— 480 — 



said a newspaper writer, " that there is $3,000,000 worth of fiiTt-ciass 

 horseflesh in and about the city of New York, and it may be doubted 

 if any class of property can enlist more general interest or wider 

 sympathy than this. Everything which gives information concerning 

 the general management and control of horses is of necessity not only 

 interesting and entertaining, but valuable, and valuable not alone to the 

 Bonners of the earth, who have fortunes invested in horses, not alone to 

 the patrons of the turf who gain their living by their familiarity with 

 speeders and flyers, but to the great array of men who drive, tend, and 

 look after horses in the stable, in the smithy, and along the lines of 

 travel or occupation." 



On the opening night, April 19th, the great hall was crowded with 

 an eager and intelligent audience. Professor Gleason iutroduced 

 thereto a notorious man-killing stallion named " Rysdyck," which had 

 killed its groom a few days before and which had been sent on from 

 Montreal, Canada, expressly for him to deal with. When people en- 

 tered the house they saw a big brown horse standing inside an in- 

 closure of board fence. Professor Gleason appeared and spoke briefly 

 to the audience. He intimated that most horses had more intelligence 

 than their drivers, and after a few encouraging remarks entered the 

 pen with the stallion, carrying a whip and a revolver loaded with blank 

 cartridges. He spoke to the animal in a loud tone and then walked 

 toward him. The stallion moved into a corner of the pen and turned 

 his heels toward the Professor, Instantly he received several stinging 

 blows around his hind legs. Then he turned his head toward the Pro- 

 fessor, who cautiously reached out his hand and patted the beast on 

 the shoulder. Two or three times this was repeated, each time the 

 trainer going closer to the horse. 



Suddenly there was a cry from the audience. Like a flash the stal- 

 lion had turned and seized the Professor by the right fore-arm with his 

 gleaming white teeth. The instructor dropped his whip, and with a 

 violent effort wrenched his arm free. Then he fired the revolver 

 several times in front of the brute's nose. The animal sprang wildly 

 around the ring and nearly knocked down the fence. In a few mo- 

 ments he ran into a corner again. Then the Professor resumed his 

 former tactics. He made the horse stop at the word "whoa " a num- 

 ber of times. Then he began to pat him on the near shoulder again. 

 Once more the angry beast whirled and snapped at the Professor's 



