Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-11-15
THE DAM OF BLACK CLOUD, 2I7A
MR.. WALLACE IN ANEW ROLE.


In very gushing article from the pen
of one of the few remaining Wallaceola
tiers, in Il recent issue of an exchange,
occurs this felictous sentiment: "To
Mr.. Wallace's untiring energy and
integrity the trotting-horse men of the
country are indebted as to no other one
man, and his Register and Monthly Occupy
the same reldtice position to horse Herd
tire that tie Bite does to religions rOrkS."
Mr.. Wallace, with characteristic modes
ty, copies the article containing this
peerless hog-wash into the last issue of
the Monthly. In other words, he blush
ingly accepts the situation, aud WILL in
his feeble way, personate the Deity
from this out.
Having accepted this exalted position,
we hope the incumbent will shirk none
of its responsibilities. Ordinary NOR
tails will expect matters hitherto doubt
full to show up very clearly sin tie
fierce light that beats upon the throne"
And, as Il starter, we will ask him to lay
aside his halo long enough to explain to
us some shadowy points in his registered
pedigree of the dam of the famous trot-
ting stallion, Black Cloud, 2:17t. In
the pedigree as originally published in
the fourth volume of Wallaces Register
it stands ''dam, Old Lady, PAGER, by
Capt Walker, PAGER; g. d. by Parish's
Pilot, PAGER, by old Brown Pilot, son of
Copperbottom." Black Cloud was foal-
ed in 1872, and this fourth volume was
published in 1882. Next. in leading
article entitled "The Grand Rounds,
by Mark Field, published in Wallace's
Monthly for September, 1854, is this
passage concerning Black Cloud: This
strongly-built, game and speedy trotter
was sired by Ashland Chief, 81; dam,
the Cluke mare by New York Beauty.
In the pedigree, as it was first published,
Black Clouds dam was given as Old
Lady by Capt. Walker, PAGER, bm some
investigations byhe late OTTO HOlsteiR, 4
short lime before his death, established the
fact that his breeding is rs hare stated il
dbOre." CAN italics are ours. Again,
in answer to a query of NJ. V. Wagner
Sis his pedigree all right?" Mr. Wal
lace says in the June (lSS5) number of
the Monthly "Back Clouds pedigree
as registered in the sixth volume of the
Register is correct, but as it appears in
Mr.. Wagner's catalogue for 1885, it is
wrong in every particular except in re-
gard to the sire. Black Cloud is not a
son of Old Lady by Capt. Walker, but
is from the Cluke mare by New York
Beauty" Mr.. Wagner had been so
rash as to copy the pedigree as it stood
in the Standard Department of the
Official Register; and the sixth volume,
where the infallible was to be corrected,
had not then appeared. But when it
did appear, Mr.. Wagner and others were
doubtless amazed to find that Black
Cloud was not in it at all. 1t was not
till the seventh volume appeared in ISIS
that the author of the New Revelation
ventured to utter another inspired pedi-
gree for the dam of Black Cloud; and
the third effort was entirely new and
was in this wise: "dam, Cluke mare by
Pilot Walker, son of Capt. Walker
PAGER" And so poor New York Beauty
who had the misfortune to be a Morgan
horse, having been called in without
comment was thrust out without cere-
mony, and the favorite pacing strain
newly evolved doubtless by inspira
ton, was reinstated.
To us, much bordering on the appar
emily devious ways of the straight-for
ward, not to say god-like, Mr.. Wallace
came great light in the shape of the fol
lowing very convincing letter from Mr.
NJ. ID. Featheringill of Pine Grove, Ken
lucky, under date of May Z, 1889:
81 think in the year 1861, j. ID. Mar
ders had New York Beauty, at the same
time he and had Pilot Walker. Mar
ders was making season with Beauty
we were driving Pilot Walker for speed
we had no license to breed him, but did
breed him to two or three mares era
tbs. bred one to him. Isaac Smith o
Lexington says this mare of r.. S
Cluke's was bred to him in his presence
says / was present also. He tried t.
make me remember it by stating tn,
conversation that took place concerning
the breeding, but failed to do so. was
called on frequently to say what sh'
was by, but conld not do so. One on