The Democratic advocate., 1874-08-22
Goldsmith Maid.

The Evansville Journal gives the following
account Of this famous mare The ~ Maid'i
was wayward child. From the date Of her
birth on the farm ofJohn b. Decker, in Wan.
tage township, Sussex county, New York, 10
the spring ofAs57, to the age Of six years, she
distinguished herself in many ways, but never
as a trotter She was undersized, nervous
and fretfnl, and utterly refused heavy farm
work. Mr.. Decker, her owner, snys he never
got any work out Of her but twice, one half
day in blowing corn, and one halliday in
drawing stones. Once she was hitehed to a
harrow, but after short distance she reared
backward and entangled both her hind legs
in the cross-piece Of the harrow, and SO IN
jured those members, that when she goes out
for her morning walk, tits said, she still shows
signs Of stiffness behind, caused by this fall in
Pearly life. From the time she was six months
old until Mr.. Decker sold her, she was used
as race horse, though without her owners
knowledge. The boys on the farm, Of course,
as boys do, were anxious to know which was
the speediest horse, and at an early day they
f0und Il was the +" Maid And so, after the
old man" had gone to bed, they would take
her out Of the pasture or stable whenever q
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 e.
nally none but the uniformed from distance
could be found to betagainst 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 !" old man. had gone to bed.
No trimming, 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 q Maid no doubt enjoyed II more than
she has some of her late races in the &pttine
ring. 0ue day, in the summer Of 1868, two
men were out buying horses for the army, and
stopped all night at Mr.. Deckers, and in the
morning bought the "Maid'' Of him for $500
and started for home, leaving the mare be
hind them. On their way they met Mr.
Tompkins, who knew the little mare, anC
bought her Of them for $aG0. The two mel
also knew her, and believed that she couls
be made a trotter, but were willing to maxi
500 by their mornings bargain. The mex
day Thompkins sold her to Allen Goldsmith
an excellent judge Of horse flesh, Of Blooming
Grove, Orange county, New York, for $500
From him she took the name Of GOLDSMITH
Maid. He kept her in pretty steady trainin
under driver named William Bodinc, L
whom, more than any other living man, shoul
be awarded the credit OF first bringing tn
mare out The renowned Budd Doble, VIII
now drives her so handsomely, had not thel
either seen or heard of her. While trainin
for the trotting course she was so fretfnl an
irritable, so determined to run at every op
portunity instead Of trotting, SO hard to brin
to trot after breaking from that gait, tha
Mr.. Goldsmith many times determined 4
give up the training and sell her at any price
but his patient driver maintained his abidin
faith in her, and assured his employer tina
she was the fastest animal on his premises
and would come out at last great trottel
and finally persuaded him to keep her, whicI
he did until this driver 40 brought out he
points tina. Mr. Goldsmith in November 1856
sold her to B. Jackman and Budd Doble 70
$4,000. These gentlemen sold her to H
n. Smith for the sum of $4,000. Mr.. Dobl
still drives her. She made her first appear