XLII. 



PiOra Temple and John Slorgan. — The Fastest Two-mile Race that had 

 been trotted. — Rema,-ks upon the Race. — The Three-mile-IIeat Race. 

 — Flora against Ethan Allen and a Punning-Mato. — Flora before Gen 

 Grant. — The Widow Machree. 



ON the 11th of June, Flora Temple and John Morgai 

 had their second meeting at the Centreville Course, to 

 trot two-mile heats in harness. It was a most beautiful 

 day, warm and bright, with the atmosphere of that genial 

 and active sort that the lungs and chest seem to expand at 

 its approach to take plenty in. The attendance was not as 

 large as it would have been if the people had known what 

 a contest was about to take place ; for, in all Flora's career, 

 she never made quite such another race as she was com- 

 pelled to do on this occasion. When she appeared upon the 

 course, she looked a little thinner tlian usual ; and she speed- 

 ily warmed up to a little damp sweat upon the neck. It 

 was understood that for a day or two she had not been 

 feeding as greedily as she usually did. In common, she was 

 a very voracious feeder. Tliis might have led to the suppo- 

 sition that she was just a little over-marked; but her eye 

 was bright, her coat sleek and gloss}^, and her nostril ex- 

 panded like the mouth of a trumpet. Therefore I concluded 

 that she had just reached the finest condition to which she 

 could, in all probability, attain. 



It is well known to horsemen who are close observers, 

 that, though a horse cannot make a great race when de- 

 cidedly off the feed, some of the finest efforts that ever 

 were made, and some of the greatest successes that ever were 

 won, came just as the horse was beginning to get dainty. 



335 



