344 Tbe American Tbormigbbred 



spread his fore legs so wide that you might have 

 rolled a barrel between them. The boy pulled 

 him together and called upon him the second 

 time. With a noble effort he got up to Bas- 

 sett's girths again, as the latter was doing all 

 he knew. 



Longfellow, wabbling in his stride, still fight- 

 ing, still struggling, still answering the call of 

 his boy, forced Harry Bassett out to the very 

 last ounce to beat him a length. 



The shouts of the great multitude rent the 

 afternoon air. But the acclamation for Harry 

 Bassett was quickly and gallantly changed to 

 expressions of sorrow for Longfellow when they 

 saw the Kentucky horse trying to pull up. 

 When the boy endeavored to stop the big horse, 

 Longfellow's pain was so terrible that twice he 

 came near falling on his head. With difficulty 

 he finally came to a standstill, and then, as he 

 limped back to the judges' stand his progress 

 was marked by only three hoof-prints in the 

 dust of the course. The fourth foot he did not 

 put down at all. 



After the race the great horse stood in his 

 box, holding the foot upon its mangled edge, 

 and as each visitor came in he would turn his 



