1051 



then my son Will (now my partner) concluded to 

 develop him. He fed well from the start, and in 

 October, 1895, at thirty-one months old, he weighed 

 2,200 pounds. In fact, at that time and for two 

 years afterwards he was a great show bull. On 

 Aug. 12, 1897, I received a wire from Secretary 

 Thomas at Kansas City, asking me what amount 

 would buy Beau Donald. Not caring to sell him at 

 any price, I concluded to put the price so high no 

 one would think of paying it, cattle at that time 

 being extremely low. I priced him at $1,000. 



"The next day Mr. Curtice came to my farm, and 

 told me he had asked Mr. Thomas to see the bull. 

 My son brought him to the lawn, and I don't think 

 the old fellow ever did or ever could make the show 

 he did that afternoon. Curtice looked him over 

 and said, 'Turn him out, I never saw a bull I'd pay 

 $1,000 for/ I replied, 'Very well, I'm glad to hear 

 you say that ; and rather than sell you Beau I '11 give 

 you a check for $100 to release me from my proposi- 

 tion.' He had me take him to the train and just as 

 the whistle sounded for the station Curtice said, 

 'Put Beau in the barn for a few days, and then ship 

 him to my address in time for him to reach the fair 

 at Shelbyville on Aug. 24.' 



"I thought so much of Beau Donald that for fear 

 he would get hurt in transit I got in the car and 

 rode through to Kentucky with him, feeding, water- 

 ing and keeping the bedding under him. As I fre- 

 quently said to Mr. Curtice, 'I am the architect of 

 your fortune. ' 



This interesting narration may be supplemented 

 by a brief statement from Hendry, Mr. Curtice's 

 former manager, who says: 



"When a calf Beau Donald was recognized by Mr. 

 Simpson and herdsman George Shand as a good 



