204 



H I S T K Y OF H E K E F li D CATTLE 



schemes to enable him to back out made him 

 querulous. He wrote to the "Mark Lane Ex- 

 press" that he had a great aversion to gambling ; 

 advanced this as a plea, notwithstanding he had 

 been showing for money exactly on the same 

 principle. 



Bates' friends became alarmed; rode over to 

 Kirklevington to inquire if that plea of gamb- 

 ling was the only reason ; others wrote with anx- 

 ious inquiries. Bates, in his perplexity, seemed 

 to be wandering about the farm like a hen by 

 candle light, in search of his man Friday, to 



GRADE HEREFORD STEER. CONQUEROR, AT 27 



MONTHS. 

 (Bred by T. L. Miller; the rightful champion of 1879-80.) 



caution him to be sure and keep his secret ; but, 

 unfortunately, Friday could not keep from say- 

 ing that Price's white-faces was a most excel- 

 lent herd, and that his "master" would have 

 very hard work to beat him. Friday was asked 

 many questions by all comers to Kirklevington. 

 At length one Shorthorn breeder came who had 

 been into Herefordshire to buy steers for feed- 

 ing. "Why, Friday," said he, "what were you 

 doing in Hereford a few dav> ago? I saw you 

 riding through that city and tried to hail you. 

 but yon seemed in a hurry as you put the spurs 

 to your horse. . Had anything gone wrong ? You 

 seemed to have your India rubber rolled up, as 

 if you had been a long journey." 



This breeder, in opposition to Mr. Bates, be- 

 gan to be a little quizzical, as he had strong sus- 

 picion of Friday's visit to Herefordshire, after 

 reading Bates' letter in the "Mark Lane Ex- 

 press." "I hear you have been calling on Mr. 

 Price. I understand his herd is a very superior 

 one. How did you like it ?" Friday was as much 

 confused as Bates. It was the truth, but how 

 did he know it? The Shorthorn breeder tried 

 to look Friday in the face, but he looked every 

 way but his. He was determined to sift him a 

 little further: "Now, Friday, I am as good at 

 keeping a secret as Mr. Bates. Tell me how 



you liked Price's herd of Herefords? I heard 

 you were there." "Who told you?" "What 

 made you take your smock frock along, rolled 

 up in front of you, to look conspicuously ? That 

 was not a garment you usually wear on Sun- 

 days. There is some mystery which you ought 

 to explain to me, as I am as much interested 

 as Bates; I do not want to see the Shorthorns 

 defeated. Why did he deposit the forfeit and 

 then withdraw? There is something wrong." 

 After this it^was generally known what \vas 

 the object of Friday's visit to Herefordshire, 

 and for a time Friday was made the market 

 talk, and one of Bates' myths was made public, 

 much against his secret wishes. Friday had 

 kept the West Highland cross confidentially in 

 secret, but this one, so far from home, was too 

 much for him. 



I have obtained these facts about as I state 

 them from a source that can be relied upon, 

 and I was familiar with the transaction 

 through the "Mark Lane Express." 



In his letter to that paper, Mr. Bates wished 

 Mr. Price to call upon him. None but a man 

 of extreme vanity could have expected this. 

 Mr. Price, being aware of Bates' prominent pe- 

 culiarity of bribing the judges with insinua- 

 tions, was the principal reason of his making 

 the challenge, as he was determined that such 

 a transaction should not be allowed on either 

 side. 



Mr. Bates wrote to Mr. Price, saying he de- 

 clined to meet him on account of gambling. 

 This, and more frivolous excuses, he made in 

 his letter to the "Mark Lane Express." In these 

 letters he wished Mr. Price to call upon him, 

 and he would return the call. Here was a 

 chance for more quibbles on etiquette, but Mr. 

 Bates, being a confirmed bachelor, I suppose 

 did not study that part of his ceremonies, as a 

 quibble for delay and a chance to back out. 

 How they were to settle between themselves 

 which was the best herd was only a schoolboy 

 transaction. 



Of course each would declare his own the 

 best, and neither they nor the public would 

 have been satisfied. At the same time Mr. Bates 

 said that he had a pair of twin bull calves of 

 the Duchess tribe, he thought one of which 

 would improve Mr. Price's Herefords. Mr. 

 Price replied, "If you want to back out, tell me 

 plainly; then I will listen, but I will not have 

 any more cavil. The three judges having been 

 agreed upon, can go to Kirklevington, and I 

 will accompany them ; they can return to my 

 place with your escort, then neither herd can be 

 removed. I feel very reluctant in taking your 

 proposition as a direct insult, but circumstances 



