AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 39 



barre, and I have the pleasant recollection that 

 over FIVE HUNDRED persons there secured the 

 knowledge of properly educating the horse, and 

 before taking my leave I was presented with a 

 diploma that would have cheered the heart of a 

 statesman. The following, from A. Ricketts, 

 Esq., will show how even incredulity was con- 

 vinced, and strongly-rooted prejudices were over- 

 come: 



WiLKESBARRE, Pa., April 2J, i86g. 

 Dear Sir : Permit me to introduce Prof. O. S. Pratt, 

 teacher of doubtless the best system of horse-training yet 

 discovered, and to add my unqualified recommendation of 

 the same to any of you that may care to know how to be 

 master of the horse. When Prof. Pratt first came here, I, 

 in common with others, passed and repassed his amphithe- 

 atre daily, thinking no more of it than that it was something 

 pertaining to horse-jockeyship, and therefore did not think 

 it worth while to turn aside to see the " free exhibition " he 

 advertised ; but one day the representations of a friend in- 

 duced me to purchase a ticket for his instructions. I was 

 at once so impressed with the utility of the system that I ad- 

 vised all my friends to become members of his class. The 

 satisfaction expressed by all gave me full reason to be glad 

 that I had adopted this course, which, by the way, was 

 adopted on the principle of doing to others as I would 



