The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-05-09
AN OLD TIME rROTTINe STORY,
now DAN MACE DROVE LADY THoRNE A
MILE ~ 2.0S YEARS AGo.

An intimate friend of Dan Mace has
been RECALLING me with entertaining rem
iniscenccs of the famous driver One of
his stories may mildly be called Il little
astonishing. | plainly manifested my
skepticism when heard it, but the earn
estness with which it was reiterated and
the indisputable fact that other veteran
horscmcn among themselves have seri-
ously rccited and discussed it warrant
me in making it public property now
after the lapse Of years in which it has
been treasured in confidence by Macc's
intimatcs. Mace told the tale to friends
in whom he trusted, but secrecy was al
ways imposed upon his hearers, for
though it was perhaps the text of the
chief boast of his life, there were some
phases of it in which, for apparent rea-
sons, he took no personal pride. Gen
eral publication Of the story even now
will doubtless provoke many warm dis
cussions in trotting circles. BILLY" Hun
ter conspicuous horscman, now living
at Hartford and Il quOndam cruny Of
Mace, vouchcs for the truth of the chron-
icle, claiming personal knowledge of ii,
while other men well known ON the
track rectc the same narrative, us they
say they heard il from Mace's own lips.
years ago" began my authority, "whcn
foreground sulkics and shin and p;lstcrn
boots were unknown, Lady Thorne head
ed the list of trottcrs. Oh, she was Il
good one in her day, but she needed
careful nursing and regular straight hand
ling. Dan was the only man who could
ever get the last loop out of her. Tricky
and a tritle mean when she was stale,
the mare sometimes got Dan out of pa
thence, and sometimes, as all the stable
boys remember, he went at her in
pretty lively way. One hot Friday morn
ing in July when Mace went to her stall
the animal was unusually ugly. She had
done fast work on tine preceding Tuesday
against time, and had been in high
feather ever since; now almost iierccly
she turned upon Old Blue Jacket and
fastened her teeth upon his shoulder.
Dan was hurt and Dan was mad. lie
ordered his men to put a strong bride
on the beast and take her into covered
inclosurc. With the long bride rein
over a high stringcr he had the men haul
the mares head high into the air, and
then taking new driving whip Dan laid
it on with might and main, shouting and
yelling at the mate continually. Breal;
away she could not, and before the old
man got through with her she was COW
cred with foam and trembling like an
aspen leaf; wild, frightened look was
in her eye, and if ever horse appeared
heart-broken Lady Thorne did on that
July day. But Dams ire was not APP
peased. Hook her up he said to Billy
Hunter, who was with him then as his
head groom hook her up and take this
watch and catch my second mile. IN
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 gal, I'll fix you he said,
sternly, as he caught the rcins behind
the aiirightcd horse. He sccmcdto hold
her back with difficulty on the first mile.
She feared that cruel whip. Gradually
letting her out she came down TO the
starting post for the second mile like Il
snapped as it began timing mile, which
Dan Mace avcrred to his dying day was
the fastest ever spun by a trotting horse
u al 'Ii' woLiu' now ne yeI't"; ilow
maniac Trdnr or@r~ h,an r "J,,, Th ,,ms
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