Year: 1872


the sun shone brightly, and the thousands that had
made up their minds to attend the great trOt at
Fleetwood Park were filed with joy. None Of the
betting fraternity had even the shadow OF doubt
that Goldsmith Maid would win, and that Lucy, her
twin sister in the matter OF FACING would be second
giving but little consideration to American Girl and
Henry. SO well thought of was the Maid that
she was ignored In the pools, and Lucy for
second place went up good deal higher than the
thermometer. A few old turfmen, however, re-
membered what the Girl had accomplished, and In
their way sailed about the stables and hotels up
town, quietly taking the odds.


BY ten O'Clock the crowd began to leave the city
and make their way to westchester county.
Fifth avenue as well as streets OF less preten-
sion, were wide awake, and private stables alike
to public places OF this kind were full Of
business Ordinary-lookin vehicles, with richly
tinted equipages were driven to and through Gen.
tral Park, where, in the shadow OF its luxuriant
foliage, the inmates became gOod-humored, and
laughed in anticipation OF the great days sport.
The drive was an intensely animated spectacle.
The few disj0inted sentences heard above the clat
ter of wheels were about the race. "The Maid will
take them into camp again; but who'll be secOndY'
was on many tongues.


The first Of this grand cavalcade reached Fleet
wood shortly after high noon, and the choicest
places in stalls and stables were obtained for tired
horses while the beauty they had safely brought to
the track found comfortable positions on the Club
| House balcony and ON the Grand Stand. From this
time on, until long after the horses had been called,
the stream of carriages continued, until their num-
ber was legion.


BY steamboat nom Fulton Market slip and from
Peck slip hundreds also jOurneyed TO the course
The delicious breeze on the river was sought after
! by men and women alike, and the boats from these
|
turfmen and their companions. On the upper
decks, forward and aft, men prominent in every
circle of business in the metropolis calmly discussed
the merits OF the four fast animals. In the saloons
| aft ladies voubly compared notes upon the same
subject, while now and then their gentlemen
friends would drop in and advise them not to be so
enthusiastic "about the Maid and about the Girl"
Coaches with four horses took many from the Nor
risana dock, while others rode to Melrose in the
dusty cars.


Then again the Harlem trains from the Grand
Central depot were crowded with eager hundreds,
| and by two O'Clock the excursionists swayed In q
dense crowd about the entrance In the rear. The
rush for tickets Was terrific and the hoarse yells Of
the men that wanted to pass the gate 1rst were
earsplitting.


The Club House was early filled, and the Grand
Stand began to assume the appearance OF bou-
| quet an hour before the trOt. 1t overnowed, In
reality. The field was black with carriages and
| around the sheds on the first turn there was an
ocean of humanity. All this time the booksellers
were busy-Tom Johnson on the stand and big Bill,
his brother on the track Not bid could be had
for Goldsmith Maid; "she would win certan;' and
so the thousands were staked on Lucy, the Girl and
pretty Henry. They were very quiet workers all
around, however. Some believed that American
Girl was good animal, and would worry her oppo-
nents before the end Of the contests but in all their
philosophy they did not dream Of her being able to
win the title Of Queen OF the ne Tnrf SO they sneaHed
time Mr.. Lowell her owner, walked through the
crowd and he, too, must have had his faith shaken
| In the Girls abilities, as he at times ventured
on Henry. A prominent sport who keeps hotel
on the road was for the Girl through and through
House. pointing his finger at different men, saying,
'T'm Offering forty to sixty that American Girl
often as his mouth could utter the words. Ten and
twenty dollar grecnbacks were as thick as the
were tens Of thousands of dollars all over the track,
All this time the crowd was augmenting. The few
clouds in the sky had dried beyond the eyes OF the
to the level Of counting room floor by an immense
harrow. Van Cott, the superintendent, and the
hum from the stand and the lawn broke upon the
ear like the rumbing Of distant waves against q
but but on on the bluff beneath and on the tops Of
children , came % upon that track like an army Of
| locusts and peaceful Morrisana seemed to look
down, in its garb OF white, upon the vast army


At last the bell rang, and before the spectators
could express their qualification at the sound,
American Girl enveOped In n sheet walked
right rS mt to % be n harnessed. She was recognized
but one faint cheer-that from the lungs Of an in
tense admirer-and more than one friend OF that
let everybody know that he was fool. Then Lucy
appeared, and as she trotted around the course to
the left many eyes followed her to note how
|
then Goldsmith Maid, and the great mass OF hu
manity was all eagerness ana curiosity to see the
ing fbere sere she is that's her was heard on every
| side.


The moy ements Of all the horses were closely
watched The hour was big with the event, T4e
rsgt gstn Of ghe ana stand they and mighty
hrong gahersa about them; c n, All seemed s
there and Lowell gazed at tn the Girl long and
earnestly, and only said a single word to Benny
Mace, her driver, when he went for the work.


The scene all over the course was picturesque.
Elegantly dressed ladies chatted with their com;
panlons, and eager-eyed men iringed the stand and
P P saa tue ands ss' hs% SSSr Ss'SSSs 'fs 'ss se
were scores q boys and ySug men The
walk wal ed down to the distance stand with the red red
nag Itwas some time before the Judges cried "Go"
but then something like death-like stiffness
The speed of American girl evoked laundering ap-
plause At every point her rapid work received
| nlgH cHCODiunls, anu Wien tHty cHtcItu tic HOnic
street ch and it was apparent that speedy Lucy and
the invincibe Maid would be beaten mighty
shout arose that could have been heard to the Har
lem River.


''The big mare wins It,"


"They have got Goldsmith Maid at last"


"Shc's dead licked,r


and hundred like expressions were uttered as the
Girl landed winner or the heat. The thousands
were now beyond control, and as Lowell, her
owner ran down the track at hvelier gait than is
his wont he received hearty cheers When sober
rejection came to the veterans they argued that
the Maid had purposey dropped the heat to
give Lucy chance for second money, and then
they went to the pool box in double columns, where
the Maid was now being sold against the field at
long Odds They would not believe that she could
be beaten "Just little by.play," said they.