344 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



to pull through ; for the Widow was great at a desperate 

 pinch, and Frank himself was a very gallant little horse. 

 Capt. Bynders, however, feared defeat, as Carpenter's team 

 seemed very fresh and well. 



In the third heat, I got a very had start, heing two 

 lengths behind. Carpenter's team, Telemachus and Nellie 

 Holcomh, took the lead, and finally won the race. But the 

 unflinching game and bottom of the Widow in the losing 

 heats, the third, fourth, and fifth, created great admiration, 

 and made her a host of friends. As for Frank Temple, he 

 did all he could in his condition ; and neither man nor 

 horse can do more. The time of the five heats was 2.55, 

 2.50J, 2.42, 2.44^, 2.44. Whelan's team was distanced in 

 the third heat. 



When we took the team to their stable that night, I 

 thought neither of them would be able to trot again that 

 year. In the morning, I found the Widow laying down 

 and eating hay. She was so stiff that she could not get up 

 without our help. We thought she had trotted her last 

 race ; and the captain said he would sell her for $500 ; but, 

 when she was on her feet, she went at her oats, and cleaned 

 the manger, while we rubbed her fore legs with warm 

 lotions. After this she was walked for an hour. 



The proprietor of the course said that the people would 

 be greatly disappointed if she did not start in the race in 

 the afternoon, and requested that she might be led by the 

 stand that her unfitness might be seen. When the time 

 for the race came, I took her to the track, and drove her 

 past the stand in a sulky. She could hardly put one foot 

 before- the other. The other horses, Draco, Somerville, 

 Lady Spurr, and Ephraim Smooth appeared. I had jogged 

 the mare round, and was about to take her off, when I 

 noticed that she pricked up her ears at sight of the other 

 horses, and acted as though she'd warm up and get limber. 

 I then told the captain that I thought she might do better 

 than we expected if started. He said I was crazy, but 



