THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 389 



450 and 400 guineas. Leney paid 300 guineas 

 for 4th Maid of Oxford, Col. Kingscote 250 

 guineas for Countess of Oxford and Mr. Down- 

 ing 200 guineas for 5th Maid of Oxford. Leney 

 also paid 260 guineas for 7th Maid of Oxford. 

 The young bull 12th Duke of Thorndale was 

 very much out of condition and was bought in 

 by Edwin Thorn e at 185 guineas,* but the roan 

 3d Duke of Geneva went to Mr. Mclntosh at 

 550 guineas. For the entire lot $1,6475 was 

 obtained, an average of $1,830. The six Ox- 

 fords averaged $1,550. When to the total the 

 then existing premium on gold was added 

 Sheldon had nearly $20,000 in American cur- 

 rency, less the expenses of transportation. In 

 commenting upon this result the London Illus- 

 trated Neivs said: "People differ in opinion as 

 to whether the American lots would have made 

 most under the greenwood or around the ma- 

 hogany tree; but the sale was unique in char- 

 acter and served to stamp 1867 as an annus 

 mirabilis in Short-horn history." In fact this 

 invasion of England by Sheldon created some- 

 thing of a sensation on both sides the water, f 



In 1869 Mr. E. H. Cheney of Gaddesby Hall 

 bought from Mr. Sheldon the two-year-old 

 heifer llth Duchess of Geneva, the yearling 



* 12th Duke of Thorndale afterward became the property of D. R. Davies 

 of Mere Old Hall. 



t London Punch took up the affair and dror^ed into verse under the 

 caption, "The G-olden Short-horns." 



