ROMAN CAMP TO ATHELSTANEFORD. 137 



lier overboard, with some Clydesdale horses, and the 

 400-gmnea Koyal winner rendered up her sirloin to 

 the sharks. Venus deMedicis had alovelv leg and snug 

 neck vein, and a wonderful tendenc}^ to lay on flesh. 

 In fact, save a slight contraction near the tail head, 

 there was hardly a blot to be found in her, and hence 

 once in their five public trials she was placed over 

 Third Queen of Trumps. Lady of Athelstane was a 

 compact, buxom, little body, with very fine flesh, and 

 always a favourite with the English and Scottish 

 bench, and if she had been only a size larger she would 

 have been exceedingly dangerous. 



The Maid's masculine head and upright horn 

 spoilt her_, and as a calf she was a trifle Aveak in her 

 loins. Mr. Douglas knew this so well, that when she 

 met Duchess 77th and the immense calf field at 

 Northallerton, his orders to his man were not to keep 

 her always in the judges^ eye, as many clever showers 

 do, but to hold her head tight, and keep touching 

 her up perpetually with a little switch in the flank. 

 Mr. Robinson w^as not to be deceived even if the 

 judges were, and he slyly congratulated Mr. Douglas 

 on her being "shown so Avell.^^ The Queen of 

 Athelstane from Ringlet was a perfect beauty, and 

 she and Rose of Cashmere were a rare pair of year- 

 lings while they were doing the, first and second 

 business at the Highland and Northern Shows. In 

 his own mind Mr. Douglas could never whip her 

 apart from Rose of Summer, and bracketed her as- 

 head of his red, white, and roan tripos, with Third 



