CHARLES BACKMAN AND STONY FORD 



was put in at $10,000. The story of this remarkable 

 sale, when telegraphed over the country, stiffened 

 prices in all directions, and gave fresh impetus to 

 the trotting-horse breeding industry. It was the first 

 time that Mr. Allen had ever visited Stony Ford, 

 and he was a complete stranger to the gay party 

 which arrived at six o'clock on the train from New 

 York over the Ontario & Western Railroad. It was 

 Mr. Backman's birthday, and the gentlemen had 

 come up to celebrate it with a formal dinner. Mr. 

 Allen mildly protested that his wardrobe was not 

 suitable for a gathering of the kind, but his host 

 silenced all objections on this point. The New 

 Yorkers, among whom were Colonel Lawrence Kip, 

 A. Newbold Morris, A. A. Bonner, Albert C. Hall, 

 and David Bonner, went to their rooms to dress, 

 and, after they had gathered in the smoking-room, 

 properly attired for a high social function, they 

 turned to Mr. Backman, during the temporary ab- 

 sence of Mr. Allen, and facetiously inquired: 



" Uncle Charles, who is the countryman that you 

 are entertaining? " 



" His name is William Russell Allen. He is a 

 resident of the Berkshires, and also of St. Louis. He 

 has a little fancy for trotters and I have this after- 

 noon made to him the largest sale in the history of 

 Stony Ford." 



"What?" was the chorus of astonishment. 



" You do not mean to tell us that he has gone one 

 better than the Governor Stanford sale?" 



77 



