THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 415 



sacked with a blank check-book to do the 

 trick. 



History tells of the "Field of the Cloth of 

 Gold," where the kings of France and England 

 met in the midst of such luxurious surround- 

 ings as to make the conference memorable 

 mainly for its extravagant splendor. The tent 

 which flew the flag of Lyndale and from 

 whence Col. King dispensed hospitality to the 

 fraternity of Short-horn breeders at this show 

 was not carpeted with gold exactly, but it 

 lacked little that money could supply that 

 would minister to the tastes or appetites of the 

 most fastidious among the congenial spirits 

 congregated to do honor to that princely enter- 

 tainer upon this gala occasion. It was a fa- 

 mous victory ; a magnificent herd and a royal 

 celebration ; an event which will be recalled 

 as long as show-yard battles retain their inter- 

 est as probably the most remarkable event, in 

 some of its features at least, in the annals of 

 cattle competitions in America. 



W. R. Duncan's sale. The McMillan sale, 

 it is needless to say, gave a great impetus to 

 Short-horn breeding in the West, and trade at 

 once grew active, both at public sale and pri- 

 vate treaty, at high prices. At an auction 

 held by W. R. Duncan at Towanda, 111., Aug. 

 24, 1870, the show bull Minister 6363 was sold 

 to Andrew Wilson of Topeka, Kan., at $1,760. 



