KEEPING ENGAGEMENTS. 533 



G. F. HITCHINS, ESQ., R. R. Contractor. 

 E. WENTWORTH, ESQ., Supt. State Reform School. 

 GEO. MILLIKEN, Grocery and Provisions Dealer, and Prop. 

 Glen House, N. EL 

 And 50 others. 



I have many times been compelled to take such des- 

 perate chances in the subjection of especially dangerous 

 horses, that it was like hazarding my life to the merest 

 chances of success ; yet it has been my good fortune, that 

 in an experience of over twenty years I never had a bone 

 broken, nor have I been seriously disabled, though I have 

 had many narrow escapes. I have also been singularly 

 fortunate in not killing or seriously injuring a horse, though 

 frequently compelled to take great chances. 



One of the great secrets of my success was that I never 

 resorted to any jockeyism, and always told the exact truth 

 as nearly as I could. I made it a special point to tell the 

 people exactly what I could do, and if I failed to give the 

 promised satisfaction in every particular, I would give to 

 each man his money back. 



In looking back I find one great element of my success 

 to have been that I made it a rule, no matter how difficult, 

 to always keep faith with the public by keeping my en- 

 gagements. I have many times declined the offer of large 

 classes because it would necessitate remaining over the ap- 

 pointed time and thus prevent my fulfilling an engagement 

 elsewhere, even though there the prospects for success 

 might seem extremely doubtful. During periods of ob- 

 struction in traveling I have often paid nearly as much for 

 aid in opening roads and being carried through as I would 

 make in filling the engagement. No storm, however se- 

 vere, if it were possible to go through it, was ever sufficient 

 to deter me from keeping an engagement. In addition, the 

 interest many would evince in my efforts after joining my 

 classes was frequently not only generous but flattering in 



