You cannot find them abroad, and every little boy and girl will want to know how to build one of these old-fashioned "snake" or Virginia rail-fences. The fence may be of any length, its zigzag lines can run in any direction, all the way across the room if you choose.
Fig. 133—Form a rude letter V.Fig.133—Form a rude letter V.Fig. 134—Across the end of the second stick place the end of a third stick.Fig.134—Across the end of the second stick place the end of a third stick.
Fig. 133—Form a rude letter V.Fig.133—Form a rude letter V.
Fig. 134—Across the end of the second stick place the end of a third stick.Fig.134—Across the end of the second stick place the end of a third stick.
Lay down one piece of kindling wood, and over one end place the end of another stick, forming a rude letter V (Fig. 133). Across the end of the second stick which rests on the ground, place the end of a third stick (Fig. 134). Keep on building the first layer of the fence in this way until it stretches as far as you wish; then go back to the starting point and begin building the second layer of sticks, by placing a stick over the first stick, resting one end on the far end of the first stick, the other end on the top of the end of the second stick; lay another stick across over the second stick, another over the third, and so on until the second layer is finished. Build other layers in like manner, and make the fence high or low, as desired. Pile up kindling wood into a wood-pile with small pieces scattered on the ground, and if there is a toy horse you can make him haul more wood (Fig. 132).
These kindling-wood toys will give a realistic idea of log-houses, rail-fences, log rafts, and primitive bridges, and while building them the children might be told stories of the way early settlers lived and made their homes, or the children may "make up" stories about the different scenes.
Substantial little hammocks which will hold good-sized dolls, and even a real pussy with no danger of the material breaking, can be made of ordinary kindling wood or strips of pasteboard (Fig. 135). Both styles of hammocks are woven in the same manner. The weaving is like that used for theraft and is of the simplest, most primitive kind, merely crossing of the two ends of each side string between each piece of wood (or pasteboard) slat, with loops of string left at each end of the hammock for hanging it up. When fashioned of kindling wood, like that in the photograph, have the sticks slender and all of the same length. When made of pasteboard, cut seven-inch-wide strips from a heavy pasteboard box and cut the strips crosswise into one-half-inch slats. Have ready two long strings measuring about two and a half yards each. Double each string and tie a knot in the closed end, fifteen inches from the extreme folded end, then place your work on the top of the table, or some other flat surface where you can keep the slats flat and even. Begin to weave by laying a slat between the loose ends of each string.
Fig. 135—A substantial little hammock.Fig.135—A substantial little hammock.
Push the slat up tight against the knots and cross the strings on the outer edge of the slat. Slide another slat between the two ends of each side string, shoving it close up against the crossed strings at the outer edge of the first slat. Bring one end of each string over and one under the second slat, cross them, and add the third slat. Continue weaving in this way until the hammock is of sufficient length, then tie the strings securely at the outer edge of the last slat.
After you have put in the last board bring the slats up very close together and draw the strings firm and tight. Tie the double lengths of string together at each end of the hammock, making two long loops by which to hang up the hammock.
Haveyou seen the little people who live up in the trees? Little twig people who dance and swing and bob about, who nod and bow and flutter hither and yon; some astride funny twig horses, others dangling head down, many waiting to run a race when a stiff breeze comes along, and all as merry as merry can be, tossing their long, thin arms and legs in the air just for the fun of it. Perhaps some of these queer folk are outside your window now, and it may be near enough to the ground for even the littlest boys and girls to reach if they stand on their toes. Here are several of the twig people who came down and posed for their photographs. We will give each one a name.
Fig. 145is Miss Daffy-down-dilly, who has just come to town and is feeling very bashful about it.
Fig. 148is Jack-be-nimble Jack-be-quick, who thinks he can jump over any candlestick, high or low.
Fig. 151is the Little Crooked Man who ran a crooked mile.
Fig. 152is Little Miss Muffet, who is so terribly afraid of the spider.
Fig. 153is Peter White, who follows his nose wherever he goes.
Fig. 154is Doctor Foster, who went to Gloster in a shower of rain, and he is stepping very high to avoid falling into the puddle we have all heard about.
The little twig people do not look quite as real when separated from the tree as when you see them dancing in thebreeze, so it is necessary to help out their appearance with paper heads and hands and feet.
Use care in selecting your twigs, for they are not all alike. Some are quite choice and unique, others more commonplace and less amusing. Suitable ones may be found in plenty.
Fig. 136—The black bands on the twigs show where they should be trimmed off.Fig.136—The black bands on the twigs show where they should be trimmed off.Fig. 137—Fastening the twig.Fig.137—Fastening the twig.
Fig. 136—The black bands on the twigs show where they should be trimmed off.Fig.136—The black bands on the twigs show where they should be trimmed off.
Fig. 137—Fastening the twig.Fig.137—Fastening the twig.
When a small branch is broken from a tree or bush, you will find that some of the twigs attached look like queer, crooked, little legs, and some, just the right distance above, seem made for arms. Then comes the long neck that is joined, perhaps, to the still larger branch or to the trunk of the tree. Sometimes there are several arms and severallegs too many and you must look closely and decide which are the real ones; then cut off the others.
You will know the real
for they are always the funniest ones and the most suggestive of comical action.
Cut the long neck down in proportion to the rest of the body and trim the arms and legs off to the proper length. Remember that one inch of the neck of the dolls must be inserted in the head and allow for that in cutting the long stem.
Fig. 136gives a branch as it looks when taken from the tree, and the black bands on the twigs show where they should be trimmed off to bring the little figure into proportions. The parts left white or in outline, below the bands, are to be cut away. There are two legs to this branch and three arms, one of which must be dispensed with. The left arm must remain and it matters but little which of the right arms is selected. In this case the lower one is marked to be cut.
Now comes the making of the
These must all be double, for, to hold them on, the twigs are pasted between the two halves. In some cases, where the neck is quite thick, you will find it best to shave off a little at front and back to flatten it, so that the neck may lie easily between the two parts of the head and not push the face out of shape (Fig. 137). This is seldom necessary, however, unless the doll is unusually large.
Figs. 138,139,140,141,142, and143give the heads of all our little troupe sufficiently large to be copied.Fig. 144shows the hands and feet.
Fig. 138—Daffy-down-dilly.Fig.138—Daffy-down-dilly.Fig. 139—Little Miss Muffet.Fig.139—Little Miss Muffet.Fig. 140—Jack-be-nimble.Fig.140—Jack-be-nimble.Fig. 141—The Little Crooked Man.Fig.141—The Little Crooked Man.Fig. 142—Peter White.Fig.142—Peter White.Fig. 143—Doctor Foster.Fig.143—Doctor Foster.
Fig. 138—Daffy-down-dilly.Fig.138—Daffy-down-dilly.
Fig. 139—Little Miss Muffet.Fig.139—Little Miss Muffet.
Fig. 140—Jack-be-nimble.Fig.140—Jack-be-nimble.
Fig. 141—The Little Crooked Man.Fig.141—The Little Crooked Man.
Fig. 142—Peter White.Fig.142—Peter White.
Fig. 143—Doctor Foster.Fig.143—Doctor Foster.
Use a heavy brown wrapping paper for the heads and draw the faces simply with pen and ink in broad lines, or, if thechildren want to color them, they can use water-colors or colored pencils. In any case the features should be strongly marked, that the character of the face may not be lost.
Fig. 144—Hands and feet.Fig.144—Hands and feet.
You can make the hands of paper like the face, or of dark brown paper (not tissue), to match the dark brown arms. White hands will give the effect of white gloves. Make thefeet brown or black, or use bright colored paper to represent colored shoes.
is quite a tall girl, standing eighteen inches high in her heel-less shoes (Fig. 145). Her head, shown inFig. 138, measures three inches from top to chin; this does not include the swirl of hair which rises in a peak above the head. Her hands, A (Fig. 144), are two and a quarter inches long from wrist to tip of middle finger, and her feet, B (Fig. 144), are two and three-quarter inches long.
Fig. 145—Daffy-down-dilly.Fig.145—Daffy-down-dilly.
These are the proportions. Of course, for a smaller doll they should be smaller.
Fold a piece of wrapping paper, making it double, and on the paper draw Daffy's head, copying the one inFig. 138, or making an original head if you prefer. The back hair may be drawn in or painted if the children insist upon having an all-around doll. If the neck is thick shave it off as inFig. 137. Draw two hands on double pieces of paper and two feet on double pieces of paper, and cut them out. Daffy's hands are the color of her face, and her shoes are black.
Now cover the inside of the back of the head with paste, lay the neck on the head and cover that too with paste (Fig. 137). Then fit the front of the head to the back and press it down until the two halves, with the twig between, are pasted firmly together. In the same way paste on the hands and feet. Make Daffy's dress of yellow tissue-paper, the colorof a daffodil. Cut a circle for the skirt with a small hole in the centre and slit it down the back;' then draw it through your hands to shape it and make it hang nicely.
Cut out a little waist with pointed sleeves, likeFig. 146, and a pointed collar, likeFig. 147. Make the waist double with the fold at the top, cut a hole for the neck, and slit down the back. Use green tissue-paper for the collar.
Fig. 146—Waist of Daffy.Fig.146—Waist of Daffy.Fig. 147—Collar of Daffy.Fig.147—Collar of Daffy.
Fig. 146—Waist of Daffy.Fig.146—Waist of Daffy.
Fig. 147—Collar of Daffy.Fig.147—Collar of Daffy.
Put the waist on the doll, gather it at the belt line, front and back, and paste. Paste it also at the neck and along the under edge of the sleeves. Paste the skirt to the waist at the belt, bring the edges of the slit together at the back, lap them, and paste. Wrap a strip of the yellow paper around the waist for a belt, then put the collar around the neck, and fasten with a touch of paste.
Fig. 148—Jack-be-nimble.Fig.148—Jack-be-nimble.
came from the elm tree. He is ten inches tall from his cap to the sole of his shoe (Fig. 148). You will find his head inFig. 140. C (Fig. 144) is the pattern for his hands, and D (Fig. 144) the pattern for his feet, which are made of brown paper. His brilliant costume is fashioned of orange-colored tissue-paper. Cut the coat likeFig. 149, making it double, with the fold at the top of the high flaring collar. Cut a hole for the neck and make a small slit down in front, then turn back the points of the collar at the neck. Toavoid slitting the coat all the way to the bottom, put it on little Jack before you adjust his head. His neck can be slipped through the hole without trouble; then the edges of the coat are pasted together. Each leg of the short trousers is made separately, of an oblong piece of tissue-paper. This is gathered at the knee and waist line and pasted in place (Fig. 150). If the stripes on Jack's cap are painted orange color and his pointed shoes are also orange, the effect of his bright costume will be still more glowing.
Fig. 149—Pattern of Jack-be-nimble's coat.Fig.149—Pattern of Jack-be-nimble's coat.Fig. 150—Each leg of the trousers is made separately.Fig.150—Each leg of the trousers is made separately.
Fig. 149—Pattern of Jack-be-nimble's coat.Fig.149—Pattern of Jack-be-nimble's coat.
Fig. 150—Each leg of the trousers is made separately.Fig.150—Each leg of the trousers is made separately.
belongs to the fir-tree family, and as he is clothed only in his little rough suit of brown bark, you can see (Fig. 151) how the twigs grow that form his arms and legs. These are in such positions and have such peculiar curves he would look as if running even without hands and feet, but the proper adjustment of hands as well as feet emphasizes the action. Both are turned in the direction in which he is going, and one foot is lifted while the other rests on its heel, giving the stepping-forward effect.
Fig. 151—The Little Crooked Man.Fig.151—The Little Crooked Man.
You will find the Crooked Man's head inFig. 141. His hands are cut from brown paper, like C (Fig. 144), and his feet, which are also brown, are like E (Fig. 144).
Fig. 152—Little Miss Muffet.Fig.152—Little Miss Muffet.
the largest of the dolls (Fig. 152), is twenty inches high. Her head (Fig. 139) measures four inches from top to chin andfour inches across at its widest part. Her hands are made of brown paper, like F (Fig. 144), and her high-heeled shoes, like G (Fig. 144), are black. Her head is tilted to one side and the thumbs of both hands turn in.
You can make Miss Muffet's dress any color you like, the brighter and gayer the better. Cut the skirt and waist asyou did for Daffy-down-dilly, but do not point the sleeves. Make an apron of two squares of white tissue-paper—a large and a small one. Use the large square for the skirt of the apron and the small square for the bib. Gather the top edge of the large square and the bottom edge of the small square, and paste to the dress at the belt line; then make a white belt and tie in a bow at the back.
For the hat, cut a circle of tissue-paper the color of the dress, put a little paste in the centre, and pinch it down on the top loop of Miss Muffet's hair, tipping it a little to one side. This will give a crown. Turn up the brim at the back and lift it in front to stand out straight. Fringe a small piece of black paper for a feather and paste it to the crown of the hat.
Fig. 153—Peter White.Fig.153—Peter White.
is sturdy compared with the other people (Fig. 153). He came from the cherry tree and is ten inches high. The main stem, to which the smaller twigs are attached, forms his neck,body, and left leg, and is so large that both neck and ankle had to be shaved off somewhat before his head and left shoe could be pasted on. Originally the twig that forms his left arm extended beyond the joint at the elbow, but it was cut off, and the smaller twig was allowed to remain to give the comical bend to the arm which adds greatly to the appearance of the haste and the swinging arms of a pedestrian.
Peter White's head is given inFig. 142. His brown hands are cut like H (Fig. 144), and his black shoes like I (Fig. 144).
This doll is the only one whose head is in profile, but it shows that when the shape of the twig suggests it, a profile is very effective; and it is usually the easiest for children to draw.
is also ten inches high (Fig. 154). His head, with smiling face, is given inFig. 143. His brown paper hands are cut like J (Fig. 144), and his black shoes like E (Fig. 144). He wears his trousers quite short, that they may not get wet in the famous Gloster puddle, or if they do they will dry quickly. The trousers are made of wrapping paper, double, of course, and pasted together at the edges after they have been adjusted. They are cut likeFig. 155.
Fig. 154—Doctor Foster.Fig.154—Doctor Foster.Fig. 155—Doctor Foster's short trousers.Fig.155—Doctor Foster's short trousers.
Fig. 154—Doctor Foster.Fig.154—Doctor Foster.
Fig. 155—Doctor Foster's short trousers.Fig.155—Doctor Foster's short trousers.
Fromold visiting cards you can build all the different houses and furniture seen in the accompanying illustrations.
Fig. 156—The little tropical house in Uncle Sam's newly acquired possessions. Made of old visiting cards.Fig.156—The little tropical house in Uncle Sam's newly acquired possessions. Made of old visiting cards.
For the little
in Uncle Sam's newly acquired possessions (Fig. 156), select eight of your largest and stiffest visiting cards; these are for the four walls of the first or lower story of the house. If the cards are not alike in size, make them so by trimming off the edges of the larger cards.
Fig. 157—Place two cards together and cut two slashes.Fig.157—Place two cards together and cut two slashes.Fig. 158—Slide the cards together this way.Fig.158—Slide the cards together this way.
Fig. 157—Place two cards together and cut two slashes.Fig.157—Place two cards together and cut two slashes.
Fig. 158—Slide the cards together this way.Fig.158—Slide the cards together this way.
Place two of the cards together and cut two slashes, one on each side of the centre, through one end of the double layer (Fig. 157). Slide the two cut ends together, allowing thecentre divisions, A (Fig. 157), to lie, one over and one under the two cards. This will bring under the side divisions B and B (Fig. 157), on the card whose centre division A comes on top, while the divisions B and B of the other card will come over on the outside (Fig. 158). Fasten all of the remaining cards together in pairs in the same manner; then cut a long slit near the outer edge of each of the four pairs of cards, C and C (Fig. 159). Slide the walls together at right angles, and form a square by means of the long slits. Do this by holding the open end of one long slit in one wall under, and at right angles to the open end of one long slit in another wall, and then fitting the two walls into each other so that they will stand firm and form one corner of the lower story of the house (Fig. 160).
Fig. 159—Slide the two cards together this way to make the wall.Fig.159—Slide the two cards together this way to make the wall.Fig. 160—Slide the walls together at right angles by means of long slits.Fig.160—Slide the walls together at right angles by means of long slits.
Fig. 159—Slide the two cards together this way to make the wall.Fig.159—Slide the two cards together this way to make the wall.
Fig. 160—Slide the walls together at right angles by means of long slits.Fig.160—Slide the walls together at right angles by means of long slits.
Strengthen the house with an extra inside wall. Cut long slits in each end of the extra wall, then a long slit near the centre of each side wall in which to fit the extra wall.
Fig. 161—Cut short slits on the end of the ceiling cards.Fig.161—Cut short slits on the end of the ceiling cards.
Make the ceiling of the lower story of two more pairs of cards fastened together likeFig. 158, and on the ends of each pair of cards cut similar divisions, only have them quite short (Fig. 161). Bend down all of the end divisions and fit the strips over across the top of the first story from front to back, bringing the two corner divisions, D and D (Fig. 161), on the outside of the wall, while you slide the centre part, E, on the inside (Fig. 162). Dotted lines indicate the division E on the inside.
The second story must be built entire before it can be fastened on top of the first story.
Make each of the four walls of the second story three cards long. Cut divisions on both ends of the middle card to fit in the end cards (Fig. 163).
When cutting divisions, always fit together the two cards that are to be joined, and cut through the double layer, which will insure having the divisions alike.
When the four walls are ready to be put together, cut a window in the two end cards of the wall which you intend for the front (Fig. 164). Only the lower edge and sides of the window may be cut; the upper edge is merely bent and throws the solid window shutter, formed of the piece cut, outward, as shown in the photograph.
Slide the four walls together and add a fifth wall, to run through the centre from side to side, for strength. Use the long slit method for joining the centre wall to the side walls.
When built, turn the second story upside down and fit a strip of three cards, bridge-like, over the centre from front to back, and fasten it to the bottom of the walls as you attached the ceiling of the first story; then fit on another strip in likemanner over the centre from side to side, and fasten it to the bottom of the side walls. The two strips will cross each other at their centres, one lying at right angles over the other.