Til?: TROTTING-nORSE OF AMEUICA. 3G1 



bjiormous. He was chock-full of fire and devil, and, if 

 any thing, a little too eager. 



When he got the word, Murphy stL-adied him nicely, and 

 he went to the quarter in 34s. This would win, and he was 

 well within himself. The" next quarter was a little faster 

 than I wanted, as they made tlio. time at the half-mile Im. 

 6.\s., giving 32Vs. for the second quarter: but it may have 

 varied a small triiie from this, as the half-mile pole wa.*^ 

 down, Ev(irybody was saying he will do it easy, when ha 

 broke half-way along the Flushing end. He caught well. 

 I have heard people maintain that he did not lose by that 

 break, as if a horse can break when trotting better than a 

 twenty gait and catch again without losing. It is true 

 that he may run fast enough and far enough to make up 

 for it; but^Dexter did nob do so. When he broke, the peo- 

 ple cried, " He can't do it this time." But he settled well ; 

 and, when he came on to the home-stretch, he had a fine burst 

 in. I was up towards there, and sung out to Johnny, as he 

 came by me, "Cut him loose: you'll do it yet!" Then 

 Johnny clucked to him. and he went away like an arrow 

 from the bow, true and straight, and with immense resolu- 

 tion and power of stroke. I knew he must do it if he did 

 not break before he got to the score, and up I tossed my hat 

 into the air. I never felt happier in all my life. The time 

 given by the judges was 2m. 18 is. : the outsiders made it 

 somewhat less. Murphy rode this race with nerve, judg- 

 ment, and skill. He went faster in the second quarter than 

 he thought he was going ; but, after the break, he rode it to 

 perfection. Most lads would have gone all to pieces, and 

 taken the horse along with them, after that crisis ; but John- 

 ny was cool and judgmatical. He collected and steadied 

 his horse, and brought him on to the stretch exactly as I 

 told him to bring him, — in wind and heart for a grand ral- 

 ly. To stand behind and see him go, after Murphy clucked 

 to him and moved his bit, was the finest thing I ever saw 

 in all my life. 



