68 LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 



over the same traek against the horses that he had beaten 

 in the two previous events, no less than ten of them 

 starting against him. When the battle began May Bird 

 seemed to have a little the most speed. It was late in the 

 year, and the weather was cold. The daughter of George 

 Wilkes took the first and second heats in 2:30^, 2:30 ; after 

 which Rarus wore her down and won the third, fourth, and 

 fifth heats in 2:32|, 2:32i, and 2:35. This was his last race 

 in 1874, and he went into winter quarters with a record 

 of 2:28i 



In the spring of 1875 he was again placed in the hands 

 of Mr. James Page. He was given a few ^preparatory races, 

 trotting through Michigan and Indiana, and on the 22d of 

 July came to Sandusky, Ohio, where he started against 

 Lady Mack, Carrie L., and Belle. He won the tirst heat of 

 this race in 2:31, Carrie L. took the second in 2:32f, Rarus 

 the third in 2: 33 J, Lady Mack the fourth in 2:32^, and 

 Rarus the liftli in 2:32. He was then taken to Cleveland, 

 where the grand circuit began, and entered in a $3,500 

 purse, where he was called upon to beat some of the best 

 horses of the day in their class, the other starters being 

 Molly Morris, Carrie, Eva, Belle Brasfield, Mazo-Manie, 

 Snowball, and Bertie. Tliis was the first genuipe battle 

 that I had ever seen Rarus win. In all his other races he 

 had shown moderate speed, with a good deal of determina- 

 tion to hang on. People who saw this race will never 

 forget the excitement there was about it at the time. In 

 the over -night betting, every horse was backed as though 

 each owner thought he had the purse won. Mazo-]\Ianie 

 represented Wisconsin, having been sold to Mr. E. H. 

 Brodhead, of Milwaukee, a man whose horses always 

 went for the money. His friends and the iDublic, knowing 

 this, plunged with all their might. Molly Morris, the fastest 

 trotter of her inches in the world, belonged at that time to 

 William Armstrong, now a famous pool-seller. William 

 McLaughlin, or "Red Bill," as the boys loved to call him, 

 held the reins over Molly. She had shown him trials close 



