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THE DAY BOtK
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Vol. J, No. 235 Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 24, lSfl2 One Cent
FATHER BLOWS BRAINS OUT WHEN FOURTH
DAUGHTER IS BORN WANTED A SON
1 4 What is a man to do when his
only desire in the world is a son
and heir, and his wife, on four
separate, consecutive and painful
occasions, presents him with a
daughter.
Frank Novak, 2233 Southport
avenud, answered -this question
today byrblowing his-bra'ins out.
Novak always had wanted a
son. Nightly he prayed for a
sonr-and every seventh day he
made the request for a son the
beginning- and the end of his de
votions , s
Five -years ago, his first child
was born., lovak waited anx
iously for the, event, and when it
occurred his first question was:
"A boy or-a girl?" -
It was a girl.
The next year there was an-
other gir,l, and .the next year a
d and embittered cynicand lost
his faith in the efficacy of prayer.
But a fourth time, he drew in
the lottery of life, and this tjme
he convinced himself that at last
his desire and prayer was to be
answered.
The event occurred early last
evening, and ifwas a fqurth baby
girl. It was, a very pretty baby
girl, but what is the prettiest of
baby girls to a man who longs
for a son?
When Novak heard the news
he went out from his home, and
drank a very great deal of ex
ceedingly bad - whisky. Then he
wenf home, and dug up an ancient
revolver. ' .
The nurse who was attending"
Mrs. Novak arid the baby girl No.
4'saw Novak with the revolver.
"What are you going to do
with that gun ?" she asked.
"This is a world of misery and
anguish and daughters," saidNo
Vak. "And'I d(J not believe there
is a God, else surely 'He would
have granted me a son this time."
Then he went into his wife's
bedroom, and put the revolver to
his right temple, and pulled the
trigger, and died.
Mrs. Novak saw her husband
third, and N6vak becaine-a sour- j,, she rstodd
the reason. She became hysteri
cal, crying' aloud:
"Why couldn't it haVe. been ar
boy? Why couldn't it have been
a boy?"
Her condition today is very serious,
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