116 LIFE WITH THE TKOTTEKS. 



tried to win the luouey, but also to make the best showing 

 I possibly could, knowing that if he went well there would 

 be no trouble in making all the engagements I wished for 

 the rest of the season. Had this Cleveland exhibition taken 

 place on the day it was first advertised to form part of the 

 programme, I am sure that Rarus would have gone the 

 three heats in 2:14, or better, but from the effects of a big 

 gale and rainstorm the track was so bad that the race was 

 postponed, and did not come off until the next day, which 

 was the last of the meeting, and the last of the week, and 

 then not until very late in the afternoon. I was very busy 

 that day driving two other races, and did not have the time 

 in which to give proper attention to Rarus. I will describe 

 the race, and tell how near an intimate friend of mine came 

 to losing a good bundle of money on the result. At this 

 meeting Hopeful had gone thvee heats against Proteine, 

 which were the three fastest consecutive heats ever trotted, 

 the time being, 2:17^, 2:15|, 2:15^. An admirer of Hope- 

 ful came across my friend, and bet him $500 that Rarus 

 would not in his exhibition trot three heats to average as 

 good as lloi^ef ur s three. I told my friend that that money 

 was won; that the trotting horse never lived that could 

 make a performance that Rarus could not beat. In the bet- 

 ting on the race, it was $100 to $50 that Rarus would trot 

 three heats to average better than 2: 18; it was $100 to $20 that 

 he would not beat 2:14. My friend said to me, " I am going 

 to bet a couple of thousand dollars that he don't beat 2:14, 

 and at that odds I Avill win about $3,500 or $4,000." I told 

 him not to do it, as I thought Rarus had a chance of beat- 

 ing 2:14, and that I should certainly drive him as fast as I 

 could. Anyhow, he bet $2,000 that Rarus would not beat 

 2:14. Rarus went the first mile in 2:14|-, and the second in 

 2:15, after which my friend said to me that he was very 

 glad he had bet his money as he had, for that, after going 

 the first mile in 2:1 4|^, and the second in 2:15, if he })eat 

 2:14 his opponent couhl have the money and welcome. In 

 tlie third heat, I had a runner to go with him, and when 



