The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-30
GOLDSMITH MAID.

THE WONDERFUL MARE-HER YOUTHFUL CA
PERs-How SHE ROSE To FAME AND VALUE.
The Evansville Journal, by way of adver-
Using the town and its coming race on July
., gives a capital aud lively sketch OF the
noted mare 1t is full ofinterest and claims
to be an authentic history: It seems that
the "Maid" was hayward child. From
the date of her birth, on the farm of John B.
Decker, in Vantage township, Sussex
county, n. Y, in the spring of 1857 to ,he
age of six years she distinguished 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, saws he never
got any work out of her but twice-one- halt
drawing stones. Once she was hitched to a
harrow, but after a short distance she reared
backwards 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 boys do, were anx-
est horse, and at an early day
they found that it was the maid" And so
after the sold 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 read after night. She beat every
thing that could be brought to run with her,
so that finally none but the uninformed
from a distance could be found to bet
against her. These races were made up
at the country stores and loungiDg places
in the evening after farm work was
over, and the race was run the same
night, after the ''old man" had gone to bed.
No training, no grooms, no jockeys, no
weight for age-just man or boy in his
bare feet mounted bare-backe6, with his toes
hugging thcmare's 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 singu-
lar freaks OF the
CRAzY-HEADED LITTLE MARE,
during her farm life was habit she had OF
taking a monthly trip through the country.
About once month, no matter how high
the enclosure, she would break from her
pasture and go sailing over the neighboriDg
farms, leaping and flying over fences, ditch
es, stone walls and streams, through fields
of growing crops meadows, woods. and
pastures, up steep hills and down. until
making a circuit generally of about six
from which she started, behaving herself af-
forwards in a steady manner, until
the next run. The time that sc
would be out during these trips
was generally about forty minutes. A few
stops by the way to have little gossip with
her neighbor, probably accounted for the
time being as long as six minutes. This
story might be hard TO believe if il were not
vouched for by those living in the neighbour
hood, 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 MIR.
Decker's, and in the morning bought the
sMaid" of him for $500 and started for home,
leading the mare behind them. On their way
they met Mr., Tomkins, who knew the lit
tie mare, and bought her of them for $3.50.
/ The two men also knew her and we're aware
that the mare had giea speed, and believed
that she could be made a trotter, but were
willing to make bundled dollars by their
mornings bargain. The next day Tomkins
sold her. to Alden Goldsmith, an excellent
Judge of horsedesh, of Blooming Grove,
Orange county N. Y, for 5000. From him she
took the name Of Goldsmith Maid. He kept
her in pretty steady training under driver
named William Bodine, to whom, more
than any other living man, should be