332 FIELD AND FERN. 



Lancaster 25th by Lord Raglan. She had a triplet ; 

 it's a fact not more curious than true. The third, a 

 roan, came seven hours after, when we had bedded 

 the cow up for the night, and left her ; it was the 

 finest of them all, but it got smothered. At Perth 

 the red beat the roan, but the Kelso gentlemen re- 

 versed it. ' Come awa,' my Seraphine 13th /' I met 

 Captain Oliver lately, and he asked very kindly after 

 her. He was our opponent at Southcote. He's not 

 easily beaten off. I said to Mr. Barclay : ' Go in, and 

 give the Captain another choker : it's as well to do 

 right as wrong? So we got her for 250 gs. She will be 

 just three years and nine months, and she's had two 

 calves, and in-calf again. She was beaten at Stir- 

 ling, and people came up to me, and asked if it was 

 right; but on those occasions I sit down in my 

 corner and say nothing : it's the best way : talking 

 doesn't avail. She was seen. We never fed her for 

 it ; she was only led about this field for canniness. 



" There's Water Maid, a nice deep roan of the old 

 stamp, a great favourite of ours. She was the prima 

 donna of the Maynard sale ; Mr. Barclay gave 1 10 gs. 

 for her. We have her portrait, as true a touch as I 

 ever saw. What ' a plateau/ as they call it, she has 

 over the loins ! We've given Englishman the best 

 of the cows. We like to pay respect to the animal, 

 and the man who had him. Those are both English 

 ladies one from Sylph : ' Come to me, my darling ! 

 Sylphida that's your name. Come, my gentle queen /' 

 This is Flower of Spring. No, no ! we've not for- 



