The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-31
CLAUGHTON'S MISTAKE
CAPITOL POLICEMAN THOUGHT SLEEPING BEAUTY A WOMAN.
Twas Not, Though, but Merely a Walking Whiskey Sign Der Come With Fatigue and
 We'll, Other Things.

This story Is about a man who would be woman. The thing has been tried before without success but when Fred die-that's said to be his name-lonned skirts, wig and ether garments that do not come within tht knowledge of grow cling man, he fell. When he awoke yesterday morning he had a strenuous thirst, a thirst that nothing but an ar ticle for which Kentucky has been made amons ErsSS,s woud appess The fact is when reclining under the boughs of a tree on Capitol Hill where he had been nestling in the grassy lawn as serenely comfort able as a Jersey heifer.
 Freddie has personal predilection for whiskey. When he came to Montgomery to get a Street Fair job he naturally turned to the whiskey houses. "ch, yes, we can give you joh," said the whiskey man. Will you wear skirts and can you play the woman?' Play the woman"' exclaimed Freddie. Why, man, I have impersonated women in grand opera"
 You're mine, you're mine." the whis- key man fairly shouted.
 The 1eal was made and it came to pass | of the city beskirted bewigged and look | ing the part of a down-State woman. come to town to see all of the fair or leave her dead body in Montgomery. This strange-looking woman was bur
 which read Drink Great-Thirst Whis- key or words to that effect. | The job pleased Freddie and his nose, 1 which protruded from grease-smeared l face, played no small part in the whiskey | advertisement. Small boys followed Freddie about the street. Country boys poh ed fun at him and Freddie had the | biggest timo of anybody at the Fair. Time came, however, when Freddie be- came himself. or duty like true busi- business routine and he visited other whiskey shops. He visited them often. Then he visited them some more. Min utes grew into hours Tuesday evening evenings and when the. stars twinkled in the skies about o'clock yesterday morning Freddie found himself inside the gates of the beautiful lawn which surrounds the stately old Alabama Capi- tol at the head of Dexter Avenue.
 Finish s'good place geshhum sleep" murmured Freddie as he laid himself down upon the grass. Turning his face to the blue sky, he slept
 B. F. Claughton. one of the clever Capitol policemen, is a man of faultless dignity and innate chivalry. Soon after he relieved the all-night watchman yes terday morning he was astounded, amazed. The fact is Claughton was fab bergasted. whatever that is If his eyes did not deceive him a woman-a lady lay on the Capitol lawn:
 She must be in distress" thought Claughton, and without doing any more thinking he rushed tY the assistance of
 
 Here, madam, I er-er-er-beg your pardon, madam" said Claughton, as he gave the figure a gentle punch in the back. Madam. beg of you, can l be
 There was no answer from the prostrate figure and Claughton did some more thinking. Up in his native country of Chiffon, where the men are chivalrous and the women are beautiful. 1t is the duty of a man under these circumstances to stand by until he is ordered away.
 Madam" implored Claughton. If you are hurt let me help you"
 There was no response and Claughton made vigorous tug at the sleeping beauty.
 Here, Here, you guy. wot tell! grunte!d l he grunted. Cant gentleman sleep here wizzout bein treated rudelyy'
 Then Claughton got mad. His Chiffon self that he had never said aloud: He took hold of the man-who -be-a- woman and shook him vigorously.
 Get out of here right now" said higher pitch. "Go away from here right now or I'll throw you out. Have YOU no more sense than. to take this place | for sleeping house for tramps?'' Freddie stood up and arranged his bangs which had become somewhat 1 frowsed
 q just came in here to get away from the noise of the city" he said with more meekness. II am gentleman, you know, but don't li''c about here and I had been drinking"
 l Alabama" retorted Claughton, pride in his voice. Alabama folk wouldn't come | in here and do this way" This. because Claughton has the pride of a gallant | Confederate soldier in the historic old l Capitol and it's environment. | Then Freddie went away; went back
 into the heart of the throbhing and | thrilling Street Fair District. He threw
 his whiskev sign on his back and re- | sumed business
 l That woman was a man." said
 Claughton with humiliation in his voice
 as he returned to his office and reported
 to the keeper of the Capitol who had I watched the efforts of the watchman to
 arouse the sleeping Freddie.