The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-09-17
Some Particulars of the EARLY Life of
Goldsmith Laid

TIE maid was hayward child. From |
the date of her birth on the farm Of
John B. Decker, in Vantage Township, |
Sussex Country, n. Y, in the spring OF
1857, to the age of six years, she dis
tinguished herself In many ways, but |
never as a trotter. She was understood, |
nervous and fretful, and utterly refused
heavy farm work. Mr.. Decker, her
owner, says he never got any work out
of her but twice, one halliday In plow-
ing corn, and one halliday in drawing
stones. Once she was hitched to far
row. but after short distance she reared
backward and entangled both her hind
legs in the cross piece of the harrow and
SO injured those members that when she
goes out for her morning walks, it is
said, she still shows signs of stiffness
behind caused by this fall in early life.
From the time she was six months old
until Mr.. Decker sold her she was used
as a race horse, though without her
owners knowledge. The boys on the
farm, Of course, as boys do, were anx-
ious to know which was the speediest
horse, and at an early day they found it
was the Maid. And so, after the 'sold
man. had gone to bed, they would take
her out of the pasture or stable when
ever a race could be made up, and run
her on the road after night. She beat
everything that could be brought to run
with her. SO that finally none but the
uninformed from distance could be
found to bet against her. These races
were made up at the country stores and
lounging place in the evening after
teamwork was over, and the races run
the same night after the cold man. had
gone to bed No training, no grooms,
no Jockeys, no weight for age-just
man or boy in his bare feet, mounted
bareback. with his toes hugging the
mares belly like leech, was the style;
and the Maid no doubt enjoyed it more
than she has some Of her late races in
the trotting ring. One day in the sum-
mer of 1863 two men were out buying
horses for the army and stopped all
night at Mr. Decker's and in the morn
ing bought the Maid of him for 5000,
and started for home, leading the mare
behind them. On their way they met
Mr.. Tompkins, who knew the little mare,
ard bought her of them for $500. The
two men also knew her and believed
that she could be made trotter, but
were willing to make $i00 by their
mornings bargain. The next day Tomp-
kins sold her to Alden Goldsmith, an
excellent Judge of horsefesh, of Bloom
ing Grove, Orange Co., n. 7. for $500.
From him she took the name of Gold
smith Maid. He kept her in pretty
steady training under driver named
William Bodine, to whom, more than
any other living man, should be award
ed the credit of first bringing the mare
out. The renowned Budd Doble, who
now drives her so handsomely, had not
then either seen or heard Of her. While
in training for tire trottingcourse she
was so fretful and irritable, SO determin-
ed to run at every opportunity, instead
ofstrotting SO hard to bring to trot af-
ter breaking from THAI gait, that Mr..
Goldsmith many times determined to
give up the training and sell her at any
price, but his patient driy er maintained
his abiding faith in her and assured his
employer that she was the ia stest animal
on his premises, and would C, 1me out at
last a great trotter, and finally persuad-
ed him to keep her, which he cid until
this driver SO brought out her points
that MIR. Goldsmith, in November, 1868,
sold her to B. Jackman and Budd DO
BILE for $4,000. Those gentlemen sold
her TO Mr. TEL. n. Smith for the sum III
$37, 900. Mr. Doble still drives her. She
made her first appearance In public in t
August, 1865.-EransUMe lind )JouYn