The Washington times., 1936-11-09
MRS. CLARKE
SAYS It COST
WHOLE PRIZE
BY PAULINE MAE CLARKE
Copyright, 1895, by King Features
Syndicate, Inc

TORONTO, Ont, Nov. 9.-Four
months ago 1 had no more idea
of being in the Millar baby race
than Mrs. Olivia Dionne expected
to have quintuplets, before they
actually arrived.
Now that the deadline is past
and I seem certain to be one Of
the winners, I can look back on
the past ten years and realize the
twists that tickle fortune has
taken in my life. At "a I am the
mother of ten. am seven years
younger than the youngest of the
other contestants. But that is
only part Of my story.
am the only Toronto mother
with ten children born and reg
istered since Mr.. Millar'S death.
Had it not been for a trick of fate
seven years ago would be winner
of the whole 81 ,000,0 instead Of
sharing first place with five
others.
Trick Of Fate
BY that strange trick Of fate,
one of my children, Margaret,
was born just four houses outside
the city limits. Had I been living
five doors farther south, she
would have been born in the city,
as I believed she was at the time,
and would top the list with ten
: eligible children.
This accident Of locality is like
ly to cost me five-sixthS of the
Millar prize-but I love Margaret
, as much as any of my children.
And am very fond Of them all.
It so happened that my hus-
band was then working for a rail
, way that had offices in the north
. west section Of the city, and we
moved to be nearer his office. We
. didn't know we were moving out
side the city. We hadn't any idea
it would make any difference II
we did. Now, of course, know
it did make vast difference. In
cidentally I was only II when
. Margaret, my second child, was
born.
About a year and a half ago
) the Stork Derby was well along,
and several mothers of large fam
. lilies were being mentioned as ike
! ly winners. At that time I was ~
and had given birth to only six
{ children, all alive and well. Some
. of the entrants already had nine
children, so I had no fainteSt idea
; of ever being a contestant, let
alone a winner.
Two Sets of Twins
Then fortune, which had played
. me a mean trick in 1929, started
. to compensate me for her shabby
treatment. In April last year
twins were born to me, and again
, in July this year had twins
four children in a little over a
/ year. In that interval of Is
months I came from nowhere in
the race to lead the parade. And
. my last twins were born little
3 more than three months before
: the close of the contest!
: OF course there are times when
5 I think how wonderful it would
: be to win all the money as I feel
: sure 1 would, if we hadn't moved
; only a few weeks before Margaret
, was born. But I really am glad
{ that the Millar fortune is probably
. to be shared by half a dozen
families. If they are all as glad
: to get a share Of it as will be,
that curious Millar will is to mean
. much happiness.
Hard to Believe
Naturally, since stepping up
front as one of the leaders, have
been a good deal in the public
. eye and have had some amusing
. experiences. My friends tell me no
+: one would ever take me to be the
-. mother of 10 children, and I be-
: lieve they are right. A lot of
people have the idea that mother
e after having so many children
should start to fall to pieces or
: something. I certainly don't feel,
/. and I hope I don't look, like that.
, The other evening I was intro
) duced by New York newspaper
woman to some friends of hers.
We chatted for over an hour, and
then someone referred to the fact
that was one of the Stork Derby
winners. One of the men in the
room, who resented any suggestion
that he was gullible, got really
:. angry when I insisted I had had
10 children and was likely to get
q big share of the prize.