The record-union., 1897-08-11
How the Record Mas Beaten.

The events l am about 10 narrate, nor
yet was he one of the very fashionable
lineage. His color was a rich chestnut,
like the succulent fruit that bears that
name, and where the stronger rays of
light struck him they lit up and gave
to his coat that golden tint Of FURNISHED
bronze. Of white markings he had
none. His legs and feet were made as
II for an iron horse, the ligaments and
tendons as clean cut and firm as those
Of a thoroughbred. To a horseman's s
eye he was beautiful, for no muscle of
his body was lacking in symmetry or
size, and there was no weak spot to
catch the eye and destroy the effect of a
symmetrical whole. Deep through the
heart, sharp at the withers, and his
shoulders We're perfect round of bar
rel, well coupled up, hips well rounded
and full, with thighs and gaskins enor-
nous, warranting great propelling
power. His head was rather coarse, and
ears, though large, were well set and
sensitive. The most beautiful pair of
eyes that God ever put in horses head
made windows for his soul, (for horses
have souls), large, brown, kind, and
true, and lighting with the fire of the
devil when his temper was aroused. He
was a trotter, and when balanced, per-
fectly gated, but like many another.
when out Of balance, his efforts to do or
not to do what one would wish him to
do in the way of trOtting were most
annoying. His dam was a mare of
rather common parentage, which my
father had purchased for me to use as
"a q IA hnd oil
lucky saddle gaits and a fine way of
going on the trot; and with boyish en-
thusiasm, and the help and advice of
Pat, our coachman. and some horsey
friends, I proceeded with toe weights
and such to try and make a trotter of
her. How successful my efforts proved
to be is evinced by the fact that 1
eventually won a race with her at our
county fair. getting a record of 2:291h
which at the time created quite a stir.
She was indeed a good old mare that
instead of being spoiled by my
ignorance, taught me a lot of the mys-
teries Of developing the trotter. His sire
was a very fashionably bred horse that
1 had picked up as a colt about the
time the old mare began to have
periodical spells of rheumatism, un-
fitting her for active labors. He grew
TO be horse Of ungovernable temper;
too much for my limited knowledge and
skill to conquer, until one day he ran
away with me, and my father caring
more for my neck than for my pride
made me give him away. The foal was
healthy little fellow, and I was very
proud Of him as my first born From
. of T lii
him, and though a very willful colt, we
got along together first rate. For five
years worked on that colt. and though
1 saw enough in him to make me think
that he had a future of greatness be-
fore him, I could never find anybody to
think the same way. The first year I
started to train him as a two-year-
old he threw out a curb, the next he
had an attack of catarrhal fever the
next, while being led to grass, he in
playing, got straddle of a low fence and
hurt one leg, and finally, as a five-year-
old when I thought him all right he hit
one knee, and for some time I had the
unpleasant experience of learning how
and how not to treat an enlarged knee.
During all this time of training he had
been a colt that hit his knees so badly as
TO make everybody say he was worth
less, and the amount of advice I re-
ceived from experts, the different things
/ tried on him, and the different WAYS
OF shOeing, makes me weary to think
over. At last I learned how to rig
him, and hang him up right, and
while doing this I had been starting
him each week at the matinees held by
the Gentlemen's Driving Club. with
varying success. Starting in the slow
class he had won and lost until finally
he had trotted himself into the free-for-
all.
To leave the horse here for g. time.
1 must attempt to describe a lady fair
who had something to do with subse-
qnuent events. My powers of descrip-
ton will come far from doing the sub
ject justice. She was a woman rather
above the medium height, with a fault
less figure and all the grace that
should go with such perfection Her
hair was dark, almost black. curling
and waving about her brow, ears. and
neck in a manner to distract one; long
black curling lashes shaded a pair OF
large hazel eyes in which the spirit OF
mischief lurked, but which would dark
en- and flash fire from temper, or soften
and melt with sympathy or love. He1
nose was a little retrousse, clear cut
and fine,a mouth Cupid could but envy
and pearls for teeth; a rounded an6
dimpled chin, and cheeks whose color
would shame the fairest rose. But bet
ter than all, this most beautiful wo-
man had a soul and mind in keeping
with its perfect earthly habitation
Bright, vivacious and witty, kind. true
and tender-no wonder I was head over
heels in love with her, and there were
many others in the same plight She
loved a horse and was a rare goo6
horsewoman had asked her to make
me a happy married man, and she ha6
laughingly replied: Yes, when yoJ
beat the worlds record" for she. like
everybody else. was inclined to laugh
at my earnest efforts to make something
out Of horses in general, and the hors,
I have described in particular. I callet
him "Ginhig." and while I thoroughly
believed that in time he would be botf
reliable and fast, the idea of winning {
desired wife by beating the record witt
him was Of course not even a forlorr
hope. The evening before the day o
the matinee in which I was to start il
the free-t -to-aIl I had asked Felsie, my
sweetheart. to go out with me the mex
afternoon. and before bidding her good
night had asked her again for he
much-coveted hand, only to be met witt
the same exasperating and poking r.
sponse. when you beat the record.
1t is unnecessary, perhaps. to say tina
I went home in rather bad humor, reall!
troubled and after rolling and tumblins