The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-11-11
BOY OR GIRL BABIES,
which sex Predominates Among the
First Born AN Interesting Social
problem Discussed. ana Now the
question was Settled.

which Sex Predominates Among the |
First horn An Interesting Social
Problem Discussed. anu Now the
question was Settled.
Well. gentlemen, it's all right" said
young married youth attached to Sunday
newspaper, rushing into the Tcnth-street
Police Station few nights ago with q
blush of pride upon his features. " It's all
right, and the mother and babe are doing
we'll"
what is it?" exclaimed half dozen
newspaper reporters and policemen in cho-
rus.
"a girl, gentlemen, girl; and twelve
FOUNDER
Then there was n pause
Suddenly an old veteran of the quill, who
has ploddcd through half century of
births, marriages, funerals, assassnations,
horse.races, and SIGH, quietly arose and
astounded his audience with the following
remark
young man, yours Is an exceptional
case. You say your first born is girl.
Now let me say that fortune has blessed
you for not more than five in ten OF the
first born infants are girls. Indeed, l
venture the assertion that twenty-five per
cent. of the first borns are boys"
This set everybody to talking. All pres.
cnt were married men with families, and
those fathers whose first born were boys
agreed with the veteran q. d., and the
| fathers of girls took the opposite side of the
case, and the discussion assumed a
| lively phase when the veteran q. d. finally
suggested that, in order to test the ques-
tion, each male entering the station up to
midnight should be questioned on the dis
putcd point, and then ut the summing up
| the sex of the largest number of first
born should carry the issue. 1t was then
o'clock, and the boys awaited the first
conner with anxiety, rs mt that time the
score stood seven boys and five girls.
Suddenly the door opened and a police
man walked in.
"say," shouted the crowd, "was your
flrst-born boy or girl?" and then paused
breathlessly for reply.
"Why, girl, of COURSE" answered the
officer with some surprise.
This reduced the boys score one.
In walked another policeman with
drunken man. This officers first-born was
a girl, thus making the score tic. The
boy party felt little nervous and one OF
the number approaching the inebrated
prisoner, respectfully said:
"You'll excuse the strange question, sir,
but was your first born boy or girlY'
'Damfino (hic); guess not, though, cause
(hic) haint married"
his SCb ullt RIl lulby III ~ ioui Vi '"NSh
ter
In this manner the questioning went on
until five minutes to II o'clock, at which
time the score stood Boys, 26; girls, "a
The canvass, it will be perceived, had been
} lively. The boys party, though, not hay
ing carried the point that twenty-five pei
cent. of first borns were boys, had still tho
claim of being in the majority on genera
results, and, as only five minutes remained
were happy. Just then, however, an ole
tramp, and q well known one, too, by the
way, walked in and requested lodgings FOL
! the night.
/ The station keeper, who was champion
ing the girl party, proceeded to register hin
Q and put him through the sprouts as fol
< lows:
"What name?''
"John Bingle."
4 Married or single|
? Married"
Here the station-keeper paused, an'
biting the end of his pen-holder asket
slowly, while the crowd bent eagerly for
, ward.
"Was your Grst-born boy or girl?'
"Wot's that?" in tones of complete sur
, prise.
The question was repeated.
n "Well, see hyar, yez never aXed me ina
= question aforc. Wots it got to do wild m
. gittiu lodgin's?"
"It's simply to settle little discus
sion"
. ",Wull, it's 'er hard 'un ter answer pard
= thar's so many on em. Thar wuz nine il
all, and it's bin so long ago hang me If
J, hain't forgot which wuz born fust."
: "Try and think, said the station. keepe
J anxiously, in the hope of crowding tn
= boys score, if he could.
/ The tramp paused bit, scratched hi
q the gas Jets, unmindful of the suspens
l. his delay was creating, then suddenly
J. bright look crossed his features as he sale
J, ~ have it, / know"
u "What was it? ~ shouted the boys, anA
iously.
d at was twin gals
rs The boy party turned away disguise,
t, The score was an even tie, and on the La
ir stroke of midnight from the clock the crow
I; dispersed.