EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. IO3 



in good time. J. B. Thomas won the heat easily in 2:21 1, as 

 there was no horse that could make him go faster. This heat 

 did not seem to excite the people any, so I made up my mind 

 to go along and win it. I concluded first money was about 

 all I would get out of it. When we got the word in the sec- 

 ond heat I moved along up to J. B. Thomas, and before I had 

 got to the half-mile pole I made up my mind I had quite a job 

 on my hands to beat him. Every time I moved up he seemed 

 to slide away from me. I thought he could go just about as 

 fast as he liked, but I kept hammering away at him, as Kite- 

 foot was a mare that I could commence to drive as soon as I 

 got the word and kept at it all the way, and seemed to go a little 

 faster every time I spoke to her or touched her with the rein or 

 whip. I want to tell you that kind of horses are very scarce. 

 J. B. Thomas went to the half-mile pole in 1:08. I was about 

 a length and a half back of him, but as we neared the three- 

 quarter pole I had crept up and lapped him. When we fairly 

 straighted into the stretch I was about on even terms with 

 him. By this time I was satisfied I could beat him the heat. 

 Then the thought struck me, " Had I not better let Thomas 

 win the heat," for I knew it would be quite a little faster than 

 the one before and might help the betting. Little did I think 

 it would be trotted better than 2:18 or he would have won it, 

 I assure you, for it would have been just a little easier to have 

 lost the heat than to have won it. I went all the way to the 

 wire undecided. First I would think, I'll take the heat, then 

 again rU lose it ; but finally I said to myself, " I'll win it," 

 and gave my mare a crack with the whip and done so. But 

 in less than two minutes I was sorry for it. My son was there 

 and had my watch. He timed the heat and was the first one that 

 got to me. As I dismounted he said, " Pa, pa, that was a fast 

 heat; it was better than 2:17." I saiJ, "Pshaw, young man, 

 you have not got that right." And I didn't think he had, for 

 I had never seen the mare go a smoother mile in my life, and 

 let me tell you, that is when they go fast miles. You cannot 

 have much friction and trot in 2:16 or 2:18. I looked at his 



