330 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



been invited out from England to judge the Here- 

 fords. There was a considerable gathering of the 

 supporters of the breed upon this occasion, among 

 those exhibiting being Mr. H. C. Burleigh of Maine. 

 Mr. Merryman had cattle on exhibition, showing Sir 

 Eichard 2d against T. L. Miller's Success. The lat- 

 ter won, owing to better fitting and in an evil hour 

 (for Hayfields) Mr. Merryman agreed with Mr. 

 Burleigh to exchange on even terms Sir Eichard 2d 

 for the big 2,850-pound Canadian-bred Compton 

 Lad 1327, sired by Guelph 461 and out of Venus 

 662, a daughter of imp. Sailor 12. Practically no 

 service was had at Hayfields from Compton Lad 

 and he was sent to the butcher, Mr. Merryman fre- 

 quently consoling himself as best he could by saying 

 "that is what you get for dealing with a Yankee !"* 

 This incident, viewed in the light of Sir Eichard 's 

 inestimable service to the breed, again illustrates 

 the folly of disposing of a sire of special value, 

 unless indeed the offer which was not the case in 

 this historic instance be of such tempting charac- 

 ter that it would seem sheer nonsense to refuse it. 

 Mr. Merryman had heifers three or four years old 

 at the time, but it was not possible of course for 

 him to foresee the wonderful career in store for 

 the bull he had brought out from Hampton Court 

 and so he exchanged "Old Dick," as he was after- 



*Mr. Merryman had actively espoused the cause of the south 

 during the days when the northern troops were over-running his 

 native state, and was for a time a prisoner at Ft. McHenry. Chief 

 Justice Taney's dissenting opinion to a Supreme Court decision 

 denying Mr. Merryman his release under habeas corpus proceedings 

 has been regarded as one of the great jurist's most convincing legal 

 arguments. He was subsequently released without trial. 



