Many other things can be made, too, for use when playing with toy soldiers. One such model is
A Step Bridge, as shown in Fig. 29. This is a very pretty little model, and one quite delightful to make. For it we require four 1-3/4 in. or 2-1/4 in. match boxes, a piece of cardboard or veneer, and some match stales.
Fig. 29.
The cardboard should be cut to the width of the match box that is, either 1-3/4 in. or 2-1/4 in., and to a length of 4-1/2 in. At each end of this should be glued the side of a match box. In this way the actual bridge itself is formed. The step is provided at each end by a match box, lying down, and glued to the standing box.
The remaining task is the cutting and fitting of the match stales to provide the railings—and this is the part requiring great care. Reference to the sketch will give a much better idea of the design than any amount of explanation. The stales will be cut to the following lengths: two at 4-1/2 in., eight at 2-1/2 in., and four at 2 in. You can finish off your model by pointing some of the stales; but this is not at all necessary if you have used a sharp knife and made clean cuts. If in fitting up the stales you find the glue is not sufficient, you can strengthen the important joints by use of doll pins.
One other splendid use to which match boxes and stales can be put is the provision of the lighter sorts of furniture for the dolls' house. We give two examples typical of the extent to which these simple materials may be applied.
A Doll's Umbrella Stand is a very happy little idea—very simple but extremely effective. At the two ends of a small match-box tray, long stales are glued, projecting underneath to act as short legs to keep the tray from the ground. Near the top of these upright stales, four others are fixed to act as a strengthening frame. These last should be secured in place with doll pins in addition to the ordinary dab of tube glue. Then across the frame so made should be fixed one or two short lengths of stale in order to divide the stand into two or three compartments. Fig. 30 shows the completed stand.