The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-28
SIX BABES AT A BIRTH.
A Texas Phenomenon Which At
tracts Attention.


| Saturday, November ). he motber
and children are doing wei and the
father is reasonably happy.
Mrs.. HiFsh Is 2. years old. She has
been married FIVE years and IS the
mother OF three children, all living,
before she gave birth 10 the last inter
| esting brood The Oldest OF the chill
dren, a girl, - now 4 years and
months old; the second one. a boy, Is
years and months old, and the
third, a girl. Is not vet quite wears
old OF the six born on last Saturday
| four are boys and two are girls.
| A Republican reporter visited the
HirSh family to-day Their home
stead Is located partly in Navarro and
partly in Ellis counties, the house be-
| ing in Navarro. George Hirsh. the
head Of the interesting household, Is a
native of Pennsylvania, OF German
parentage. He lived for IL years in
Franklin county. Missouri, and has
i been in Texas Tor years past. He is
/ 81 years old, feet 10 inches high, and
weighs Is5 pounds Mrs Hirsh is Il
native of Bavaria, but was brought to
this country when an infant, and
lived in Warren county, Missouri,
| from childhood until 1879. when she
moved with her parents 10 Texas.
They settled IN Cenal county, where
the father died. In 1888 she was mar
ried to Mr.. Hirsh at San Marcos, and
Immediately afterwards moved TO her
present home in Navarro county. Her
mother resides with her, and also q
sister Of Mr.. Hirsh. Young woman
OF %.
The Republican reporter rode to the
Hirsh homestead from Rice. There
were ten teams hitched TO trees and
wagons surrounding the house, and it
| looked as if the whole neighborhood
had assembled to pay its respects TO
the new arrivals. The reporter hitched
his horse like the others, and walked
in without ceremony. The house was
crowded with women, mostly mat
rons, from general appearance, though
there were couple evidently young
girls.
In corner of the room stood huge
bedstead, and on il, half lying, half re-
clining, propped up with pillows, rest
ed Mrs. Hirah. She looked pale, but
not feeble. She was decidedly cheerful
and ioked merrily with her neighbors
She held one of the babies in her arms
and patted its little head softly. The
reporter inquired for Mr.. Hirsh, and
that gentleman. with a half-shame-
faced appearance, stepped out from a
dark corner near the fireplace. He
also held one of the babies in his arms
The conversation opened as follows.
MIR. Hirsh, | came over to see the
babies"
"who told you about emp"
Il heard of them at Corsicana."
THE HI you sayl Do they know
about it down there? Well, / be
hanged, how things do travel"
He INDUCED in some further reflec-
quest presented his offspring. Mrs
made an apology for the attire of the
young ones. She said she anticipated
one, and had made adequate prepare
tons to dress one, but that the appear
ance of six was too much for her baby
wardrobe.
Mr.. Hirsh introduced the baby he
held In his arms first. This one"
said he. d" is Frederick. | named him
after the late emperor OF Germany-a
good man" The baby was a mite.
llt Was u litlAt itlfph SURF Oui
perfectly proportioned The flesh on
his hands and legs was tolerably hard,
his little fists were clinched, and the
nails on his fingers and toes were per-
feet. He seemed to be a miniature of
perfect man. While the reporter
was examining him he raised a howl
that would have done credit TO a child
five times his size He was about the
< 8 a, medium sixaI UNIV doll hpf
he looked hardy. He was devoid of
hair, but his eyes were open and look
ed bright.
When the reporter had carefully ex-
amined Frederick, the father passed
him over to one of the matrons and
tenderly lifted another of the infants
from a homemade cradle near the
bed. He took the little one near the
door, and lifting tag attached 10 its
dress examined il and said This il
Victoria. named her after the wife
OF Emperor Frederick. She is No. 1
Of the batch" Victoria was about
the same size as her brother, and
looked like him. except that she had
very fair crop of black hair covering
her little head. Like her brother, she
looked very small. but she was per-
feet miniature OF a woman.
The father, after petting her gently
for few moments, returned her to
her rustic cradle and took up another
OF the infants from the lap of the visit
ors. He took the little one 10 the door.
examined its tag carefully, and said
This Won is Roger q. Mills, an he's
the worst NV the lot. At this all the
women in the room, including the
mother of the infants, laughed hear
tily. The father proceeded; Hes
been cryin' apd kicsin up since he vos
horned, and riz SIGH n fuss the first
day that his mother had to give up
one of her breasts TO him entire
when" he added innocently and some
what bashfuly, "she had but two for
| the six OF EN-" Yet, notwithstand-
| ing his complaint, it was evident that
the father was little bit prouder ID
Roger than of any OF the other chill
dreu. Roger was almost fac-simile
of his brother Frederick. He was
cuddled up comfortably and had al
ready learned the trick of sucking his
| thumb His mother complained that
| he had a remarkable appetite, and di-
yided his time between partaking of
| food, sleeping and CRYING, The father
gave Roger To one Of the women and
took up another of the brood. His
| tag being examined the father said, in
/ his own peculiar dialect: This is
| Grover Cleveland. He takes what he
| gets aud doesn't say much. He's a
! sound sleeper and hasn't cried 20
! amount To anything As vet He's the
/ biggest OF the lot Grover was UNI
| doubtedly the largest OF the infants,
vet he was very small baby He
| seemed To have n wee bit more flesh
than the others. and was the only one
OF the bows who had any hair. and his
7 crop was meagrc.
I When Grover was slowed away. the
/ father lifted mp another Of the infants
/ who was slowed away al the foot Of
I his mothers bei When the tag was
examined the father said. This j.
I Allen q. Thurman. ard he's a good
7 one. lie tackled 4 milk bottle before
I he was four hours old, and has been
( pretty active at i ever since. The
1 Young Roman aaS the smallest OF tie
/ brood He was a mere mite Of a child
l and had a slight deformiry. his left
I foot being turned outward. so that
{ when straight the toes were NJ angles
l frpm the other foot Otherwise he
/ seemed - De healthy, bat was very
/ small, His mother said he had a
I splendid appetite
! When Allen was slowed away in his
I he'd the father took the sixth and last
I. OF the infants from her mothers arms
| and without looking al the tag, said /:
I This Is Louise She i inclined to be
/ lelirate and WON Z feed frnYlg A hDttia -