LIFE WITH THE TROTTEES. 127 



under saddle. This race was trotted on the 10th of Octo- 

 ber, over a track that had just been built, and that was dull 

 and damp from rain the day before. Rarus came to 

 Chicago at the end of one of the severest campaigns that a 

 horse had ever made, and in no condition to show his best. 

 In the betting, Hopeful was a long favorite, he having 

 shown some grand miles. I told my friends I had no faith 

 in the race, and I think they did not put a dollar on. For 

 the day and track, the race was a first-class pterformance. 

 Hopeful winning in straight heats, in 2:17^, 2:17, 2:17, 

 Rarus second all the time, and Great Eastern third. At 

 this race there was the greatest crowd of people I ever saw 

 at a regular horse-trotting event, it being estimated at all 

 the way from 30,000 to 50,000. 



Two days later, when the track was much faster and the 

 weather bright and warm. Hopeful made his "wagon record 

 of 2:16^^, and this set some people to thinking that Hox)eful 

 could beat Rarus at even hitch, both going in harness. The 

 first that I heard about that was when Mr. Conklin broke 

 into my room one morning in a heated condition, with a 

 newspaper in his hand. He jDointed excitedly to an article 

 in it which stated that the p>ublic thought Rarus had had 

 his day and that Hoi^eful could beat him. He said he 

 would like to have me answer that article over his name. 



" Well," said I to him, " wlmt will I say to them? " 



"Tell them for me," he rej)lied, "that Rarus can beat 

 Hopeful any kind of a race that two horses ever trotted." 



' ' How much money will I say you want to bet on him ?" 

 I asked. Said Mr. Conklin: " Ten thousand dollars in money 

 and this year' s crop of hay." There was some newspaper 

 correspondence, but no race. 



Talking about matching Hopeful against Rarus brings 

 to my mind some other ^^eople who were anxious to match 

 their horses against Rarus. The previous winter, while Rarus 

 was being wintered at Cleveland, the owner of the stallion 

 Smuggler had announced in an eastern sporting Journal his 

 willingness to trot that horse against Rarus, and out of it 



