382 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



M. Patclien in 2m. 21s., and Dexter won again in 2m. 26s. 

 The people began to be disappointed ; and feeling how gen- 

 erously the Association had behaved, and how much the 

 assemblage would like to see a fast heat, Mr. Joseph Hall 

 of New York persuaded Mr. Trussell and Doble to let the 

 little horse do something like his best. Doble averred that 

 the track was not altogether good, and that the dense crowd 

 on the stretch might break him up ; but he said, with Mr. 

 Trussell's consent, that, if he was level and well settled at 

 the half-mile pole, he would let him come the last half fast. 

 This just happened. He trotted the first quarter in 35Js., 

 the second in 34Js., and came home the last half-mile in 

 1m. 8s. From all that I have heard, I believe that the 

 course was not near as good as the Fashion Course, and 

 therefore his performance was one of great value. But 

 it was no more than might have been looked for. The 

 preceding year, I had rated him as good for a mile, under 

 saddle, in 2m. 16s. ; and, if the Buffalo Course was 2s. slow, 

 his performance was equal to 2m. 16s. 



At Cleveland, Dexter trotted on the fourth day of the 

 meeting, Aug. 25, for a purse of $2,000, of which the 

 second horse was to have $300, and the third $200. His 

 competitors were Patchen, jun., and Gen. Butler. The 

 latter was now in charge of William McKeever, who was 

 afterwards killed at Chicago, while driving him in a heat 

 after dark against Cooley. He was a young man that I 

 knew well, and a very honest and worthy young man. We 

 deplored his death very much when the news reached us 

 on the Island. This race at Cleveland was mile heats, 

 three in five, in harness. The course was heavy; and 

 Dexter won very easily in three straight heats, in the 

 thirties. 



The next place of action was at the city on the strait 

 between Lakes Erie and St. Clair, Detroit. Patchen, jun., 

 went against Dexter in harness, and, as usual, was easily 

 defeated in three straight heats. The time was 2m. 24s., 



