Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-08-24
Some Particulars Of the Early Life Of
Goldsmith Maid.

The Maid was q Maynard child. From
the date Of her birth on the farm OF John
b. Decker. in Vantage Township. Sus.
sex County. n. Y, in the Spring Of 1857,
to the age OF six years, she distinguished
herself in many ways, but never as q
trotter. She was undersized, nervous
and i%retful. and utterly refused heavy
farm work. Mr.. Decker. her owner.
SAYS he never got any work out Of her
but twice. one half day in blowing corn
and the half day in drawing stones.
Once she was hitchsd to q harrow. but
after q short distance she reared back
ward and sntangled both her hind legs
in the c~ross-piscc 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 gold her. she was
used as q race horse. though without her
owners knowledge. The boys on tho
farm. Of course, al boys do, were anx-
ious 10 know which was the speediest
horse, and at an early day they found 1t
was the Maid. And so, after the % old
man " had gone to bed, they would take
her out Of the pasture or stable, when
ever a race could DO made up, aud run
her ON the road after night. She beat
everything that could be brought to u
with her, 80 that, finally, none but the
uniformed from a distance could be
found to bet against here. These races
were made up ut the country stores and
lounging places in tho evening, after
farm work was over, and the race run
the same night. after the old man
had gone to bed. No t.aining. no
grooms. no jockeys, no weight for
Q - Just q man or q boy, In
his bare feet, mounted bareback, with
his toes hugging the mares belly like a
lsech, 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 tho Summer Of 1868,
two men were ont buying horses for the
army. and stopped all night at MIR.
Deckor's, and in the morning bought h
Maid Of him for $500, and started for
home, leaving the mare behind them.
On their way they met q Mr.. Tompkins,
who knew the little mare, and bought
her Of them $500. The two men also
knew her and believed that she could bo
made a %trotter. but were willing to make
slCO by their mornings bargain.
The next day Tompkins sold her
TO Alden Goldsmith, IN excellent judge
of horsehesh, Of Blooming Grove
Orange county, New York, for 5000.
From him she took the name OF Gold
smith Maid. He kept her in pretty
steady training under a driver named
William Bodino, to whom, more than
any other living man, should be award
ell the credit of first bringing the mare
out. The renowned Budd Doble, who
now drives her 10 handsomely, had not
then sithor seen or heard Of her. While
in training for the trotting course she
was so fretful and irritable. so determined
to run at every opportunity in
stead Of trotting, 10 hard to bring
down to n trot after breaking from
that gait, that Mr.. Goldsmith many
times determined to give up the training
and sell her at any price I; but his pa
tient driver maintained his abiding faith
in her, and assured his employer that
she was the fastest animal ON his prem
iss., and would come cut at last a great
trotter, and finally persuaded him to
keep her, which he did until this driver
so brought out her points that Mr.. Gold
smith, in November, 1868, sold her to
ID. Jackman and Budd Doble for $780,
600. These gentlemen sold her to Mr..
n, n. Smith for the sum OF S37,OOO.
Mr.. Doble still drives her. She made
her first appearance in public in August,
IsG5.-EtvmsriMe lind } Courier.