LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 155 



try to do too mucli with liiin, for fear he might make a 

 break and spoil it all. He thought that, perhaps, driving 

 him to the half-mile pole in 1:04 would be too fast, and 

 make him stop, but I figured that the Chicago track was at 

 least two seconds faster than the one at Milwaukee, where he 

 paced in2:10,and I also thought that thateffort had done the 

 horse good. I told Mr. Woodmansee I was sure that I would 

 be safe in trying to drive him to the half-mile pole in 1;04. 

 So when the time came I scored Johnston down a couple 

 of times easily, took my watch in my hand, and brought 

 him to the stand at about what I considered a 2:08 gait, got 

 the word at the third attempt, and went the first eighth of 

 a mile in Just sixteen seconds. I never clucked or spoke to 

 him in any way, he simply swinging along at a great big 

 open gait, as though he was out for exercise. He went this 

 clip to the quarter pole, where he landed in thirty-two sec- 

 onds. The same even stride was continued down the back 

 stretch, and I timed him to the half-mile pole in just 1:04. 

 In going around the upper turn, I pulled him a trifle wide 

 on the turn, as the water had washed the track out a little 

 next to the pole. That quarter we went, by my watch, in 31^ 

 seconds. I had not yet spoken to him, but he seemingly 

 increased his speed from the half-mUe pole on. At the 

 three-quarter pole I found we had landed in 1:35, and knew, 

 from the ease with which he went there, that lie was bound 

 to beat all the records that had ever been made, unless he 

 fell down. I never spoke to him until he was vrithin an- 

 eighth of a mile of the judges' stand. There I pulled the 

 bit through his mouth gently, and spoke tb him once. He 

 seemed to straighten out and go lower to the ground, and 

 the sulky commenced to weave a little, as though it were 

 hooked to an express train. After he got well straight- 

 ened out into his stride I leaned over and touched him 

 gently with the whip, when we were within about 100 yards 

 of the wire, and he shot out at a rate of speed that I never 

 before saw any horse attain. He passed the stand going 

 better than a two-minute gait, finishing the mile, as I made 



