"kid" vs. "child"

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 11/21/02 4:51:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ktaylorschlieper at YAHOO.COM writes:

> Does anyone know when the word "kid" started being
>  used often...instead of "child"?

Billy the Kid, born about 1860
the Sundance Kid and Kid Curry, both members of the last great Wild West
outlaw gang, "The Wild Bunch", active in the 1890's and into the 1900's
the Yellow Kid, a confidence man who was well known in the 1920's if not
earlier

I think there was an early comic strip entitled "The Yellow Kid"

John R. Tunis "The Kid From Tompkinsville" published in the late 1930's, with
several sequels, including "The Kid Comes Back".  The title character was
frequently referred to in the text simply as "the Kid".

         - Jim Landau