30 LIFE WITH THE TEOTTEES. 



I made a contract with Simmons to worli for him on a. 

 salary, to train and drive liis horses, he leserving the right 

 to advise and counsel with me, a fact which proved of more 

 value to me than my salary, as I had the advantage of his. 

 experience. Mr. Simmons was in his day one of the- 

 greatest match-makers we ever had. It was not an uncom- 

 mon thing for him to make races for his horses when the- 

 stakes were as as high as $5,000 a side, and it was hes 

 who matched Ethan ^iUen and running mate against. 

 Dexter in harness. Mr. Simmons never told me how much 

 money he won on that race, but it must have been a- 

 large amount, as Dexter was a great favorite, and Mace^ 

 had given Ethan a trial and convinced Mr. Simmons- 

 he would surely win. In that case it was only a. 

 question of how much the other party was willing to bet. 

 Mr. Simmons had a great deal of faith in Kansas Chief, 

 and told me he was certain the horse would beat 2:20, and. 

 in those days that amount of speed meant to beat every 

 horse in the world, with the exception of perhaps two or- 

 three. The day I took Kansas Chief he was shod with tips. 

 in front and what might be called a half shoe, weighing- 

 about six or seven ounces, behind. The reason of this was. 

 that his feet had become very much contracted and sore. 

 Mr. Simmons thought that by shoeing him in this way th& 

 pressure would be brought on the frog and force the foot, 

 out into its normal position. We commenced at him very 

 guardedly, giving him slow work and doing everything we- 

 could think of to relieve his feet. Along in September h& 

 showed a mile in about 2:30, and we felt very much encour- 

 aged. The same treatment of the feet was continued, and 

 just before the track closed in the fall Mr. Simmons came over 

 and asked me to drive the Chief a mile. I did so in 2:29^, he- 

 being still shod in the same manner, and after I got out of" 

 the sulky Mr. Simmons asked me if I thought I could, 

 drive him better than that. I said I thought I could, and. 

 he appointed a day to come over and see me drive him. 

 again. When the time came I asked Mr. Simmons if I 



