The limits of malignity are far to seek. Mr. Gifford,
inspector of cattle for Paddington, on Friday informed Mr. Yardley that he had found a diseased cow among the cattle of a great cowkeeper on the Harrow Road, and ascertained on inquiry that it had been brought there by a man at fend with the proprietor of the farm, in the hope of raining his adversary. The man must actually have searched for a diseased cow, purchased it, driven it to the farm, and run immense risk of getting soundly thrashed, simply to gratify a malignant spite. That an entire neighbourhood might be con- taminated made no difference, the cause of feud probably being a claim to a few shillings. A similar crime is not uncommon in Australia, and is severely punishable, but in England we imagine the cowkeeper's only remedy would be by civil action against a man of straw.
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