XXIV. 



O'Blenis against the Field. Immense Attendance at the Race. Expecta- 

 tions that Kemble would break. His Great Victory. His Early Death. 

 Weight-pulling Mares. Lady Palmer. Peerless. California Dam- 

 sel. English Theory about Trotting-Weight. 



THE race before alluded to, in which Kemble Jackson, 

 O'Blenis, Boston Girl, Pet, lola, and Honest John 

 were engaged, had been made about five weeks before the day 

 came for action. As I have before mentioned, the stallion 

 had been prevented from throwing down his head in his 

 breaks by means of the " Kemble- Jackson " check ; and, 

 though he was wild and uncertain when he first came into 

 my hands, he had gradually become so steady, and could go 

 so fast and easy with great weight behind him, that we 

 looked forward to the trot for the three-mile-heat race with 

 considerable confidence. But the other parties had also 

 been at work ; and the horses had all done so well, and given 

 such evidence of speed and stoutness in their trials, that, to 

 our surprise and to the astonishment of most other people, 

 every one of the six came upon the course in good order 

 to contend for the money. The owners and trainers all 

 thought so well of their horses that they backed their own. 



The general public, however, had a strong favorite, as 

 usual, and the famous son of Abdallah was the horse. He 

 was backed at even against the field, and a vast amount of 

 money was laid. It was no great wonder that people in 

 general should have such faith in him, for he was a capital 

 horse ; and it was to be remembered, that here was the 

 neighborhood in which his famous sire Abdallah had stood so 



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