ETHAN ALLEN 185, 



even to two to one on Dexter. Long before noon the crowd began 

 to assemble, and sporting men everywhere were shaking rolls of 

 greenbacks over their heads, shouting, 'Two to one on Dexter'. I 

 met a friend from Chicago, who sometimes speculates a little, and 

 when he told me he was betting 'two to one on Dexter', I took 

 the liberty of advising him to be cautious, for I thought the team 

 would win the race, and that its backers knew \vhat they were doing. 

 Before the hour arrived, I secured a seat on the ladies' stand, from 

 which every foot of the course and the countless multitude of peo- 

 ple could be taken in at a glance. The vehicles were simply incal- 

 culable, and the people were like a vast sea. The multitude was esti- 

 mated at forty thousand ! 



" Upon the arrival of the hour, the judges ascended the stand, 

 and rang up the horses, when the backers of the team came forward, 

 explained the mishap that had befallen the runner, that they had 

 Brown George's mate on the ground, but, as he and Ethan had never 

 been hitched together, they were unwilling to risk so large a sum, 

 and closed the race by paying one thousand two hundred and fifty 

 dollars forfeit. When this announcement was made, there was a 

 general murmur that spread, step by step, through all the vast mul- 

 titude. The betting fraternity were just where they started, and every 

 spectator realized a feeling of disgust at the whole management. As 

 soon as this had had time to exert its intended effect upon the crowd, 

 the backers of the team came forward again, and, expressing their un- 

 willingness to have the people go away dissatisfied, proposed a little 

 match of two hundred and fifty dollars a side, which was promptly 

 accepted by the Dexter party ; and when it was known that there 

 would be a race after all, the shout of the multitude was like the 

 voice of many waters. This being a new race, the betting men had to 

 commence again. The surroundings of the pool stands were packed 

 with an eager and excited crowd, anxious to get on their money at 

 two, and, rather than miss, at three to one on Dexter. The work of 

 the auctioneers was 'short, sharp, and decisive', and the tickets 

 were away up in the hundreds, and oftentimes in the thousands. But 

 the pool stands did not seem to accommodate more than a small 

 fraction of those anxious to invest, and in all directions, in the surg- 

 ing crowd, hands were in the air, filled with rolls of greenbacks, and 

 shouting, 'two to one on Dexter' ! I was curious to note what be- 

 came of these noisy offers, and I soon observed that a quiet-looking 

 man came along, took all one party had to invest, and then quietly 

 went to another of the shouters, and then another, and so on, till I 

 think every one who had money to invest at that rate was accommo- 



