The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-16
GRANT AND HORSES.
The General Loved a Road Race-How He
Was Beaten by an Old Darkey and His
Wife-An Aroused by st. Julien's Great
Performance.
George P. Floyd in American Horse
Breeder)

George +. Floyd in American Horse
Breeder.)
Gen. Grant liked to talk horse, and
seemed more interested when talking
with a horseman than discussing military
affairs. met him Tor the first time on
the road from Long Branch to Eaton
town, June, 1869. was on the road from
the Branch and was driving the old
stager, Sorrel Dan (2.2S), hitched to a
light wagon. While jogging along a team
of chestnuts, hitched to a light road
wagon and driven by sedate looking
man, came up behind and tackled me for
brush. I followed the usual custom of
the period and set sail for road race 1t
was nip and tuck for nearly mile, and
at times we were going good 225 clip.
l lifted old Dan, and we gave them the
best there was in the shop, but the team
led me by about length at the outcome.
When we slowed down and were walking
our horses along, L looked at the team
with a great deal of interest.
That's rafting good team you have
there, +" said 1 to the driver. "They look
like the Golddust breed of horses"
THAT'S just what they are, and 1 think
they go very nicely" said he. "They
belong to Lew Pettee of New York, and
he loaned them to me for a drive. That's
no slow-go you are driving; he looks like
an old timer
eyes, he has been on the carpet for
some time, and has always earned his
oats. You handle double team to per-
fiction. You must have had great deal
of experience" I rejoined.
Yes, have driven quite good deal
when not engaged in the army, - was the
reply !. IT., .,,,, ..-,,.. 49, ,,4.,o ao,,,o.+,o
difficulty we have been having? | sup
pose you were on the right side OF the
house?''
Eyes, was on the winning side. My
name is Grantp'
"What! Not our presidentr' I ex-
claimed.
YES" said he and laughed.
ssWell, general thought, "I'll put
this down in my book As we still con-
tinued to walk our horses and talk horse
found the general posted on the pedi-
grees and records of all our noted horses.
He was great lover of Dexter who then
held the trotting record of 2.17 IA. We
finally came to a little church where
crowd had congregated, and the general
said they were going to have little fes-
tival and he was going to help them out.
At that time l was connected with the
West End hotel stables at Long Branch,
and after our little episode on the road
the general came around to the stables
frequently. I was surprised to find him
so well posted on the trotting horse. He
had everything down pat, from old M es-
senger to all progeny of his sons and great
He was wrapped up in old
thought he struck the right keynote
when he spoke of the successful cross
with the blood of those two horses. He
also liked to expatiate on the good quail
ties of the old timers. Lady Suffolk and
Flora Temple, and when / informed him
that | witnessed the races when Lady
Suffolk made her saddle record of 2.26 at
Mass, in 1849 and Flora
Temples performance at Kalam azoo, Oc-
tober, 1885, when she stopped the watch
at 2.19 3-4, the general listened as atten
lively to the description and incidents
Herewith as a schoolboy would
to fairy tale.
While president, Gen. Grant was in the
habit of taking quiet drives around the
environs of Washington. He had one or
two horses that had lots of speed, and, as
a general thing, he was able to give the
best of the road brigade his dust. Moth
ing seemed to please him more than to
tackle some of his trends ON the road and
give them the goby.
One evening while out with his fayorite
trotter he came upon an old rattle trap OF
a wagon, to which was hitched COM
mon looking horse whose harness was
made up of leather and rope. The wagon
contained an old man and woman, with
faces as black as the ace of spades, and
they were seated in two old armchairs
which were tied to the wagon to keep
them from falling out. A chicken coop.
lot of chickens, was in the
hind end of the wagon. The, president
pulled out to go by the outfit, when to
his horse, and disputed the right to give
up the road. The president soont found
he hadssstruck mares nest and gather-
ing his horse for sure enough road race
set sail for the chicken coop in good earn
est. Although the general was driving
horse that could speed $50 clip, he was
unable to head the old Niger and his
looking outfit, and they had
it hot and heavy for nearly mile. Dur
ing the spin the old woman had pulled
off her sunbonnet, and was going it
her eyes rolling like two
peeled onions, and she was grinning like
3 Chessy cat.
AS Gen. Grants motto was Never say
die" he stuck to the colored individual
to the end of the road, but he couldn't
head him off, and to make the race more
binding, a rooster in the chicken coop
sent up his shrill cry of victory. AS the
general walked his horse along after the
spin, his lowering brow evinced his dis
gust at the animals spirit, and showed
that he was nettled at what had occurred.
For while he remained silent, and the
old darby rode behind, as grave as if 60
ing to funeral. After the general had
cooled off a little, he addressed the old
man, saying:
where did you get that horse?''
Him belongs to a man ober de ribber,
boss an he am a honey bee, sho."
Where did the man get the horse?"
Him glib two muells and two dollars
and half for him bout tree weeks go,
sab. -
'What does the man do'?' asked the
general.
Him trades bosses and muells and
chickens week days, and breaches de Lord
Sundays, boss
what is his name?"
"Zeb Crook Shanks. an he Ibis down
de ribber bout five miles, sah"
The general made memorandum of
the name and turned around and headed
for the White House, soliloquizing on the