THE TROTTING-nORSE OF AMERICA. 361 



enormous. He was chock-full of fire and devil, and, if 

 any thing, a little too eager. 



When he got the word. Murphy steadied him nicely, and 

 he went to the quarter in 34s. This would win, and he was 

 well within himself The next quarter was a little faster 

 than I wanted, as they made the time at the half-mile Im. 

 6^s., giving 32 Js. for the second quarter; but it may have 

 varied a small trifle from this, as the half-mile pole was 

 down. Everybody was saying he will do it easy, when he 

 broke half-way along the Flushing end. He caught well. 

 I have heard people maintain that he did not lose by that 

 break, as if a horse can break when trotting better than a 

 twenty gait and catch again without losing. It is true 

 that he may run fast enough and far enough to make up 

 for it ; but Dexter did not do so. When he broke, the peo- 

 ple cried, " He can't do it this time." But he settled weU; 

 and, when he came on to the home-stretch, he had a fine burst 

 ill. I was up towards there, and sung out to Johnny, as he 

 came by me, " Cut him loose : you'll do it yet ! " Then 

 Johnny clucked to him, and he went away like an arrow 

 from the bow, true and straight, and with immense resolu- 

 tion and power of stroke. I knew he must do it if he did 

 not break before he got to the score, and up I tossed my hat 

 into the air. I never felt happier in all my life. The time 

 given by the judges was 2m. 18^s. : the outsiders made it 

 somewhat less. Murphy rode this race with nerve, judg- 

 ment, and skill. He went faster in the second quarter than 

 he thought he was going ; but, after the break, he rode it to 

 perfection. Most lads would have gone all to pieces, and 

 taken the horse along with them, after that crisis ; but John- 

 ny was cool and judgmatical. He collected and steadied 

 his horse, and brought him on to the stretch exactly as I 

 told him to bring him, — in wind and h eart for a grand ral- 

 ly. To stand behind and see him go, after Murphy clucked 

 to him and moved his bit, was the finest thing I ever saw 

 in all my life. 



