Quadruplets Celebrate Second Birthday

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 57, 9 March 1937, Page 8

Quadruplets Celebrate Second Birthday

A NEW HOME SOON. To a quartet of healthy, carefree jabies, Saturday was a red letter day. U was the second birthday of the Johncon quadruplets. Tho sturdy' children have evaded the perils of tho infantile paralysis epidemic and the decidedly unkind weather in the past 12 months and havo thrived remarkably mentally and physically. Their future progress seems assured. They are a lovable four, those Johnson babies, lovable because they possess impish characteristics that are irrepressible and also irresistible. When a reporter visited them they were playing with childlike vigour on the verandah of their home, the continuous patter of tiny feet and talk being in contrast to the lusty bawls that issued from their cradles just a year ago. But the scamper and voices /stopped when they saw a camera and with almost 6toic indifference they posed for their photographs. The birthday ceremonial on Saturday was a quiet function, the babies acting as hosts to their parents, elder brother and sister and cousin. All four aro still btrictly on Plunket diet, <so their birthday food consisted merely of crumbs of the traditional cake, two of which wero presented by their admireis for the occasion. In addition they have been the recipients of clotlie3 and toys from friends in Blenheim and Auckland.

Visitors to the Johnston home are still numerous, and indicative of the quadruplets' lame is the crowd of tourists from different countries who make a point of seeing them. The babies possess decidedly different temperaments, but all have something in common—a roguish chuckle. Kathleen is very even-tempered ani readily makes friends with everyone. She and Mary aro as alike as tho proverbial peas, but quick-witted Bruce can differentiate between them, though Mr. Johnson cannot.

Tho forthcoming change of environment from Caversham to the hill on the fringe of tho city should greatly benefit Mrs Johnson and her celebrated charges for, with the open fields at Kahari as their playground, they will grow even more robust in the fresh of this healthy suburb. The house which the Government is building for the family has not yet teen constructed. Tenders for its erection cl >so at_ the end of the month-,