The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-08-10
How The Quins Have Changed
BY ERNIE PYLE
NEA Service Special Core
.popdent

Three years age this month we
visited the famous Dronne quin-
tuplets and their equally famous
mentor. DR.. Allan Roy DafOe.
We came back rather half-heart-
edIy, for our interest in the gum
tuplets had wansd. But one look
and now | am all worked up
again.
These almost mythical babies
have grown up into real live
children. They aren't dolls any
longer, they're humans. And
they're just as beautiful as they
used to be.
Everything has changed greatly
since our last visit. The town OF
Callander is full of new buildings,
and nearly every house has tour
list sign. There's even q new res
taurant and inn right next door to
Dr.. Dafoe's house.
"Juintuplet Village" two miles
away. has changed too. Three
years ago the road was rutted
dirt lane. The new Dafoe log hos
pital had Just been finished. There
was one curio store by the road
side.
Today paved highway leads
out. The place itself looks Ike
county fair. There arc acres and
acres for parking. Motorcycle cops
direct traffic.
The hospital grounds have been
enlarged, and there - an enclosed
playground for the children. There
are. four stores. instead OF one.
Two of them belong 70 DIVA d.
onne.
On three sides of Oliva's big
sest store are immense signboards'
sticking high above the roof. On
them are painted the quintuplets
pictures. In bic letters 1t says
The Only SOuvenior and Refresh
ment Booth Operated by the a.
Their of the QuIntupletS-OllVa
Dionne." The same thing is in
French on the other side.
The store Is large. selling every
thing you can think OF, and there
must be a dozen clerks. Olivia him.
self stays in o curtamed booth at
the rear. Across the top a sign
says autographs" Olivia was
there when | went in.
PAPA OLIVIA
DOESN'T SAY MUCH
There is nothing Of the north
woods farmer about DIVA now.
His clothes fit we'll, h.S shirts are
citv. shirts. he wears = wrist watch.
He looks much more New York
than ne does Corbeil. Ont. In
fact. he's a good-looking man. He
speaks with very little accent.
A friend introduced us. Olivia
wasn't Surly. but I can't say that
he helped any with the converse
tion. He Ii. a cigaret. leaned back
in the open window. crossed his
arms. and stood with a sort of
I':I've got your number smile on
his face.
Olivia was suspicious, as appar-
emily he is with everybody. l
didn't try TO make anything but
small talk. He answered my re-
marks but that wa all. | was
soon ready 10 go.
YOU SEE FIVE .''
LITTLE CHARmERS
At ESQ sharp the hospital gates
open for half an hour, and the
crowd jams in. We string out IN
two single files. and 60 through
turnstiles at the door of the play
ground house. You can hear the
, children sqealing and playing be-
/, foke you get in.
The playground is horseshoe
! shaped. with no roof. Sort OF like
q miniature football stadium, ex-
cept that the audience is only one
row deep. stands up. looks through
windows. and has a roof over Its
head.
The playground is probably 100
feet long. and 60 feet wide. You
lock At the children through or
dihary-Sized glass windows, with
a screen on the outside. The glass
is clear. but the screen is very
fine. and Is sprayed with bright
aluminium solution. This works
the miracle of permitting you to
see through. while the children
can't see back through.
To tell the truth. your vision
is not a clear ore. The screen is
too fine. And the children are al
ways at least 20 feet away. A
little fence keeps them from get
ting closer to the windows. Even
those who know them can hardly
tell them apart through the screen.
You watch. fascinated. for
about a minute. Then a police
man makes you move on, and out.
The sight of the children is much
less satisfactory than it was three
years ago. when nurses brought
the mon the porch, and you had
a good long look. But as they say
up here. conditions have changed.
and how can YOU show them any
better? | don't know.
AND YOU AREN'T
. DISAPPOINTED
The playground is neat and or
dered. lik" a Hollywood movie
playground Soft green lawn, col
ored umbrellas, swings and slides.
sandpit i'm the center, sidewalk
around the edge
Each child has a tricycle.. And