180 THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 



swered. Very soon after we rounded the turn in the second 

 mile, E/ipton got levelled, and began to trot in his fine, com- 

 manding style. He gained fast on the mare, kept on going to 

 her, and, about a hundred yards after they passed the half- 

 mile pole gave her the go-by, and won the heat handily in 

 5m. 18s. The excitement, as the little horse shut up the 

 great gap, was intense ; and, at the end of the heat and 

 race, Bryant was much disappointed. He declared that he 

 would not trot Lady Suffolk against E/ipton any more, 

 unless it was under saddle. Early that fall, Bipton met 

 Confidence, two-mile heats in harness, over the Centreville 

 Course. We won it in two heats ; the time of them being 

 5m. 13Js., and 5m. 14s. 



The following week, they went over the same course 

 again, two-mile heats to wagons, each weighing a hundred 

 and eighty-one pounds. Bipton won the first heat in 5m. 

 15s., and that was the fastest ; but Confidence got the 

 second and third heats. The weight was a trifle too much 

 for the little horse, but we soon had our revenge. The next 

 trot in which Bipton was engaged was a sweepstakes and 

 purse to the amount of $1,150, on the Beacon Course ; and 

 Confidence was also in it, together with Lady Suffolk. It 

 was three-mile heats in harness. Bipton won the first heat 

 handily, in 7m. 56^s. The second heat he also took, and 

 the time of that was 7m. 59s. It was, however, a closer 

 thing for two miles between the three ; and the finish for 

 second monej^ between Confidence and Lady Suffolk, was a 

 very fine and near race. I recollect that I got home 

 handily enough to turn round in the sulky and see the 

 struggle, as they came out, for the second money. William 

 Whelan was driving Confidence, and a very little way from 

 home Lady Suffolk appeared to have the best of it ; but 

 Whelan shook his horse up, and came with such a rush that 

 he beat her on the post by a neck. 



The next race we went with Eipton was over the same 

 course. It was against Americus, two-mile heats to 



