St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-04-17

photography Applied TO cows.
Amateur photography, usually re-
garded wholly in the light of a recre-
alton, sometimes seems to have its
practical uses. An account comes
from Montgomery county, Md,
which even tells of its introduction
into the courts.
1t appears that a Baltimore man
recently bought a farm out in Mont
gomery county and moved on it
with the hope of lettering his declin-
ing health. Among other things in
which he invested was a COW. His
idea was that there was not only
much nutriment in genuine cows
milk furnished by your own cow, but
also that the gentle exercise of eX-
tracing the same tactical fluid was
just what he needed. The cow in
question was bought of q neighbour
ing farmer, who seemed honest, and
who warranted the animal to be
kind and gentle and a non-kicker.
The Baltimore man, who for the sake
of convenience we may call Jones,
found her otherwise; and in a law
suit arising from the transaction the
story of each party to it is given to
the world.
From the testimony of Mr.. Jones
it was learned that he approached
the cow on the evening of the day of
purchase, as she stood in the lot back
of the barn. This, he alleges, he did
quietly and respectfully, making such
cOnciliatOrv remarks as seemed to
him likely to engender confidence in
the breast of a cow. She suffered
him to seat himself and make an at
tempt to extract the desired milk.
Mr. Jones had scarcely begun, how
ever, when he became aware that the
animal was looking backward over
her shoulder at him with that
naughty but mildly inquisitive stare
which we are led to believe only a
COW can assume. Mr.. Jones became
alarmed, especially as he noticed a
shade of disappointment and disdain,
if not of anger, creeping over the
cows features. 1t had been better
for Mr. Jones had he given heed to
the adage calling attention to the
more desirable part of valor, for at
that moment the beast gave a snort
of defiance, switched her tail, kicked
the milking pail away toward the
blue vault of heaven and ran the I'M
fortunate Jones out of the yard and
over the fence on one horn before the
pail struck the ground. Mr.. Jones
sued the farmer of whom he bought
the COW for the amount of the pur-
chase money.
The defence made by the farmer
was, that the ignorant Jones had APP
preached the COW from the wrong
side. 1t was unreasonable to expect,
the farmers attorney submitted,
that an intelligent and wcll-brought-
up COW such as the one in question
would submit to any such unprofes-
sional proceedings. There is right
side and there is a wrong side from
which to milk cOw-the plaintiff
had chosen the wrong side and must
abide by the consequences. His client
could not furnish a diagram when he
sold a COW showing how to milk her
no charts went with the defend
plea with a denial-he had approach
eel the COW I1OIIl Tic ilSHI SltlS- ~ L
this point the defence introduced their
crushing evidence. Notllingless than
ad instantaneous photograph, taken
by a young amateur who happened
to be strolling past just at the point
where the COW had kicked the pail
skyward and was turning around to
give her attention to the man. Mr..
Jones clearly appeared to be on the
wrong side Jones attorney tried
to convince the jury that the COW
had turned twice when the picture
was taken and that his client was in
the right position after all, but broke
down, and the jury returned a YER
dict for the defendant without leav-
ing their seats.
1t is gratifying to know that anna
teur photography may thus some
times be turned to practical use. We
may also add, as fitting closing
paragraph, that Jones now lets the
hired man do the milking, while he
secures the necessary amount of eX-
ercise for good health from running
the churn, pump, grindstone and
other mechanical apparatus incident
to a farm, none of which require
that delicacy of treatment demanded
by a high-strung and intellectual
cow New York Tribune