The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-16
Rooert Bonner's Stables.

From the Brookiyn Eagle.
Hunters, racers and big horses for
coaches and other four IN hand work.
with the polo pony, have quite showed
the trotter ard the red, spider wheeled
buggy out ofshe high place it once held
in American affection, and both on the
race track and in the private stable the
light-legged 2eO speeder is besOming a
rarity. A few old New Workers still
cling 10 the loves Of their earlier years
and look upon the trotter as the b ghest
type ofequine perfection and worthy Of
all the luxufy and attention they used 50
generally to receive in the past. Robert
Bonner is one Of these; perhaps because
he owns the greatest trottsr in existence
whose record has never been broken and
probably never will be, since the breed
ing Of trotters has 50 much declined,
8ir. Bonner goes to church in DR.. Halls
fashionable Presbyterian temple on
Fifth avenue and Immediately behind it
ssanas his handsome stables. which, ike
the church, are built of brick and over
grown With vines He Is regular at
tendant on sundays upon Dr. Halls
ministrztions, and still more regular
attendant upon Maud 5. He paid W.
II. Vanderbilt $4,000 for her. and when
the latter repented of his bargain and
offered him $4,000 to get the Iighe-heel-
cd lady back be utterly refused 70 con-
slider the question Of parting from his
equine charmer, and has steady refused
every offer since.
They say at the stables that Maud is
provided for IN the rich publishers viii,
and whether he lives or dies, size will
pass all her days in luxury and ease.
/ Immediately after church on Sundays he
steps around to the stables to see how
she is and give her lump Of sugar,
while she rubs her velvet nose on his
I shoulders and makes little feminine
4 sounds Of pleasure. She is very fond Of
Bonner as her master and protector, but
her real love is Murphy, the jockey,
whose very step she knows. though she
only sees him once in q long while. She
never forgets him, no matter how much
+ time elapses between their meeting.
Bonner drives her quite frequently in
I the park and sometimes on the roads
about Tarrytown, where she spends the
summer on his farm She has Just come
home from 'he country and taken up her
I quarters in town again. for Bonner does
not linger late in the country in autumn,
and. wants her here when he comes.
Another famous horse in these Bonner
stables is Rarus, who has developed q
shocking temper and a pair Of tender
feet in his declining years, and IS really
of very little service, though Bonner
loves and cares for him for the wonder
ful horse he has been, for that matter
still is, barring these little discrepancies
Dexter died in these stables. and indeed
old hersemen are inclined to take of
their hats in passi,g the place from a
reEereutial feeling that this is a sort of
shrine Of American horseAesh, while
Bonner himself feels that respect for
himself only possible to the man who has
been the owner Of three Of the most
famous horses in the world Maud
wears blanket embroidered with this
legend: ~Maud S, Queen Of the Turf"
and above her hangs the only whip with
which she,was sver struck on the day
that she made her great un5Foken
record This whip Is the property Of
her adored Murphy. who keeps it as a
precious relic. Perhaps she loves him
because he is the only man who ever
struck her.