250 LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 



Of the only two compliments ever paid me that I took much 

 stock in, one was by Mr. David Bonner in regard to this 

 race, he saying that he had been going to trotting races for 

 thirty years, and that this was the best driven one he had 

 ever seen. The other compliment might be considered rather 

 a second-hand one by most j)eople, but it pleased me im- 

 mensely at the time. I was once introduced to a lady, and 

 after a pleasant chat she asked a friend of mine what my 

 business was. He said I was one of the celebrated horse 

 drivers of America, and she said : " Why, how mistaken I 

 was. I took him for a gentleman." The boys all thought 

 they had the laugh on me. While I was sorry to have the 

 lady deceived I was glad to know that my appearance was 

 even that good. 



I have spoken of filling Nobby' s ears with cotton, and 

 want to give a word of caution in regard to the matter. A 

 great many horses treated in this manner will act as though 

 they were dumb — will not try to go, and will stop to shake 

 their heads when they are asked to trot. If you have a 

 horse that you think will do better with this treatment com- 

 mence Avith him gradually. That is, in his work put just a 

 little cotton in his ears at first, or, what is still better, put it 

 in his ears while he is in the stable, and let him get used 

 to it in that manner. After you have done this a few times 

 the horse pays no attention to it. Bella, the bay mare that 

 I won a good race at Springfield, Mass. , with, as told in a 

 previous chapter, would go out and work alone, be very 

 steady, and break and catch as well as any horse I ever saw, 

 but in com^oany she seemed uneasy, wanted to break more, 

 and would not catch as well, particularly in a close place. We 

 tried the cotton dodge on her, and after she became used to it 

 the scheme worked to a charm. There are a great many horses 

 that will do well with the same treatment, but I would not 

 advise its indiscriminate use. There is a funny story in con- 

 nection with this subject that is well worth telling. A good 

 many years ago Mr. Frank Ferguson, of New York City, was 

 training a horse called Needle Gun, and it was, by the way, 



