The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-13
A MOTHER OF SEVENTEEN.
MRS. EI'LLEY'S fTFRNiL PRTDE OYER
NINETEEN YEARS or UEDLOCh.

Tenement House In Warrington street.
The Elation of ~ very Happy Fnthcr.
Children are strikngiv numerous in tho
lower part OF Washington street Now that td
weather has grown warm. they occupy the sdc-
walks 10 an oatcnt that makes walking difficult
to anybody who IS in hurry. The t'n'mont
houses in that neighborhoOd arctdl and crowd-
cd. and ouch is packed with enough Of humans
ity H. supply a fnr-siznd village The interiors
are dark, end, I'm many ruscs. noisomc. II ia no
wonder, therefore. that the children swarm out
OF these houses into the sunshine. Tho writr
came across a remarkably large group of them
yesterday. in front Of 10 Washington street and
stopped, not SO much TO watch them ns because
he could not pass without stopping on thom or
making detOur in the mud that covered the
pavement. A police officer who stood by said.
Look'co hero. youngstcrs-you mustn't block
VI the sidewalk = at which they scattered. but
instantly came together again. lhtlo further
on. TO scramble over an apple that had fallen
from vendors wagon.
Who're do thcy all como from ?" was quos-
ton put TO the officer.
WELL these houses average twenty families
apiece" was the answer, land the families
oycragc-I won't guess how many children.
Why sir Il woman up thorc in forty lvo has
just had her sew nteenth child"
"Tno seventeenth ?"
Fact. sir; and don't bclicvc she's mora
than thrty-nve years old, either At that rate.
you SEQ. we must expect to tumble over children
in the street around here"
You're sure about the numbcr-ts really
her seventeenth -
SO they say; but go up and see for yourself.
Her names Kelley. and she lives in the fourth
floor front. shes proud Of the baby. and Will
10 glad - talk with YOU"
The writer went through tho narrow passages
anu az tho stairwnys of the t"ngn,n mt house. and
"a q Han . f.tffHf ID 81 A. al
woman admitted himtoatDom that was = Antly
IurniShed. but clean aud pleasant H. asked II
pointed 10 a bed. on which lay propped up on
pillows comely Ir.sh woman who did not SOON
WINS round and rudy. hnr expression wn- thai
OF entire contentment and She seemed TO- BE- in
the b"st OF Physical and mental health. A baby
lay at her side. looking intenily at It's tiny fists
a. ihouSh trying t. make up H. nina whether i
established hims If on II basis Of welcome ~
SAVING that II was a fine child. which was the
truth, Il" r asked how Gi it was and Mrs kol.
And Is it your twelfth ?" no ventured to say
deeming i impruasnt 70 risk mentioning the
Oh. sir" and Mrs. Kolley's face. and hrogue
that refuses to bc represented in print. indi.
Gated mild resentment this is my seven.
",Maam. you have good reason to be proud.
such family she smiled ana drew the bab,
closer" at your time Of life"
I'm not very old. that's true. sir
Npt much over Thirty, certainly"
"Thrly-seven, sir"
And how old is your oldest :"
Nineteen. ] was Just cishtc"n years and
three months OLE when hc was born"
The old woman WHO had admitted the visitor
then gnyr Information with a pride ~ manner
ril, in words TINT .l,e Was Mrs .,ley : nothsr.
ana that She took to herself a part OF the mrrlt
OF Mrs. k"iloy- achievement. The facts that
she impaired. without stopping much g. tako
breath. were rs follows; Tie husband. Patrick
Kelley. is a lahpror. ~ mt ten years older than
nus VIZ. and H. 9rguEil h's l1mii t. ihs coun-
RED year when their first child was horn:
next came three glrls at intervals 9l ahout
boy twins: next two girls and u boy. with inter-
| venng periods not much varying from year
eiris alter lapse Of little "yr a y"ar ,ani
| the six other births were less than c.ht,"n
io9rtecn di"d cariyNof ali tni, Of o dsea-4s
| The old woman said. but not of constitutional
ddisorders, shs vas sure. The survivors are the
| hrst born and the four youngest.
| Tho four-days- old infant began to squat hut
yss Pao6a i Know %2G 6% yG2 Zeal irwin WITH
em me mother Of seventeen ought to. .. the
You viii lie rewarded one Of those DAYS Ivy
having grown.up family abundantly able TO
- Fam ~, don't live to 10 that. Tvcoptth,
| oldest "a nne young man. sir-th"n thats loft
| -t9n young 10 Doe oi amy U.S.
| Wen. You arc young yet yourself. and hope
that those remaining viii grow up"
Indeed. 50 do /. sir. But expect to have
, HAY ~. {on qny particular number fixed IN
p. o.. don't know NJ some tine now einea
shouldn't again, III b, eontenicii Il I had
BODY. ought T. be contcnted with that SIC oi a
family
.Tirirlih Of Mrs. I, Ncy's assertions as 10 hcr
| children Was sustained hy The family record IN
varied !. uman-i. p. ON crcas ID nnd yrlowol
Of Patrick ana Bridget Kelley in ~. Of ths
| ID l. ff.a