Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-06-21
INCIDENT OF THE TURF.
HOW Dan Mace Drove Lady Thorne a
Mile in a.OS.

HOW Dan Mace Drove Lady rhorne a
Mile in e:Os.
An intimate friend of Dan Mace.
writes a correspondent to the New
York Tunes. has been rcgaling me with
entertaining "reminiscences of the fam
Ous driver. One of his stories may
| mildly be called little astonishing. |
| plainly manifested my skcpticiSm when
| heard it, but the carncstnrss with
| which it was reiterated and the iudis-
putaOle fact that other veteran horse
| men among themselves have seriously
| rccitcd and discussed 1t warrant me in
| making it public property now after
| the lapse of years in which it has been
| treasured in confidence by Macc's in-
| Inmates. 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
chief boast of his life, there were some
phases III it which, for apparent rca-
sons, he took no personal pride. Cen
| cral publication OF the story even now
will doubtless provoke many warm
| discussions in trotting circles. Billy
Hunter, Il conspicuous horseman now
living at Hartford. and quondom
| crony of Mace, vouches for the truth of
the chronicle, claiming personal knowl-
edge OF it, while other men well known
ON the track rcCite the saline narrative
as they say they heard it from Mace's
own lips. Years ago." began my
authority, when forty pound sulkics
and shin and pastern boots Were un-
known, Lady Thornc headed the list
OF trotters. Oh, she was 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 tritle mean when she was stale,
tie mare sometimes got Dan out of
patience, and sometimes, as all the
stable-b boys will remember, he wen 1T
he: in pretty lively way. One hot
Friday morning in July when Mace
went out TO her stall the animal was
unusually ugly. She had done fast
work on the preceding Tuesday against
time, and had been in high feather ever
since, now almost iercely she turned
upon Old Blue Jacket and fastened
her teeth upon his shoulder. Dan was
hurt, and Dan was mad. He ordered
hi, men to put a strong bride on the
beast and take her into a covered en-
closure. With the long bride rein
over a high stringer he had the men
haul the mares head high into the air,
and then taking a new driving whip
Dan laid it on with might and main,
shouting and yelling at the mare con-
tnually; 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 heart broken,
Lady Ihorne did on that July day.
But Dams ire was not appeased.
Hook her up, he said to Billy Hunt
er. 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 the
repeat for all she Is worth. You take
that time. Now, my old girl, I'll fix
You. he said stcrnly,. as he caught the
rcins behind the atirlghtcd horse. He
seemed to hold her back with difficulty
on the first mile. She feared that cruel
whip. Gradually letting her out she
second mile like flash, and away she
went. The watch snapped as it began
timing a mile, which Dan Mace aycrrcd
to his dying-day was the fastest ever
spun by trOtting-horse in al the
world How he yelled! How he laid
on the lash, He acted like a maniac.
Under every blow Lady Thorne sped
along faster ant faster, while gaping,
awe-stricken lOstlers looked on in
speechlcss amaHcment, for such trot-
ting as this not one had ever dared to
even dream Of. Down the back-stretch
tore the maddcncd animal, too frighteu-
ed to break, trotting sguarely without
a skip. Around the lower turn and
down the stretch sailed the mare, white
with foam, speckled with blood. With
IL hundred feet Of the wire Mace let
out screech more hideous even than
any that had preceded it; Lady Thorne
flew through the air faster still, and,
like lightning shot under the wire.
Hunter looked at the stOp-watCh, grew
pale, and shut the case with q yehe-
ment snap.
What was it?' breathIcssIy de-
mandcd the half-dazed onlookers.
. Never mind; wait TIL they come
in
Almost wholly white, trembling
and stumbling, back logged the mare
Dams face was ghastly, and the veins
on his forehead STOOD out like whip
cords.
Take good care of her, boys; I've
been deyilish rough with the beast
he muttered as they led the horse
| away.
Hunter, said Dan, you and ! will
never live to see that mile trotted
again. Let me look at the watch
When Hunter obeyed Mace stared al
most yacantly at the dial, and then of
a sudden, half in soliIoquy, he said
simply, 4 knew it.
That watch marked 2:O8," said INV
enthusiastic friend, "and 2:OS it was.h
Many horsemen know this; many be-
lieve it; some don't; but to my mind it
Is really true. am willing to take the
word Of Billy Hunter and the word of
Dan Mace that Lady Thorne on that
day trotted the fastest mile this world
ever saw.
The Cheap and the Dear Seller. ;