LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 65 



to explain, he said to me that he would, at the same time 

 giving me his reasons, and I may say here that it was not 

 because he had lost confidence in his horse, as he still 

 insisted, and, I am sure, believed^ that he would eventually 

 be the greatest trotter the world ever saw. 



After a pleasant visit of a day or two, I returned to Kew 

 York, and, one day in my rambles, met Mr. James Wallace, 

 who was at that time one of the most liberal patrons of the 

 trotting turf. Mr. Wallace was always ready to buy a good 

 horse, pay a good price for him, trot him, and give the driver 

 everything that was made with him. In the course of our 

 conversation I told Mr. Wallace what I thought of Rarus, 

 and also informed him of what Mr. Conklin had said about 

 selling. He told me to find out just what would buy Rarus, 

 and made an appointment to see me again. I met him after- 

 ward, and stated the price, which I had found out from Mr. 

 Conklin. Wallace said that if I would, under a certain 

 contract, undertake to train and drive his horses, he would 

 buy Rarus. I accepted his proposition, and the first of the 

 month started in under the contract. I wrote Mr. Conklin, 

 and he came to New York to close the deal with Mr. Wal- 

 lace. About this time some one of the many people there- 

 abouts, who were always ready to advise everybody about 

 their own business, told Mr. Wallace that Rarus was an un- 

 sound horse, and advised him, under no consideration, to buy 

 him. Mr. Wallace sent for me, and stated the case. He told 

 me to pay Mr. Conklin liberally for any trouble that he 

 might have been at, but, under the circumstances, he thought 

 it would not be advisable to buy Rarus. He said, however, 

 that he would buy any good horse that might aj)pear on the 

 turf in the spring. Mr. Conklin did not seem much dis- 

 appointed when I told him what Mr. Wallace had said, 

 simply saying: " Very well; there may come a day when 

 he will want to buy him and can't" — words that afterward 

 came true, as Mr. Wallace, on one occasion afterward, told 

 me he would give $20,000 for the horsg. 



In the spring of 1876 Mr. Conklin gave his horse, to 



