The Daily Morning Journal And Courier

BEAUCHAMP AND HIS COW.
Unforeseen Obstacles to Leading Her
Quickly Through the City at Night.
There are a great many
different
kinds of trouble in this world, but J. P.
Beauchamp, a well-known citizen, had
an experience with a cow on Friday
night which puts him in the category
with the modern Jobs. Beauchamp
bought a cow in Gwinnett county and
undertook to get her to his home in At-
lanta, which is out on Marietta street,
near
Collins'
brickyard. The
cow
never before having seen the sights in
a great city became unruly as soon as
she reached the limits Saturday after-
noon.
Then it
was that Beauchamp
struck upon the happy thought of lead-
ing his cow through the city after
dark. It was no help for it. He
had to pass right through the heart of
the city, which he approached from De-
catur street, and his route lay down
that thoroughfare and out Marietta
street. The cow would not pass elec-
tric cars and the rumbling wagons in
the daytime, and Beauchamp thought
everything would be all right when the
shades of night fell and Atlanta was
resting after the excitement of the
busy day.
Beauchamp waited until about 1 o'-
clock at night, when there was not a
street car or vehicle on the streets, and
then he started up Decatur street with
his cow. He had not gone many
squares before a watchful police officer
hailed him and asked him where he got
the cow and why he was driving it
through the city at such an unusual
hour of the night. Beauchamp compli-
mented the officer on his vigilance and
Atlanta on having such watchful
guardians of the peace, and explained
the situation. It was some trouble, be-
cause the cow would not stand still.
and he was in a profuse perspiration.
He was at last permitted to proceed on
his way after having lost fifteen min-
utes. But he was an honest citizen,
and did not wish to rest under any sus-
picion.
He had not gone two squares further
before he was stopped by another po-
liceman, and he again explained the
circumstances. Another fifteen min-
utes were lost. It chanced that the
very hour Beauchamp had selected for
his night trip through the city was
when the watches of the police force
had just been changed, and he began to
encounter all the fifty or sixty police-
men who were on their way home.
Nearly every one of them stopped him
and he was obliged to explain himself
and his cow. He was getting mad, but
he would not show it. Finally he
reached the city barracks, where Capt.
Thompson and several officers were sit-
ting out on the sidewalk. They hailed
him, and Capt. Thompson asked:
"What will you take for that cow,
mister?"
Beauchamp
mopped his dripping
brow as he replied: "I know you want
to ask me what I am doing out on the
streets at this time of night with a
cow. So just ask it."
"Well. that's what I will do," replied
the police Captain. And Beauchamp
for about the fortieth time explained
the situation.
"I don't think you will ever get that
cow home," remarked Capt. Thompson
gravely, "for you will have to pass four
or five more policemen on Marietta
street."
"Good Lord!" exclaimed Beauchamp,
"I've a good notion to give the blamed
cow away.
She has already cost me
more trouble than she is worth. It has
got so that she stops every time she
sees a policeman."
He was allowed to proceed on his
way, and in about ten minutes there
came a ring at the telephone. The call
officer answered the ring, and turning
to Capt. Thompson. he said:
"An officer has found a strange man
driving a cow through the street."
"That's Beauchamp in more trouble."
the Captain said; "just tell the officer
that the stranger has a passport."
It is presumed that Beauchamp and
his cow got home all right before
breakfast. But he will doubtless never
undertake to drive
another
cow
through Atlanta at night.-The Atlanta
Constitution.