The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-10-11
THE BLUE Gl.A So REGION.
Ono OF tho Great Stock Farms There
and Some Of its Appointments.

Ono OF the Great Stock Farms There
and Some of its appointments.
Gen. William T. Wither's "Fairlawn"
is just ut the edge of Lexington. 1t isa
comfortable modern stone house. In the
midst Of fine shade trees of the natural
woods Of Kentucky. It is approached
BY an avenue through 4 patent self-act:
ing gate: Around it are scattered numer-
GUS barns, stables and other out build
ings, The lanc is divided into various
padlocks and pastures, in which the
reddish spots Of feeding.colts are
scattered about by stretcbe of excel
lent white fence: A fence here, accord.
Ing to saying of the section must be
This place has but 240 acres, but the
brood mares are kept on another farm
Of 5OO acres elsewhere. At one side of
the grounds is com modious training
track, laid out like one of those mythi-
cal fairy circles on which the spinning
of rapid feet weaves spells of enchant-
ment and prosperity. 1t is visi-
BILE from the library window, and the
general may stand there, even with the
curtains closed, and see the perform
ances of his horses, and act as a check
on any negligent practices of hisgrooms.
The host seats Us in his comfortable IL
brary, and explains to US his theories
and shows US his books Of record. Ev-
cry birth, every pedigree, is accurately
entered. 1t is q business as thus con-
Quoted, which calls for a high order Of
intelligence. Horse breeding as at ono
time conducted was but an innocent
form of gambling. The processes are
haphazard and the result of ignorance.
Again, much money was lost through the
choice of inferior stock. OF late the theo-
ry prevails that the very best is not too
expensive; great deal of valuable GER
ta;nty has been deduced from the collec.
tive wisdom of the past, and as q rule.
money is made instead of lost. The
library cases are lined with books on
the horse; the walls, with those of the
house generally, and indeed of the blue
grass region throughout, are hung with
his pictures. Over the door is the his
toric Rysdyks Hambletonian, Roman
nosed, hollow backed and far from a
model of good looks, upon field of
plain grass and sky.
kind of horse cathedral. This is by no
means common. Many a fine animal.
almost as much the pride and
pet of its owners fam
lily as If they were of Arab stock is led
out but from shabby quarters. The sta
bles of the region are clean and whole
some, but do not incline to fantastic el-
lgences of adornment such as are grow
ing in favor among ourselves in the
northern cities. Here the night strikes
down upon US through colored glass
windows; the whole interior is faced up
with hard woods; and the floor of the
principal aisle or nave, st1ewn with
soft straw for exhibiting the PAGES of
the animals upon, could not be heater if
it were that of drawing room. The
main dimensions is l55 feet, and this is
crossed by transept Of 100. The stalls
are toward sixteen feet square. They
have outer as well as inner doors for
never kept locked. Little or no fancy
iron work in the way of stable fittings is
used, wooden racks and managers being
preferred. Wide open spaces over the
partitions and transom ventilators carry
of all odors. The clean hay is piled in
mOws above, and the corn and oats slide
down BY traps into convenient
bins. Then there is place
for sulkies and road wagons
harness room and harness mend
ing room, and great collection of the
mysterious looking boots and weights
used in breaking in the trotter. Near
by a little court yard is reserved rs a
hospital, and in il stands few animals
awaiting dolefully the end of their woes.
II am no great believer in veterinary
DOCTORS" says our host. They Kill
more than they cure. blanket my pa
tients, protect them from sudden ex-
tremes ofthe weather and give out little
medicine. That is my system" Visitors
sitcomfortably in chairs in the cathedral
like stable. and the horses are brought
out before them.-W. II. Bishop in
Harper's for October.