306 THE TROTTINO-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



they wem; away down east to Portland, in Maine, and gave 

 an exhibition there on the 1st of September. Flora won all 

 the heats again, — the fastest, 2m. 26Js. 



The next trot was at Suffolk Park, Philadelphia ; and this 

 was for a real purse given by the proprietor, and not for a 

 share of the gate-money. It was the opening of that Park. 

 It was on the 8th of September; and the purse was $1,500, 

 mile heats, three in five, in harness. The day was flne„the 

 expectation was great ; and no less than twelve thousand peo- 

 ple had come together to see the mighty mares. At the 

 start, in the first heat. Flora rushed off at great speedy and 

 Princess soon broke badly. While she was bobbing up and 

 down, Flora opened a great gap, and could easily have dis- 

 tanced her; but McMann took a longpuU and a strong pull, 

 and let Princess come up, so as to make it look a little like 

 a race. Flora won by three lengths : time, 2m. 41^s. 



When that time was announced, there was a good deal of 

 dissatisfaction expressed. The people hooted and groaned 

 at Eoff, but it was not his fault. The mare had lost her 

 fine turn of speed in a measure, and was becoming more 

 and more unsteady. Flora had got her on the go-down- 

 wards, and was fast breaking her heart. However, the 

 judges pacified the crowd, by announcing, that, if Princess 

 did not win the next heat, I should drive her in the third. 

 She made another bad break in the second heat, and was 

 beat in 2m. 31s. I w^s then induced to drive her. I did 

 not much like the arrangement ; for my opinion was, that she 

 had no more chance to beat' Flora that day than I had to 

 beat her and go a-foot : but, as the judges had quieted the 

 threats of the crowd by means of this device, I consented. 

 Flora took the lead at the start, trotted the heat in 2m. 238,, 

 and Princess was distanced. 



On the 10th, the mares trotted at Baltimore. The first 

 heat Flora won in 2m. 293. ; the second in 2m. 31s. ; the 

 third she trotted in 2m. 22s. ; and Eoff pulled Princess up 

 at the half-mile pole, there being no semblance of a contest. 



