THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 345 



finally told me to do as I pleased, adding that lie knew she 

 would be distanced in the first heat. For all that, I re- 

 solved to start her ; and, as the day was cold and windy, I 

 jogged her round again. 



The first heat was won by Draco in 2.3S ; but I was 

 second, although I had been run into by Ephraim Smooth, 

 whose wheel took the hair off one of the mare's legs. The 

 second heat was won by Draco in 2.41^, and I was second 

 again, Lady Spurr and Ephraim Smooth both distanced. 

 The latter ran into the mare, upset her sulky and herself, 

 and she fell with her neck over Dan Mace's body. Ephraim 

 also spilt his own driver, and ran off with the sulky upside 

 down. When Mace's sulky was upset, I was close behind 

 him, and lost nearly a hundred yards. I had to call upon 

 the Widow to get inside the distance ; and the way she 

 answered let me know that her dead-game quality had tri- 

 umphed over her infirmity, and that she was all the time 

 " a-coming." I sent her along, and got second place. 



Between the heats she was blanketted close and kept 

 moving, except while her legs were being rubbed with 

 lotion. In the third heat, we got off well ; and Draco and 

 the Widow went neck-and-neck to the quarter. The mare 

 then began to show in front : but Holcomb let the stallion 

 break and ease himself by a few jumps ; and this expedient, 

 being several times repeated, Draco was ahead in turning 

 into the stretch. But the steady stroke of the mare over- 

 hauled him at the distance ; and, in spite of another break 

 and run, she beat him out by a neck in 2m. 39 s. The 

 stallion was second, and Somerville third. 



In the fourth heat, I had the pole, which was a great 

 advantage, as it was a half-mile track. The mare took the 

 lead, and kept it, although Draco made a good game strug- 

 gle. The time was 2m. 34 is. 



In the fifth heat, Draco made a desperate race of it for 

 half a mile, hanging at the mare's wheel all the waj . It 

 was at the rate of about 2m. 30s. ; but after that he fell off, 



