Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-06-13
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An intimate friend Of Dan Mace has
Deen reesiing me with entertaining
Of the famous driver
One of his stories may mildly De can.
"a astonishing. Iplsinly maaifested
nv skeu,icisn when / heard II, on
he ssrnesaness with which II was re
itersied and the Indispensable fact tnat
other veteran hoFsemea among tnen-
selves have seriously reeited ana as
cussed il. warrant me in making u
public property now after the lapse OF
Years iB which il has been treasured
10 confidence by Mace's intimaies-
Mace told the tale TO friends in whom
he trusted. but seeFesy was always i'm.
Dosed upon his hearers, for. though u
was perhaps the text OF the cher
boast of his life. there were some
phases of it in which. for apparent
reasons, be took no personal pride
General publication of the story even
now will doubtless provoke many
warm discussions in trotting circles.
BILLY Hunter, . conspicuous horse
man. now living at Hartford, and 3
auondam crony OF Mace, youches for
the truth of the chronicle, claiming
personal knowledge OF il, while other
men well known on the track recite
the same narrative, as they say they
heard il from Mace's own lips.
" Years ago." began my authority.
when forty pound sulkies and shin
and pastern boots were unknown,
Lady Thorne headed the list OF trot.
tiers. On, she was q good one In her
day, but she needed careful nursing
and regular straight handling. Dan
was the only man who could ever get
the last loop out of her. Tricky and
| a trifle mean when she was stale, the
mare sometimes got Dan out OF pa
thence; and sometimes. as all the sta'
BILE boys remember. he went al her in
a pretty lively way. One hot Friday
morning in July, when Mace went to
her stall, she was unusually ugly.
| She had done fast work on the proceed
ing Tuesday against time, and had
been in high feather ever since; now
almost fiercely she turned upon Old
Blue Jacket and fastened her teeth
upop his shoulder. ban was hur'
aud Dan was mad. He ordered his
| men to put a strong bride on the
beast aud take her into a covered in
closure. With long bride rein oveI
a high ssringer, he had the men haul
the mares head high into the air, and
then taking q new driving whip, Dan
laid il on with might and main. shout
ing and yelling at the mare continual
lily. Break away she could not, and
| before the old man got through with
her she was covered with foam and
trembling like an aspen leaf; wild,
frightened look was in her eye. and II
ever q horse appeared heart broken,
Lady Thorne did on that July day.
But Dams ire was not appeased.
Hook her up he said TO BILLY
Hunter, who was with him as bis head
groom; hook her up and take this
watch and catch my second mile. III
loosen her up bit on the first mile
and then Pm going to ae1d her on the
repeat for all sheis worth. You take
that time. Now, my old girl, I'll fiS
YOU he said sternly, AS he caught the
reins behind the affrighted horse. He
seemed to hold her back with difficsl
ty ON the first mile. She feared thai
cruel whip. Gradually letting hel
out, she came down TO the starting
post for tue seeoad mile like q fash
and away she went The watch snap
ped as 1t began timing q mile. which
Dan Mace averred to his dying day
was the fastest ever spun by trotting
horse in all the world. How he yell
edl How hs laid on the lashl liz
acted like a maniac. Under every
blow Lady Thorne sped along fast.
and faster, while gaping, awe stricken
hostlers looked On In speeches:
amazement. for such trotting as thi,
not one had ever dared dream of
Down the back stretch tore the mad
dened animal, too frightened To break
trotling squarely without q skip
Around the lower turn and down tEe
stretch sailed the mare white Will
foam. speckled with blood. Within
a hundred feet of the wire. Mace lei
out q screech more hideous even thar
any that had preceded it. Lady
Thorne flew through the air faster
still, and like lightning shot under thu
wire. Hunter looked at the stop
watch, grew pale and shut the cas-,
with vehement snap.
"'What was itf' breathlessly de
handed the half-dazed onlookers.
Never mind; wait till they come
lin
Almost wholly white, trembling
and Stumbling. back logged the mare
Dams face was ghastly and the vein:
on his forehead stood out like whip
| cords.
:: Take good care OF her. boys; I've
been devilish rough with the beast,
he muttered, as they led the horse
away.
Hunter said Dan, you aud
will never live 10 see that mile trotied
again. Let me look at the watch.
When Hunter obeyed, Mace stared al
most vacantly at the dial, and then o.
Q sudden. half Ia soliloqny, he said
simply, I knew IT, >"
That watch marked 2 ;0S. = said MI
enthusiastic friend, land 2 90 10 was.
Many horsemen know this; many
believe II; some don't; but TO my mind
| IL is really true. AN wilIisg 10 take
the word Of Billy Hunter aud ths
word of Dan Mace that Lady Thorne
en- that day tr0ticd the fastest mile
I this world ever Jaw