622 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



held fast to that which they knew to be good through 

 all these evil days, keeping alive the fires of Here- 

 ford patriotism through this time of storm and 

 stress. It is obviously impractical, however, for us 

 to go up and down all the by-ways that led to the 

 firesides of these steadfast but modest keepers of 

 the faith. Their names are in the records of their 

 national association, and the work they did during 

 the dark days of which we write still lives. 



The main thread of our story is still best fol- 

 lowed along the trail of the leading shows. 



At the Fairs of '94. Ancient Briton had 

 been bought at Mr. Clough's 'dispersion sale of 1894 

 at $1,025 by Redhead Bros., of Des Moines, and was 

 the first-prize and champion bull of the year. Mr. 

 Sotham had by this time established himself at 

 Weavergrace Farm, Chillicothe, Mo., where he had 

 collected a valuable lot of richly bred cattle from va- 

 rious sources. He had bought the bull Alger, that 

 had been a frequent prize-winner in Michigan, and 

 at Des Moines and Lincoln he was ranked next to 

 Ancient Briton. He was sired by the Grove 3d-Spar- 

 tan bull Clarence out of the Tudge-bred cow Green- 

 horn 5th. Funkhouser exhibited this year as a 

 yearling a very remarkable young bull called Free 

 Lance, sired by Beau Eeal out of the famous Lady 

 Wilton, that only lacked stronger condition to take 

 highest rank. He was second at the Iowa show to 

 Sotham 's Cordial by Harold 2d, out of a daughter 

 of Coral. Sotham had pinned his faith to Correc- 

 tor as a great sire, and was rewarded at Des Moines 



