CHAPTER XV 



DOUBLE HARNESS RIVALRY 



IN 1889 Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage addressed a 

 letter to me, in which he says : 



" Horses are very much like men. They love com- 

 panionship. They go better when side by side. The 

 rataplan of their hoofs, the breath of each upon 

 each, the magnetism of another horse's presence are 

 augmentations of velocity and power. Of course, I 

 speak of a good sensible horse, one of ambition and 

 pluck and noble heredity. Of the horse poorly 

 bred, and one with all spirit banged out of him, I 

 do not speak. You are right in supposing I like 

 a horse. Ministers always do. The Bible has many 

 horses, and they are all spirited." 



This letter was brought out by a controversy in 

 the public prints over the merits of rival pairs in 

 harness. It is very difficult to find two horses of 

 the same color, size, temperament, and speed, and 

 when you do obtain them, you have a pair that is 

 the envy of your neighbors. At one time John D. 

 Rockefeller took great interest in driving a good 

 pair of trotters, but in this field of recreation he 

 lagged behind his brother, Wm. Rockefeller. The 

 third brother, Frank Rockefeller, the youngest of 

 the family, was also fond of double-harness speed, 



