L.IFE SKETCH. 



49 



alleged, was possessed of some vicious trait or bad 

 habit. The horses were the property of different resi- 

 dents of Chicago, and none of them, it was said, had 

 ever been seen by the trainer before. 



" A bay mare was led to the centre of the floor, and 

 her owner informed the Professor that she was in the 

 habit of shying violently at newspapers or other light 

 objects which the wind might carry before her on the 

 roadway. Under the trainer's care the mare soon un- 

 derstood that the objects of which she had stood in 

 fear were harmless, and coolly walked over a quantity 

 of large white sheets that had been thrown upon the 

 sawdust. A vicious kicker was quieted soon into the 

 gentlest submission. A brown horse belonging to a 

 prominent lightning-rod firm was next led into the 

 hall. The horse was a ' runaway,' and was declared 

 unmanageable by its owners. At the expiration of 

 ten minutes an open umbrella flourished about itc 

 head did not disturb the perfect composure of the 

 animal, and he did not raise a hoof from the floor 

 when the Professor repeatedly fired a pistol from the 

 animal's back." 



BECOMES MANAGER OF A STOCK FARM. 



During my visit to Buffalo I had yielded to the 

 solicitation of Mr. C. J. Hamlin, and consented to be- 

 come the manager of his extensive and valuable stock 

 farm, for the purpose, principally, of conducting the 

 contemplated sale of thoroughbreds the next spring. 

 The offer being one that I could not well refuse, I 

 bade good- by to my friends in Chicago, and on the 

 25th of March I was installed as manager of the Vil- 

 lage Stock Farm, having under my charge two hun- 

 dred and eighty horses. Among them were Mambrino 

 King, a stallion for which Mr. Hamlin paid twenty 

 4 



