iVben Boston met Fashion 267 



gap round the turn to within a few feet. At this 

 moment the excited multitude broke through all 

 restraint in their anxiety to witness the termi- 

 nation of the heat, and the course was nearly 

 blocked up. 



" On coming out through a narrow gantlet of 

 thousands of spectators, excited to the highest 

 pitch, both horses very naturally faltered at the 

 tremendous shouts which made the welkin ring. 

 Up the quarter-stretch Gil made another desper- 

 ate effort to win the race out of the fire. He ap- 

 plied his thong freely, while Joe Laird drew his 

 whip on the mare more than once, and 'tapped 

 her claret ' at the same time. 



"Inside of the gate it was 'a hollow thing,' 

 though Boston nearly closed the gap at the dis- 

 tance stand, as Gil fairly caught Joe by surprise ; 

 but at this critical moment a friend of Fashion 

 shouted to Joe to ' Rouse up the mare ! Boston's 

 on you ! ' when he gave her the spur and a severe 

 cut with his thong. True as steel, Fashion re- 

 sponded to the call. She instantly recovered her 

 stride and came in about a length ahead, with 

 apparently something in hand to spare, closing 

 the heat in 7.32J, the fastest, by all odds, ever run 

 in America. 



