400 LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 



great advantage. If I had my life to lead over, there are a 

 few tilings in connection with my business which I would 

 do differently. First, if I wished to learn to be a horse- 

 trainer, I would take as much pains to educate myself in 

 every detail pertaining to horses as I would if I was going 

 to fit myself for any other business in life. I would also by 

 my acts make for myself a reputation for honesty, etc. , that 

 would never be questioned. The latter part of it not only 

 from a feeling that it is right but also as a matter of busi- 

 ness. Take two men with equal ability as horse drivers, 

 one with the rejjutation of being strictly honest and the 

 other i^erhaps with the disposition to cheat the public just 

 a little, you will find that the man with the honest reputation 

 will invariably have the best of it. Time and again have I 

 seen this when it comes to a close decision and Murphy or 

 Doble are interested, they never get the worst of it and are 

 almost sure to get a shade the best of it. This is perfectly 

 natural in human nature, as if you are called upon to decide 

 anything between two men in the same position, you woukl 

 be almost sure to do the same thing. My advice is to not be 

 only strictly honest in all your dealings but take pains to 

 make that reputation for yourself. Do not be satisfied by 

 saying that you are honest and you don' t care what people 

 think about you. Remember your rei^utation, to a certain 

 extent, is to you what a bank account is to a business man. 

 This I think was one of Mace's weak points. People often 

 accused him of doing shady things which he never did, but 

 he from carelessness or other causes did not take the trouble 

 to deny it, always saying to me that so long as the people 

 that he drove for were satisfied he never cared. Truthful- 

 ness to his emj)loyer was Mace's religion, and had he given 

 me his word in regard to anything connected with a horse- 

 race, it would have been worth just the same to metas a 

 Government bond, that is I would have given a premium for 

 it. I am sure that men are born with certain characteristics. 

 It is not very hard work for an honest man to remain honest. 

 He will not have to watch or educate himself on that point, 



