72 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE 



, ix.avu, 



on account of her nervous disposition. She had, how- 

 ever, taken a very creditable part in certain amateur 

 running races, which were held in a grassy lane about 

 one quarter of a mile long. These dashes always took 

 place by moonlight, being unauthorized by the elders 

 of the family, but secretly enjoyed by the boys on the 

 farm. Soon after she left her birthplace the Maid 

 was sold again for $600 to Mr. Alden Goldsmith, a 

 famous horseman, by whom she was named. He kept 

 her for five years, and sold her for $20,000. Her 

 dam was a well-bred animal, probably a daughter 

 of Abdallah, who sired Bysdyck's Hambletonian. 

 Goldsmith Maid's sire was Alexander's Abdallah, 

 whose origin and fate are described in the preceding 

 chapter. 



All the great trotters have had grooms, or " rub- 

 bers," as they are technically called, between whom 

 and the horses a strong affection existed. The name 

 of Peter Conover is linked in this way with that of 

 Dexter. Conover not onl} T " rubbed ' Dexter, but 

 made most of his "boots." and gave him his exercise. 

 Dexter was an intelligent horse, and whenever Budd 

 Doble, who drove him in his races, mounted the sulky, 

 he would become excited and pull, thinking that a 

 contest impended ; but with his groom holding the 

 reins he would go along quietly enough. The same 

 thing is true of Nancy Hanks. Earus had his " Dave ' : 

 and " Barney." A colored man named Grant was trans- 

 ferred to Mr. Bonner with Maud S., as being neces- 

 sarily appurtenant to her. "Lucy Jimmy r was, as 

 his name denotes, the attendant of Lucy, a celebrated 

 mare contemporary with Goldsmith Maid, and very 

 little inferior to her in speed. " Old Charlie " faith- 



