i6S MEN OF MY TIME 



morning, for he was generally at the fair by the side 

 of his sheep as soon as most people, he was asked by an 

 uncouth dealer the price he would take for his ewes. On 

 naming his figure, he was told it was too much, and the 

 man bid him six shillings per head less. The dealer, as 

 is often done, sent half a dozen of his emissaries to 

 inquire the price again and again, on each occasion to 

 bid a little less than before, all bids being, of course, 

 declined. Just before the breaking-up of the fair, when 

 Mr. Farquharson was about to return home, his friend of 

 the morning came again, and thus addressed him : 



1 Well, farmer, you have not sold those little ewes 

 of yours. You had better take the price I bid you in the 

 morning, for no one will give more, and you can't go 

 home without the money, you know.' 



To this Mr. Farquharson quietly replied, ' I will try,' 

 and left the would-be buyer astonished to see him 

 laughing heartily at what was, of course, to the owner 

 of the sheep, an immense joke. He always drove a 

 pair in a large high carriage, on which, on his return 

 from the fair, if he had sold out, his shepherd and his 

 dog were seated by his side. 



Another patron of Danebury, Mr. Trelawney, of 

 Coldrenick, in Devonshire, was, like Mr. Farquharson 

 just referred to, more given to hunting than racing, and 

 also kept the hounds for many years. He occasionally 

 bred one or two horses for his own amusement ; though, 

 as a matter of fact, they were intended more for the 

 chase than the turf. Amongst others, he bred a horse 

 which he named after his own place, Coldrenick, and 

 sent to be trained. The animal had speed, but could not 

 stay, and was beaten easily in the Derby by Attila, and 

 others. Nevertheless, for ' a dark horse/ he was made 

 one of the strongest favourites, I should think, that ever 



