178 MEMOIR. 



mare you did buy. She is not the mare I thought I was 

 buying either, so you just keep the mare.' And he proud- 

 ly strode to another part of the building." 



Another of Fasig's stories was tacked on to an old 

 driver, who was located at the Cleveland Driving Park 

 for a number of years. In the spring of 188 — , this man 

 was training a mare that was owned by two young men 

 who had an idea that they knew a trotter on sight. After 

 the jogging days of April and May were over, they came 

 out to the track regularly twice a week to see the mare 

 work, but they could never strike the right time. She 

 had either been worked the day before or had just been 

 worked, was a little off, would be worked the next day, 

 or something of that sort. The weeks ran into months, 

 and, while the mare looked good, they never had a chance 

 to see her opened up. Finally, growing desperate, they 

 both appeared on the scene and demanded a trial, or a day 

 and hour when they could see one. About this time the 

 Knights of Pythias engaged the track for an entertain- 

 ment and an exhibition drill. In order to give the occu- 

 pants of the Grand Stand an unobstructed view of the 

 infield, the Judges' stand was moved almost half way to 

 the distance. The trial was fixed for the day after the 

 drill and was limited to two fast quarters. After a couple 

 of slow miles, this cautious trainer stepped the natty little 

 mare, to the unbounded delight of her owners, the last 

 quarter in thirty-four seconds, and repeated it in thirty- 

 three seconds ; all of which was in the day of old-style 

 sulkies with high wheels. Pledging the driver to secrecy, 

 the happy pair of owners decided then and there that as 

 the season was well advanced they would keep the mare 

 over and make a killing in the "big ring" the following 

 year. The trainer never said boo, and never made a 



