RACEALONG 275 



while the horse was a double-gaited one, that could 

 both trot and pace with speed enough to distinguish 

 him from the common run of horses. Here is the 

 entry as written in one of the years when William 

 Shakespeare was at "the top of his form" : 



"John Shakespeare, of Newbold, in Com. Leic, 

 sould a graye Nagg fflea bitten, trottinge and Rack- 

 inge, with a Brande v. p. and s., to Thomas Jesson, 

 of Mountsorrel, in Com. Leic, pryce xlijs. Voucher 

 John Chapman, of Whittwicke." 



The poet's father was John Shakespeare, but he 

 died in 1601, two years before the earliest entry in 

 the toll book was made. These entries cover the 

 period between 1603 and 1632, with a few years 

 missing, but with brief descriptions of something 

 like 5,000 horses and names and addresses of 12^00 

 men. The rarity and importance of the toll book 

 is indicated by the fact that it is priced at $600. 



MAKING MR. McELWYN 



One evening at Longwood, Florida, Ben White 

 when in a reminiscent mood said "Mr. McElwyn 

 was the toughest horse I ever had anything to do 

 with. I had him in my stable for over three years. 

 During that time he went through all kinds of ex- 

 periences that a trotter could have and never took a 

 lame step or even had a cough. At meal time he 

 was always rearing for his food and -on race day 

 ready to go. 



