The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-07-11
GOLDSMITH MAID.
Some Strange Incidents In Her Coli
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-
ity, the ever enterprising 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 for the purpose of
writing his life.
1t seems that the 90 Maid" was way
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-half day
IN drawing stones. Once she was hitched
TO 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, 1t 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 boys
do, were anxious to know which was the
speediest horse, and at an early day
they found that it was the Maid. :"
And so after the IS old man. had gone
to bed they would take her out of the
pasture or stable whenever 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 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 "old man" had gone to
/ bed. No training, no grooms, no jock
! eys, no weight for age-iust 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 inclosure, she would break from
her pasture and go sailing over the
neighboring farms, leaping and flying
I l.
streams-through fields of growing
crops, meadows, woods, and pastures,
mp steep hills and down, until making 6
circuit generally of about six miles, she
would finally land in the field from
which she started, behaving herself af
terward in q steady manner, for her
4 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
it were not vouched for by those livinl
in the neighborhood, who were so Otter
eye-witnesses. to this strange habit.
One day, in the summer of 1868, tw
men were out buying horses for tn
army, and stopped all night at Mr.
!. Decker's, and in the morning bough
the Maid " of him for $3.50, and startet
for home, leading the mare behind them
, On their way they met a Mr.. Tomp
kins, who knew the little mare, an
bought her of them for $500. The tw
men also knew her, and were aware tina
| the mare had great speed, and believe
T that she could be made a trotter, bu
we're willing to make a hundred dollar
by their mornings bargain. The mex
day Tompkins sold her to Alden Gold
smith, an excellent iudgeof horse-hesf
of Bloomington Grove, Orange county
n. Y, for 5000. From him she took th
, name OF Goldsmith Maid. He kept he
in pretty steady training under a drive
named William BOdlne, to whom, NOR
than any other living man, should b
awarded the credit of first bringing tn
, mare out. The renowned Budd Dobie
who now drives her SO handsomely, ha
/ not then either seen or heard of her.
While in training for the trottin
course she was so fretful and irritable
so determined to run at every oppC rtU
( nifty. instead of trotting, so hard t
bring to trot after breaking from tha
gait, that Mr.. Goldsmith many time
| determined &c give up the training an
sell her at any price, but his patieI
| driver maintained his abiding faith
| her, and assured his employer that sh
/ | was the fastest animal on his premises
/ and would come out at last a great tro
/ ter, and finally persuaded him to kee
( her, which he did until this driver S
{ brought out her points that Mr.. GolC
smith, in November, 1865, sold her t
) 3. Jackman and Budd Dobble for $40
i 900.
These gentlemen sold her to Mr.. F
{ y. Smith for the sum of S37, 900! Nj
ii Doble still drives her.
She made her first appearance in pull
e lie in August, 1866. When she trotte
f in 2:17 in Milwaukee, Sept. g.. 1877
: there was great excitement everywheI
e among horsemen. The majority doub
( ed the length of the track and the tint
e But the track was measured afterwar
e by competent engineers, who testife
Y under oath to it's being full mile /
/ length, when measured three feet frol
s the inside rail and the accuracy of til
/ ime was established beyond disput,
s Ever since then vast crowds have a
e tended all her races. Since her la:
f great achievement at Mystic park i
+ 2:16i, this excitement is again revived