64 LIFE WITH THE TROTTEES. 



I asked who he was, and one of the boys told me that was; 

 Mr. Conklin, the owner of Rarns. I stepped out and said 

 good morning to him, and we naturally fell to chatting about 

 the result of the race the day before. He felt very much 

 cast down to think thatRarus had been beaten; was willing 

 to acknowledge that Kansas was a good horse, but not that 

 he was the superior of Rarus. I told him his horse had too 

 long a season, and was out of condition, and at the same 

 time told him that I thought Rarus showed speed enough 

 in the race to convince me that he was the fastest horse I 

 ever saw. This remark of mine must have touched a sym- 

 pathetic chord in the old man' s heart, for from that day 

 until he died no man had a warmer friend than I had in Mr. 

 Conklin. In the course of our conversation he told me that, 

 if he ever made a change of drivers, I should have the first 

 chance with his horse, and gave me a pressing invitation to 

 come over to Long Island, and visit him at his home. This 

 invitation I accepted, later on. About the 1st of January I 

 took a Long Island train to Mr. Conklin' s home. 1 arrived 

 there at six o'clock in the evening, and was invited in to an 

 old-fashioned farm-house supper, and introduced to Mr. 

 Conklin' s family. After doing ample justice to the good 

 things at the table, of which there was no lack, the old 

 gentleman lit his lantern, put on his big coat and boots, and 

 Ave stai-ted out to visit Rarus. I found the horse in the stall, as 

 pleasantly situated as I ever saw him afterward. Plenty of 

 room, good bedding, lots of blankets, and in the room ad- 

 joining the stall, fitted up as an office, was a nice tire and 

 comfortable chairs, which the old gentleman had provided 

 for the reception of his friends. When he ordered the 

 blankets taken off Rarus, I could see, by the light of the 

 lantern, that he had filled out and developed into a grand 

 looking horse. He seemed to have entirely recovered from 

 his summer's campaign, and was very much improved in 

 every way. We sat down and talked until bedtime, and in 

 the course of our conversation I asked Mr. Conklin if he 

 would sell his horse. For reasons which it is not necessary 



