LIFE WITH THE TKOTTEES. 87 



California, and the effect its climate had on trotting horses, 

 was mentioned, Doble giving me his views in a general way, 

 and it set me to thinking whether or not it would not be a 

 good thing to take Rarus to California. The more I thought 

 of it, the more I was convinced it would be a good plan. I 

 went to Long Island, and talked the matter over with Mr. 

 Conklin. We staid ux3 late in the night, and viewed the 

 plan from every standpoint. Of course there was a chance 

 of accident, etc. , in shipping a valuable horse such a long- 

 trip; but, after a general discussion, Mr. Conklin agreed to 

 leave tliemat;er entirely with me. I came back to New 

 York, thinking I would have another talk with Mr. Doble, 

 but was disapx)ointed to learn that he had left for Philadel- 

 phia. The following week I went to Philadelphia, and 

 sj)ent the day with Budd. I had a further talk with him 

 on the subject in question, and the result was that I decided 

 to ship Rarus to California. Budd said he was going i o 

 send his horses from Chicago in a short time, and that I 

 would be welcome to go in his car if I liked to come. I 

 went back to New York, and made my arrangements to go. 

 After concluding to take my trip to the slope, I was 

 rather anxious to see Rarus go a mile as well as he could. 

 I met Mr. Arthur Gillender in the evening, and, in talking 

 of the merits of the horse, I told him I thought he could 

 trot a mile over Fleetwood better than 2:18. He rather 

 doubted that statement, and the conversation ended by my 

 inviting him to go to the track the next morning and time him 

 while I drove him a mile about as well as he could go, as I 

 thouglit then he was in sha^De to go a good mile. When we 

 arrived at the track M^e found it in very good shape, but tlie 

 day was rather cool. I gave Rarus a warming up mile in 

 2:25, and twenty minutes later repeated him in 2:17, which 

 Avas three seconds faster than I had ever driven him before 

 in public or j^rivate. This I thought a remarkable mile, as 

 I kept him well out from the pole all the w^ay, and the track 

 at its best was never very fast. When Mr. Gillender came 

 back to me, he said: " Splan, you match that horse against 



