The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-02
NEW YORK'S BABY SHOW.
Infantilo Wonders on Exhibitien-Compe
Ing Babies and their Surroundings.

Infnntile Wonders on Exhibitisn-Compei
Ing Babies and their surrouudlnEs.
The recent opening Of the baby show
in New York is thus described in the
columns of the World of that city
The baby show opened in Midget's Hall,
in Fifth avenue, at $50 yesterday morn:
ing. It was gathering to be remarked
in several of its features, but most re-
markable was it's suggestion Of wisdom.
At the hour of it's opening the babies
were fresh, wide.awake, unvexed and
absorbed. No laggard twin, clipped OF
its vitality, had fallen into leaden and
precarious sleep, and the noisiest boy
had not yet opened his mouth or got his
preposterous legs into the throes oi
irresponsible motion. The flush OF the
vigor of morning was on the faces OF al,
and the alert intellect psered out Of
every baby's eyes. Under the circum'
stances, with every infant deeply seri'
ous, silent and absorbed, there never
was such a gross display of f,cial wis
dom.
The babies were assorted and
arranged in the large hall on the second
floor, which was trimmed profusely with
American flags. At the Fifth avenue
end were the twins. On the side to-
wards Fourteenth street were arrayed
single babies and all babies with defects
and remarkable histories, while babies
OF different merits sat on the side op'
posite and were strewn casually through
the center of the hall. The whole mum.
ber of babies entered is nearly four hun.
dred, and all these will be out doubtless
by tomorrow but yesterday the show
opened with $50. There will be several
sets of triplets, and arrangements have
been made and will probably co.ae to
fruition with a phenomenal Brooklyn
father for quartet. The management
Requires the presence of babies and
their mothers from nine in the morning
until ten at night, thoug b wearied babies
are dismissed or put to bed on the floor
above and their places supplied with
fresh and vital specimens. Nurses are
supplied to assist and relieve the moth
ers also intelligent and instructed
women to explain and interpret to visi-
tors. In the hall above a lunch is al
ways spread for mothers and nurses, and
there are cribs and baby-jumpers for
the soothing and reinvigoration Of speci-
liens.
A number of prizes are to be given,
the recipients to be determined by
popular ballot. Every visitor will find
aftached IN his ticket q COMMON with
printed instructions as - what qualities
are to be voted for, thus: "Hand:
soonest mother" "prettiest baby"
"Anest triplets," &" prettiest twins, "
"greatest novelty" and the four babies
in order who are next prettiest. Each
child and mother has a printed card with
number, which the visitor, having
made his selections, ascertains and writes
upon his coupon, depositing the same
in box afterwards. The handsomest
mother is to have prize of a gold watch
and chain, and money prizes ranging from
800 down are to 60 to the elected
babies. As for other qualities not mep-
toned on the coupon, they are to be de-
cided bysa selected committee.
Yesterday the show was we'll crowded
with visitors. Elderly gentlemen came
plenty, and chuckled over the maryels
of comeliness and fatness which they
found, and ladies in silks and seal-skins
pondered and consulted. The twins and
the fat, pretty babies got most notice
the babies with defects were studied
mostly by the reporters. In nearly
every case the mother sat with the child,
and was ready to tell everything con-
cerning it. Two conspicuous notices
hung on the walls, ono being: "What
is home without a baby?" and the
other: "The hand that rocks the cra-
die is the hand that moves the world. "