The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-25

per reporters were attracted to the
spectacle. The reporters appeared to
be surprised that this father and moth
er were really enjoying life while at
the same time having the responsible
ity for seventeen children. But some
of the things that the alderman said
are worthy of preservation Among
other things Mr.. Wentz said:
IT'S great thing to go home at
night and find nineteen or twenty pairs
of shoes waiting in the hallway to be
cleaned. You can't come home feeling
lively with the danger of waking up
twenty-three people.
81 think If people knew the salts
faction of having babies about the
house they would not want small fam
lilies. I don't feel old as the little ones
multiply. feel younger and younger.
and think I'll become a child again
myself some day."
And when Mrs. Wentz was approach
ed for an opinion as to her manifold
responsibilities, that good woman had
this to say:
"It's a great time getting the chill
dren off to school. I line them up like
an inspector of rife practice.
Il don't think our family could get
along on one Of those dollar dinners
provided for in the evening papers.
air, and when they come in at even
ing they are anxious to go to bed
Every one helps here or it would be
task beyond my powers.
I'm very happy with the little ones
about. The work doesn't seem to tire
me. l love every one of them and they
love me, and there is something IN
that.
I'VE don't spoil our children by PAM
pering. We expect them to be little
men and women, and they are. They
are placed upon their honor to behave
and they do so without much rod
The large family is not common IN
this country to-day. 1t has come to be
the exception, although it is true that
nowhere do general content and happi-
ness appear to rest more securely than
in the centers of these large families. A
rev e N,,,v years I.. ago the Large Iaggo
ton. Fifty-eight years ago, the sight
of family of seventeen children
would not have provoked extraordinary
comment, while that of twelve or thir-
teen children would hardly have at
tracted attention.
1t is worthy of comment that one
may IND more nervousness, more care,
more anxiety and more WEAKNESS IN
the home graced by a single child
IMAM III the nouSehold TO which a IdIS 80
number of children have come. Where
poverty does not prevail in such
home, happiness, contentment ana
health are generally noticeable.
In the city of South Omaha, Nebras-
ka, lives one of the best physicians IN
the West. There are in his home thir-
teen children. The mother would read
lily passed for a woman of 2S or SO'
while the father would not be suspect
ed of being far above the age of 80.
This home is famous, not only for us
hospitality to the stranger. but for
the peace, love. contentment and hap
piness that abound in it's every DAY
life. The father and mother are among
the most jovial and companionable peo-
pie of the city and. although the pro
fessional cares of the father and the
household duties of the mother are
large. they both find some time to de-
vote to the social pastimes of their
neighborhood.
If it was desired to establish the
claim that children are burdensome'
neither this South Omaha family, nor
the Wentz family of Brooklyn. nor any
other family that may properly claim
place in the list of large ones, could
be used as witnesses in the Affirmative