The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-08-20
The Fastest Mile.

An intimate friend of Dan Mace has
been RECALLING me with entertaining
"reminiscences of the famous driver.
One of his stories may mildly be called
little astonishing. Mace told the tale
to friends in whom he trusted, but
secrecy was always imposed upon his
hearers; for, though it was perhaps the
text of the chef boast of his life, there
were some phrases of it in which, for
apparent reasons, he took no personal
pride.
years ago." began my authority,
"when forty pound sulkies and shin and
pastern boots were unknown, Lady
Thorne headed the list of trotters. Dan
was the only man who could ever get
the last loop out of her. Tricky and a
trife mean when she was stale, the
mare sometimes got Dan out of patience.
One hot Friday morning in July,
when Mace went to her stall, the ami
NAL was unusually ugly. Almost fierce
ly she turned upon old Blue Jacket
and fastened her teeth upon his should
er. Dan was hurt and Dan was mad.
He ordered his men to put strong
bride on the beast and take her into
covered inclosure. With the long
bride rein over high stringer he had
the men haul the mares head high in
to the air, and then taking q new driv-
ing whip Dan laid it on with might and
main, shouting and yelling at the mare
continually. 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. A wild,
frightened look was in her eye, and if
ever horse appeared heartbroken Lady
Thorne did on that July day.
But Dams ire was not appeased.
Hook her up he said to Billy Hun
ter, who was with him then as his head
groom; hook her up and take this
watch and catch my second mile. I'll
loosen her up bit on the first mile,
and then I'm going to send her on to
repeat for all she is worth. You take
that time Now, my old girl, I'll fix
YOU he said sternly, rs he caught the
reins behind the affrighted horse. He
seemed to hold her back with difficulty
on the first mile. She feared that cruel
whip. Gradually letting her ont she
came down to the starting post for the
second mile like flash, and away she
went.
"The watch snapped as 1t began tim
ing a mile, which Dan Mace averred to
his dying day was the fastest ever spun
by trotting horse in all the world.
How he yelled How he laid on the lash
He acted like a maniac. Under every
blow Lady Thorne sped along faster
and faster, while gaping, awe-stricken
hostlers looked on in speechless amaze
ment, for such trotting as this not one
had ever dared to dream of. Down the
back stretch tore the nfaddened animal,
too frightened to break trotting squarely
without skip. Around the lower turn
and down the stretch sailed the mare,
white with foam, speckled with blood.
Within 100 feet Of the wire Mace let
out screap more hideous even than
any that had preceded 1t. Lady Thorne
flew through the air fastar still, and like
lightning shot under the wire. Hunter
looked at tho stop. watch. grew pale
and shut the case with vehement snap.
"That watch marked 2.OS,r aaid my
enthusiastic friend, "and 2.OS it was."
| am willing to take the word of Billy
Hunter and the word of Dan Mace that
Lady Thorne. on that day trottcd the
fastest mile this world ever SAW.
Y. Times.