LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 37 



fight for the first heat and won it with John H. in 2:25|, 

 AA^hicli was a great clip for that class of horses, considering 

 that the track was not fast. It is possible that Batchelor 

 might have won the second heat, but he met with an acci- 

 dent as he turned into the stretch, being run into by How- 

 ard, which enabled Mollie to win the heat in 2:27, Batchelor 

 being thrown from the sulky. In the meantime the pace 

 that John H. set in the first heat had taken the trot out of 

 him, and he could not go much, but in doing what he had 

 he made the Chicago contingent very blue, as George Judd 

 was distanced in the first heat, Hattie and Columbia Chief 

 being also behind the flag, so that the field was now smaller, 

 and I thought my chances improved by this fact. We 

 scored up for the third heat, and my idea was to get a posi- 

 tion where there would be no chance of accident, and be 

 within striking distance at the half-mile pole, making my 

 driv^ from there to the wire. Harry Mitchell, a horse that 

 could trot some and run a good deal, led to the half, in com- 

 pany with John H. and Mollie. In passing that point I 

 spoke to Kansas, and he moved up to them in such an easy 

 manner that it satisfied m*- he would win the heat sure. 

 I laid within two lengths of the others, stopped driving, and 

 trailed around the upper turn, so that when they swung 

 into the stretch I was enabled to go well to the outside, 

 knowing there was better footing there, and I wanted to be 

 away from the others. When I gave Kansas his head he 

 went to them without an effort, and won the heat by a neck 

 with something to spare. The time was 2:28, and this was 

 the first time he had beaten 2:30 in a race. After dismount- 

 ing from the sulky I said to Mr Simmons that, barring acci- 

 dents, the race was over. The result proved my opinion to 

 be correct, as in the next two he:its we were, never in 

 trouble, and I may add that in these heats General Howard 

 and Fox were distanced, so that at the finish there were 

 only five of the original dozen on the track. 



From Chicago we went to Cleveland, where the Chief 

 won a good race from a field which included a couple of 



