FINAL SELECTION 



THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK OF ALL 



IN FARMING districts of the Mississippi Valley 

 they have a curious custom in selling cattle at 

 auction. They drive a herd of cows together 

 and the auctioneer asks his audience to bid for 

 first choice, no individual animal being specified. 



The highest bidder makes his choice, and the 

 cow he selects is taken from the herd. 



Then the auctioneer starts over, receiving bids 

 for "first choice" among the remaining animals. 

 This process is repeated again and again until all 

 the exceptional animals have been selected. 



A curious result of the method is that it very 

 commonly happens that different bidders have 

 their eyes on different animals. Farmer A, who 

 bid highest at the outset, did not have in mind the 

 animal for which farmer B was bidding. And so 

 it often happens that after six or eight selections 

 have been made a cow still remains that was 



[VOLUME III CHAPTER IX] 



