The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-07-16
GOLDSMITH MAID.
GULDSMIIh MAID
Some Strange Incidents in Her C
hood DaV6s

GULUSAlIh MAID
Some Strange Incidsnts I'm Her Colt
hood Days
Her great powers of speed, the sagac-
ity and pluck manifested In her mature
years, shown especially in racing, make
horsemen anxious to know something of
her colt life, and to crafty this curios-
lty, the contemplating newspaper cor
respondent has pushed his way among
the meadows where first she saw the
light, and interviewed her owner, CLEAN
ing the incidents of her early life with
the same industry, and as infinitely, as
Parton when he visited the early home
of Andrew Jackson fer the purpose of
writing his life.
It seems that the 81 Maid" was a wav-
ward child. From the date of her birth,
on the farm of John B. Decker, in Wau-
tage township, Sussex county, n. Y, In
the spring of 1857, to the age of six
years, she distinguished herself many
ways, but never as a trOtter. She was
understood, nervous, and fretful, and
utterly refused heavy farm work. Mr..
Decker, the owner, says he never got
any work out of her but twice-one-half
day in blowing corn, and one-haIf day
IN drawing stones. Once she was hitched
to a harrow, but after a short distance
she rear ed 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
her early life.
From the time she was two or three
years old until Mr.. Decker sold her at
six, she was used as a race-horse, though
without her owners knowledge. The
boys on the farm of course, as all bows
do, were anxious to know which was the
speediest horse, and at an early day
they found that it was the Maid. i"
And so after the f" old man" had gone
to bed they would take her out of the
pasture or stable whenever 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 uniformed
from a distance could be found to bet
against her. These races were made up
at the country stores and lounging-
places IN the evening after farm work
was over, and the race run the same
night after the cold man" had gone to
bed. No training, no grooms, no Jock
eys, no weight for age-jUst man or
boy In his bare feet mounted bare
backed, with his toes hugging the mares
belly like a 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 of the most singular freaks of
the crazy-headed little mare during her
farm life was habit she had of taking
monthly trip through the country.
About once a month, no matter how
high the Enclosure, she would break from
her pasture and go sailing over the
neighboring farms, leaping and flying
over fences, bitches, stone walls, and
| streams-through fields of growing
! crops, meadows, woods, and pastures,
up steep hills and down, until making a
1 circuit generally of about six miles, she
would finally land in the field from
which she started, behaving herself af-
terward in a steady manner, for her,
until the next run. The time that she
would be out during these trips was
generally about forty minutes. A few
stops by the way, to have little gossip
with her neighbors, probably accounted
for the time being as long as forty min
utes.
This story might be hard to believe if
it were not vouched for by those living
in the neighborhood, who were so often
| eye-witnesses to this strange habit.
|
One day, In the summer of 1868, two
men were out buying horses for the
army, and stopped all night at Mr..
Decker's, and in the morning bought
the Sc Maid % of him for $3.50, and started
for home, leading the mare behind them.
On their way they met a Mr.. Temp
kins, who knew the little mare, and
bought her of them for $3.50. The two
men also knew her, and were aware that
the mare had great speed, and believed
that she could be made a trotter, but
were willing to make a hundred dollars
by their mornings bargain. The next
day Tompkins sold her to Alden Gold.
smith, an excellent judgeof horse-fesh,
of Bloomington Grove, Orange county,
n. Y, for $500. From him she took the
name of Goldsmith Maid. He kept heI
In pretty steady training under a driver
named William Bodine, to whom, more
than any other living man, should be
awarded 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 the trottine
course she was so fretful and irritable
/ SO determined TO run at every oppcrtu
nifty. instead of trotting, so hard tc
bring to a trot after breaking from that
gait, that Mr.. Goldsmith many times
determined tC give up the trimming and
sell her at any price, but his patient
driver maintained his abiding faith il
her, and assured his employer that she
was the fastest animal on his premises
and would come out at last a great trot
ter, and finally persuaded him to keeE
her, which he did until this driver sc
brought out her points that Mr.. Gold
smith, in November, 1868, sold her K
B. Jackman and Budd DobbIe for 500,
600.
These gentlemen sold her to Mr.. b.
n. Smith for the sum of $37, Mr.
Doble still drives her.
She made her first appearance in pub
lie in August, 1865. When she trottec
in 2;17 in Milwaukee, Sept. G., 1871
there was great excitement everywher,
among horsemen. The majority doubt
ed the length of the track and the time
} But the track was measured afterwarC
, by competent engineers, who testified
under oath to its being a full mile In
length, when measured three feet from
, the inside rail and the accuracy of tn,
lime was established beyond dispute
Ever since then vast crowds have at
: tended all her races. Since her las
great achievement at Mystic park il
2162, this excitement is again revived
A Thrilling Situation.
, The following story, which is givel
as fact, can hardly be surpassed evel
by the imaginary situations that mari