LIFE WITH Tirp: TROTTERS. 153 



horse, but to oblige me he would come and stay until the 

 end of the season, which he did; and I want to say here that 

 I think to his care and attention, more than any other one 

 thing, is due the fact of Johnston's having the fastest 

 record of any trotter or pacer in the world. I have always 

 said that Dave deserved as much credit, if not more, than 

 I did, for the result of the effort. The next morning Dave 

 came to work; I told him all I knew about Johnston's ijecul- 

 iarities, and I saw right away that the boy had entered into 

 the affair with his whole heart and soul. The first thing he 

 did was to get a dog and put it into the stall with the horse, 

 claiming that it would be comj)any for him. From that day 

 on Johnston improved, ate more, Avas less nervous and fret- 

 ful, and, in fact, did better in every way. I paced him two 

 heats over the Rochester track, the second one of which he 

 went in 2:llf. From Rochester we returned to Chicago 

 and paced a match against Richball over the "V^^est Side 

 track, and Johnston beat him easily in three straight heats, 

 the time being 2:13, 2:llf, 2:13J. From there we went to 

 Minneapolis, and j)aced another race against Richball, a mile 

 and repeat. Johnston won the first heat easily; in the second 

 heat he threw a boot, and Richball beat him; but in the 

 third Johnston won the race without an effort. At Still- 

 vvater we paced our last race against Richball, again win- 

 ning. About this time Johnston commenced to show the 

 form and speed that afterward made him famous. From 

 Stillwater we went to Milwaukee to pace an exhibition. 

 The weather was not very favorable and the track was far 

 from being good. But, in spite of this, Johnston's exhibi- 

 tion was so satisfactory^ that everyone thought, with abetter 

 day and track, he would certainly beat his record, and ar- 

 ragements were thereupon made for him to pace the follow- 

 ing Aveek. He failed to beat his record, but tied his best 

 mile, going in 2:10. I tokl Mr. Woodmansee I believed 

 that, with anything like a fair day and a good track, 

 Johnston would certainly malve the fastest record that 

 ever was heard of. He thereupon arranged to have the 



