312 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



and Patchen came out to trot, for the day was very unpleas- 

 ant. In the first heat, Patchen took the lead, and was two 

 lengths in front at the quarter. On the back-stretch he 

 broJie, and Flora went by him ; but he trotted fast, and, after 

 a long brush, got to her head again at the drawgate. He 

 did not, however, succeed in keeping to his trot, but broke 

 again ; and she won in 2m. 28s. In the second heat, they 

 trotted very fast ; the stallion going like a whirlwind in 

 places, but.not with the steadiness of the mare. Her even 

 stroke, and fine dash at the conclusion, won it in 2m. 23s. 

 The third was a tremendous heat. Flora was first over the 

 score by half a length, in 2m. 24s. ; but the heat was given 

 to the stallion, because Flora broke near home, and had 

 crossed him when she ought not to have done so. It may 

 be doubted whether a strict construction of the rules would 

 not have warranted the distancing of her; but it is probable 

 the judges based their decision on the break, and not on the 

 crossing. 



They came up for another heat, and went away at great 

 speed without the word. It was getting dark ; and, in spite 

 of the recall, they kept on. Flora come out ahead ; but the 

 judges had not given the word, and declared it no heat. 

 The race was postponed until the following day, but was 

 never trotted out. On the 24th of November, it being 

 Thanksgiving Day, Flora Temple and Ethan AHeii trotted 

 for a purse of $1,500, mile heats, three in five, in harness. 

 Flora got off on a hobble, broke at the turn, and lost the 

 first heat in 2m. 27s. The second heat was a good one. 

 The stallion was out-trotted for the first half-mile, and Flora 

 took the pole ; but he got to her head as they swung into 

 the straight work, and, for a moment, looked like winning it. 

 He was, however, unable to maintain the pace, and broke. 

 She won that heat in 2m. 26js., and took the third and 

 fourth in 2m. 27s., 2m. 29|. They had not yet done with 

 her that winter; for, on the first of December, she trotted 

 mile heats, three in five, in harness, against Ethan Allen, 



