Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-12-25
HORSE NOTES.
News of General aud Local Interest to
Horsemen.

Horsemen.
Our readers are requested to send to "Grif-
nn," p o. Box G3i, Middebury, any news OF
deaths, sales, foaling, performances, etc, of
horses that are OF enough consequence to be
noted in this department, which will be main
tanned with n view to making it of interest
both local and widespread.
The second volume of "Tales of the
Turf" sublettered "Wet Sundays" has
been published by w. H. Gocher,
Secretary of the National Trotting AS
ISOLATION, Hartford, Conn.,, and l
acknowledge the receipt of a compli-
mentary copy. The first volume was
largely composed of "reminiscences of
that whole souled horseman, William B.
Fasig, and history of races at the Cleve-
land track in which city Mr.. Gocher
edited a horse paper for several years;
but this second volume goes farther
afield. The subtitle of the book is ex-
planned by the author in preface, in
which he says that his favorite pastme
is driving, and that since he began resi-
dence in Hartford, in 1896, he has driven
one mare Bessie Wilkes, over $4,000 miles
on the road, although using several
others. Sundays were his days of great
est leisure, naturally, but almanac
students are asked to recall that, in 1902,
these weekly holidays in the Connecticut
region were generally very damp, hence
my reminiscent friend Gocher could not
go riding, and let his facie pen loose
instead. The result is very entertain
ing book, especially to horsemen whose
memories run back a quarter of "A
century. Pictures and poetry-much of
the latter original-diversify the contents
pleasantly. Tales are told without any
effort at consecutive arrangement, but
are evidently recollections of actual
happenings. For instance, in the first
chapter, relating long days sport, he
says: "On this day in particular there
were very little victuals to be had. Be
ing forced to skip lunch on account of
the hour at which the first race was
called, the only refreshment which
came my way was chicken sandwich
and a meat pie, and by that | know it
was Thursday, the big day as for twenty
three years Miss Walton had ON each
| Thursday of race week sent the Cleve-
/ land judges basket of meat pies. If
you We're in favor with the Colonel
Edwards) you were given one--two, did
you say-no never; that was not on
record except the year that Jim Oglesby
brought a great unknown from the far
west as a driver. He slipped into the
stand while the judges were discussing
the advisability of postponing on ac-
count of a slippery track and, before he
was noticed, filled a Missouri vacuum,
commonly called a stomach. with a
bunch of the revered meat pies from the
slate-cOlored mansion at the lower end
of "Gordon Park" The idea of gaunt
Missourian eating "a bunch" of meat
pies is comical, and reminds me of a
very corpulent German, who was invited
to a New England society dinner at the
Phelps House, Buffalo, about fifty years
ago. 1t was his first appearance at such
an entertainment, and he had not learned
the use of walters. On the table in front
of him reposed on a platter a lovely little
roasted pig, with a corn cob in its
mouth. The adipose Teuton stabbed the
shoat in the back with his fork, and pro-
ceeded to eat it up. By the time he had
demolished it he had noticed that when
guests wanted anything they asked a
waiter; so he turned to one of the swal-
low tailed fraternity within hearing, and
remarked. Waiter bring me some more
of dem little hogs" Throughout Mr..
Gocher's book is more than readable, it
is entertaining and, although the theme
changes frequently, the horse is always
at the foundation