CHAPTER XIV 

 THE SALES 



I will not change my horse with any that treads but on four 

 pasterns. When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk. The earth 

 rings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musi- 

 cal than the pipe of Hermes. Henry V. 



IT was on the 30th of January, 1886, that the racing 

 world was startled by the announcement that Mr. 

 Lorlllard's entire stable of horses In training would be 

 sold by auction at the Rancocas farm, Saturday, Febru- 

 ary 27. The month had been mild enough until the 

 day prior to the sale, when a "cold wave" 

 ^^^ descended, followed by a gale of wind 



reaching a velocity of sixty miles an hour, and thus 

 rendered the expedition unpleasant. But the atten- 

 dance was very large — owners, trainers, jockeys, book- 

 makers, officials, race-goers, and journalists appeared 

 — and It quite reminded one of a great race-day. 



The sale was held In the mammoth glass-covered 

 building used as a playhouse for the weanlings In cold 

 weather, and a better place could not have been se- 

 lected, as the sunlight through the glass tempered the 



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