The Portland daily press., 1870-10-28
Baby show in TcnDesree- Twenty y-seveu
m others COmpeuc for the Prizes,


The Memphis Avaldnche, of the 18th inst,
in describing baby show recently held in
that city, says: "After nurses and babies had
all been collected in rear of the judges stand,
the secretary called them into the arena in
the order in which they had been entered,
and the babies belonging to the twenty seven
ladies were carried into the ring for the in
spection of the bachelor judges, Ranged in
front of the northern grand stand stood the
nurses, with their little charges in their arms
or in petite carriages, and the sight was
peculiar one. There were babies OF all kinds
and of all ages, that is to say of all months un-
der twelve, for Wheeler, Pickens & Co., in
presenting the beautiful little perambulator,
had distinctly bargained that it should be
presented TO the finest baby under one year
old on exhibition at this fair. The bue-eyed
blondes were in the majority, although there
were many brunetts, dark colored and placid.
The boys seemed to be livelier than the
girls, and laughed and "crowed" in a manner
that was delightful to behold. The mammas
tried every subierfuee to make their babies
smile, laugh and crow, and sundry comfits and
cakes were called into requiisitiOn. One blue
e, ed lad of about ten mon his was very attrac-
tive, and mis- efforts to swallow scarlet wcrs-
ted ball four inches in diameter excited uni
versal admiration. The task OF the Judges
was no ordinary one, but they faced the m
sic like men, and gazed the Juveniles nearly
out of countepance while examining their
points" III ath, strength, "hett.n and GOOD
looks were all taken into account. and the
judges moved silently and steadily along tbe
the line. their every motion and eyery woru
being eagerly watched by nurse, papa and
mamma. Some OF the babies stared at the
portly figure OF MIR. Hamilton as he marched
at the heac OF his forces, and looked as il they
had sll mt gllmmerrng of what it was all
about, and they looked up smillngly, while
others presented sombre faces, with tears in
tber eyes and mouths all about, 1t was in
deed an interesting sight, and many broke
through the rope-guards and eagerly rushed
into the ring, as If to look upon baby was
not an every day occurrence.
After the Judges had carefully scanned the
groups they retired for consultation, and then
ordered the following babies, according to
numbers as given above, to be separated from
the general group: Nos. 3, 4, $40, 25 and 26,
belonging respectively to Mrs. j. G. johnson.
Mrs. r w. Ainslie, Mrs. John Mitchell, Mrs.
l.. McGuire, Mrs. g. III. Cavan, and Mrs. Jo-
seph Musso. The JUICES took another fond
lo)k at he fortunate half zen and again re-
tired Tor consultation. They seemed to have
nearly all agreed on the same baby. for the
consultation was briet and DIR. Perkins. the
superintendent OF the arena, came forward
took little Mary Ansfe in his arms. attached
to her right arm the blue ribbon, placed her
in the prize baby carriage and Col j. G. Bal.
ientlne, Grand Marshal, eallantly wheeled the
lucky h'tie lady round the arena amid the
huzzas OF the assemb ed mu 'ttude, while the
unucky babies were carried soemnly out of
the ring. After the prize baby had been
shown all around, it was taken to the front of