Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-09
BROKE DOWN THE BEDS.

(From the st. Louis Republlc,)
Just four miles south of opdyke, and
but eight miles from Mount Vernon, Ill,
lives very large young woman. On
little 4O-acre farm which his father
entered from the United States govern
ment prior to the Black Hawk war,
lives Ignatius Atchisson, known to the
people of Jefferson county as Mace"
To Mace Atchisson and his wife 16
children were born. None of them are
remarkable in size except their daugh-
ter Mollie, age 28, who, although but
feet and ! inch in height, has continued
to take on flesh until her weight is es-
timated at about 800 pounds. The young
woman's parents are of average height
and build. At her birth. Mollie weighed
about eight pounds. OF the other Is
Atchisson children all but two were
larger at birth than Mollie.
UP to four years of age, nothing un-
usual was observed. Then she took on
nesh and grew taller In a short time her
development was so rapid that it at
tfacted the attention of her parents.
Mollie was sent to school at the usual
age and went about two months, when
heavy sleet came BY reason of her
great weight it was found necessary to
keep her home for fear she would slip
and injure herself. Later she tried school
again, but her weight was increasing at
such rate it was considered too great
an undertaking for her to travel the
rough country roads to the school house
She was compelled to abandon school
entirely
AT the age of sixteen Mollie seemed to
have attained her full height, but con-
tinued to increase in weight. She is
thought to be constantly increasing, al
though at much less rate than was the
case prior to her sixteenth year.
The following are measurements taken
on the occasion of the Republic CORES
pondents recent visit to the home of
this remarkable woman:
Waist measurement, 4 feet inches.
Arm (above elbow) % inches.
Wrist, 71z inches.
From tip to tip Of shoulders, 2S inches.
Height, feet 1 inch.
The girl comes of sturdy healthy pa
rents, and has, as a rule, been blessed
with good health. Although able to at
tend school but a few months, she has
learned to read and write. Miss Mollie
has not been away from home in sew
| eral years, and never went anywhere,
except to school and to church a few
| times She has never stayed away from
her parents roof night. She has never
! seen town or a railroad In fact, she
never has been two miles from her
/ home
For IA years Mollie mas done all of the
| cooking and her share of the other
| household work for the Atchisson fami-
| ly. She is said to be a most excellent
cook. She is an expert with the needle;
she readily operates a sewing machine
and her quilts are the pride of aler
mother, who never tires of showing
them and praising her daughters skill.
Mollie can also hoe in the garden, milk
the cows and run cross-cut saw. Her
time is principally employed in knitting
socks.
| Mollie is almost as remarkable for her
| activity and physical strength as for
her weight. She has been known to
| pick up barrel of salt Weighing 300
! pounds, shoulder it and take it from
/ the wagon and carry it to the smoke
/ house, distance of several yards. This
| young woman has very small, shubby
/ hand. and can wear a No. s glove. Her
/ feet also are short and chubby, and
while she has to have her shoes made to
| order, wears a No. in length. Mollie
has never had remarkably hearty ap-
/ petite, and eats no more than the az
I erage healthy person on a farm. Her
mother says she has broken down near
| ly all the beds in the house, and a chair
| doesn't last her very long. A trundle
bed has been especially made for her
use.