OLD-TIME TKOTTERS. 223 



For some time it was quite the fashion for distinguished 

 men visiting the city of New York to seek the opportunity of 

 riding behind this world-renowned gelding ; and for a time he 

 was, undoubtedly, the best known horse that ever lived. 



Dexter became quite cranky in his old age, and for years 

 before his death he seemed to delight in frightening the timid 

 who called upon him in his box. He would come at them with 

 ears laid back and mouth wide open, but if one stood his ground 

 he was soon all right again. He was just thirty years old 

 when he died, April 21, 1888. 



AMERICAN GIRL. 



American Girl, 2.16J, was a bay mare foaled in 1862, bred 

 by Philip Travis of Peekskill, N. Y. Her sire was Cassius M. 

 Clay, Jr., and her dam a sorrel mare about fifteen and one-half 

 hands high with one hind foot of a conspicuous white and a 

 stripe in her face of the same color. This dam had a clean cut 

 expression indicating intelligence, and her general make-up in- 

 dicated her to ba a thoroughbred or closely allied to that 

 breed ; and it was generally believed at Dansville, Va., where 

 she was raised and owned until near the time of the breaking 

 out of the civil war, that she was an immediate descendant of 

 Old Boston. 



This mare had run several races at Dansville previous to 

 coming north, and was held in high esteem by her owner, 

 Wright Travis, who, being a northern man, was, on account of 

 his political views, most emphatically requested by a special 

 committee to vacate that section of the country. So, as the 

 climate of Yirginia was getting altogether too hot for him, he 

 concluded to accept the invitation to " move on " without 

 much parley or delay ; consequently he with his family and 

 some personal effects: it is said, became a " mover." He went 

 toward the north pole drawn by a sorrel mare with her sorrel 

 mate and a bay gelding as a spare horse ; his destination was 

 his old home at Peekskill on the Hudson, N". Y. 



When Philadelphia was reached, the funds becoming low, 



