C R E.SCEUS, 2:02V4 



members of the Driving- and Riding Club of Denver, 

 and on behalf of the thousands of enthusiastic citizens 

 of Colorado, I bid the king of trotters — the great Cres- 

 ceus — welcome, thrice welcome to the track of this 

 association, and I close with a suggestion to Mr. 

 Ketcham that Cresceus should go fast to-day because 

 the track stands nearer heaven than any the king has 

 ever journeyed around in his lightning-made records. 

 One and all, we wish you 'good speed.' " 



As the speaker closed and stepped back while the 

 applause rang, the multitude discovered Mr. Ketcham 

 just behind him. They cheered him lustily, and called 

 for a speech, and Mr. Ketcham responded as follows : 



"Ladies and Gentlemen : The trouble is, Cresceus 

 and myself are both too near heaven to do much talk- 

 ing. x\ll w^e can say is, that we will do the best we can. 

 Mr. Springer has just told you that the track record 

 is 2:ii|, and that we will lower that. We will cer- 

 tainly do our best, and if we can we will do even bet- 

 ter than that, but you know neither of us brag. We 

 are afraid to; we don't like to make explanations 

 afterwards. I want to take this opportunity to thank 

 you all for the warm reception you have given my 

 horse and myself. On behalf of Cresceus, I should 

 say, I desire to thank the members of the club as well 

 as the people of Denver generally, for the very kind 

 welcome you have extended us. I have raced over 

 the principal courses of this country and Europe, and 

 I have never seen a better looking crowd than the 



