CHAPTER VII 



ECLIPSE AND HENRY 



A CHARMING writer of that time, who signed 

 himself " An Old Turfman," wrote the account 

 of this memorable contest which has been ac- 

 cepted as the best description of a race that 

 instituted an era upon the American turf. His 

 telling of it is this : — 



" At length the rising sun gave promise that 

 the eventful day would prove fine and unclouded. 

 I was in the field at the peep of dawn, and 

 observed that the Southern horse and mare, led 

 by Henry Curtis in their walk, were both plated, 

 treated alike, and both in readiness for the ap- 

 proaching contest. It was yet unknown to the 

 Northern sportsmen which was to be their com- 

 petitor. 



" The road from New York to the course, a 

 distance of eight miles, was covered by horse- 

 men and a triple line of carriages, in an un- 

 broken chain, from the dawn of day until one 

 o'clock, the appointed hour of starting. The 

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