Year: 1872

gcoty and little stir at the knees--but never
viii forget my FIRST ride In Harlem lane, before the
Central Park was laid out, and when the Harlem
mats looked like wilderness In miniature. Trotting
was sport then, and the boys were fond OF seeing
good match for heavy purse; but now times
have changed, and can't recognize anything in
the lane that used to know and recognize in those
young days. when the smile on woman's lips was
more precious than q cofer OF precious jewels, and
then one didn't have the dyspepsia and didn't feel
too stun to get out OF road wagon and fasten the
lines If they slipped. see there Is the Old Powder
House on the hill, at the end Of the Park,
Just as 1t was twenty -hve years ago,
when Dan Webster was giving Jaw to
the Austrian Ambassador for that plucky
thing done by Ingraham In the harbor OF Smyrna,
and 1t looks down calmly and as peacefully as It
did that terrible night under the waning moon
when George Warrington. with his broken and dis
pirited army retreated before the victorious Brit
0ns and, reaching White Plains, was again de-
feated the next day and had to retreat again. Yes
the Old Powder House Ia just the same as before,
and while even the land thereabOut and the very
eternal rocks themselves have changed and bear
the marks OF Improvement the Old Powder House
is still there. like vgilsnt sentinel to tell its
story-a story 100 years old and full OF glorious
memories.


but now we nave . morse disease, anu no one
knows when it will end or where 1t began, and
suppose no one will ever know.


drove up to the Lane two or three Sundays ago.
always give my mare Biddy an airing on Sunday
1t does her g0od-as can't exercise her much
during the week, for man who does business Of
nve to ten thousand dollars week In front Of
meat stall In Washington Market can't have much
time to air fast horse In working hours and
don't like to let Biddy cram herself with feed too
much, unless can work 1t or once In while.
have been going up and down that Lane for thirty
y S s NIKE home when
way, is now laid out like smooth board Tor . mile
or more: left the mare at Myers at the Park
from the hill where the Powder House looks out
and see the picture. That's the best place to look
wall Of the old ruin and began 70 look about me.
necticut nlings for me-and lit It, Lord bless me,
what number OF whizzing wheels and what
patter OF horses hoois in the broad causeway below
me! Why some OF the wheels, nicely polished and
cleaning like swords points, rev0lve SO quickly
not compare them to anything in the world but q
July nigghtccwhizz1,oangm,.awey g she goesl Why
whiskers erect figure and magnificent pair, being
driven like hail storm before the wind And
there isn't Bonner and Peeress They talk Of
Rotten Row and Longchamps, but pll back Harlem





horse mesh and high old driving. The Lane is
black with crackers, from the Hambetonian to the
n dy
in palmleaf shawl. The teams are out in thou
sands. Just look at them as they whirl out of the
smooth road in the Park, belted on both sides by
young timber, the green leaves OF which are turn
ing to golden brown, and purple and amber and
and the little sparr0ws fly In and out Of the
branches above and below me. The weather is
crisp, and the sunlight here in shadow and there
molten
men and horses, seem like page from
story Of fairy land 81 fashion
descending the steps leading 60 the verandahs
Of the hotels, where refreshments may
and fours are getting in and out OF open carriages,
and now and then some OF the squads who have
elevate their voices in the unison OF some merry
chorus. Go u while you are young, say, for


drive behind pair Of fast horses to open the
chest and clear the lungs for man or woman.
And particularly M Sa does not pretty girl IKE
supper At FiOrences on the Way way out, O e sses
sons coming homer There goes an upseti In the
speeding gelding against mis- neghbor's roam,
aud there Is Q sudden collision and a smash; the
wheels become mixed up inextricably and the two
rivals are spilled all over the well-paved street.
They are picking themselves up now, and they look
l lSr e ote g.
thinking better of they shake hands, make 1t up
and go IN and take . drink. feel little cramped





not do me any harm and run up 10 Forence's, SO
here goes. III shake up my old 1912 bones and
give Myers boy half dollar He says, .'Thank
You. sif." ask the policeman at the Park gate
how many teams have passed to-day and horses
about three thousands" and getting the blanket
over the lower part Of my legs am OF,
lightning. The boys on the hotel stoop sing out at
me, for they know the OLD man G've dandled some
gay lad "GO 1t, P0p,n and in minute they can't
see anything but the dust behind Biddys hoois as
we spank along the road.


and since then poor Blddy has got the "epizoot''-1
think that's what the HERALD calls 1t. / went to
died np ~ ~ mass. like % baU or notatnes %
and the poor beast was all in q shiver from
her her name %I to to her r, knotted tail i always
young school girl. l was mighty afraid,
ten you, to see the little mare IN such con-
woman's tub on laundry day; so washed her
mouth out with dipper OF hot rum and water.
gave her some hot mash-sne didn't want to eat
and rubbed her chest with some good English mus
tard, and the little girl begun to warm up, and
licked my coat sleeve out Of pure gratitude. Bergh
infant; they don't cry SO much, and they are SO
willing to do their work when you call on them.
Blddy got better and thought M would & take her
so long.


SO Iharnessed her up and put her in the wagon
But was ashamed that did not see any one else
driving beside myself From the time left Fifty
Biddy didn't have chance to try her speed but
once, and that was with some one who was driving
81 to @ fes had ssS with n
she she ieis me he her driver sung !, out, "aoOaDy,
it seems to me every one has got epizoot on ihe
stetson's, so Thought I'd go in and ask about it
and jumped out and went up the steps, and as