CHAPTER IX. 



LEAVING TENNESSEE FOR VILLAGE FARM — NEW FIELD 

 VERY LARGE — GET OF CHIMES AND MAMBRINO 

 KING — FIRST PNEUMATIC SULKY USED IN GRAND 

 CIRCUIT — PURCHASE OF ROBERT J. — HIS GREAT 

 RACE WITH JOE PATCHEN — USING SHEEP TO 

 DRY RACE TRACK — RECORD OF ROBERT J. 



DURING the season of i89i,the Messrs. Hamlin 

 offered very tempting inducements for me to 

 move to Buffalo and assume the management 

 of the speed department of Village Farm, but I hesi- 

 tated long before thinking favorably of the proposi- 

 tion, as both my wife and myself were deeply attached 

 to our home and friends in Tennessee, and to sever 

 our relations with a people who had always treated us 

 with a kindness which we can never forget was no easy 

 matter; but the offer was so generous that I could not 

 afford to disregard it, and late in the fall concluded to 

 accept their proposition. As soon as my friends in 

 Tennessee became aware of my intention they offered 

 all kinds of inducements for me to remain in Tennessee 

 and suggested objections of a very discouraging nature 

 to my contemplated action. Among them was that 

 Mr. C. J. Hamlin was a very exacting man, and one 

 that scarcely any one was able to please in handling 

 his horses. While my acquaintance with him at that 

 time was very limited, I knew him well enough to know 

 that he was a thorough horseman and business man, 

 and I did not believe that I or any one need have any 



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