674 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



menced. Mr. Stuart was fond of drawing out his 

 guests when favorite cattle were under examination. 

 Sometimes visitors would hit upon Lewis' favorite 

 and sometimes upon Mr. Stuart's choice. Often- 

 times the herdsman and his steadfast friend would 

 already have agreed upon one that was to be put 

 aside as too good to part with. Still there was 

 always ample scope for argument, and Stuart had 

 the lawyer's real relish for debating the fine points. 

 In this respect Mr. Earl was quite different. He 

 was a man of few words but nevertheless enjoyed 

 these Hereford "sessions" quite as thoroughly as 

 any other member of the party. 



Memory recalls few fairer scenes than we have 

 witnessed in the Shadeland pastures. The herd 

 was usually kept in strong condition and carefully 

 sorted by ages, sexes and type. The various bands 

 of cows and heifers never failed to make a great im- 

 pression upon visitors, and in its palmy days Shade- 

 land was easily the great show place of the United 

 States as a Hereford nursery. In the course of all 

 our journeyings to the farm, however, we do not be- 

 lieve that the question as to which was the best cow 

 of the herd in its prime was ever really settled. 

 We once went through the lot with Mr. Earl, Mr. 

 Stuart, John S. Carlyle and John Lewis ; we recall 

 readily Mr. EarPs quiet conservatism, Mr. Stuart's 

 keen analysis, of form, Mr. Carlyle 's brusque opin- 

 ions (usually dashed with broad Scotch wit), and 

 the modest courteous comment of Lewis. Those 

 sunny summer days will come again. The grass 



