166 LIFE "WITH THE TROTTERS. 



"2:15f . I did not make a move in either one of these heats, 

 and of course there was nothing left for me to do in the 

 third mile but to go out and make a fight. When they gave 

 the word Jewett went away with the lead. At the quarter 

 pole he was two lengths in front of us, and going down the 

 back stretch he outpaced me at least another length, but 

 at the half-mile pole I set sail, and, when we turned into the 

 stretch, Winnie R. commenced to gain on him, but very 

 slowly. From there to the judges' stand, both horses were 

 driven for their lives, and Minnie R. beat Jewett a nose in 

 2:16i, which most people thought a pretty good third heat 

 for two comparatively green pacers to make. 



Jewett was a good deal distressed after the heat, and, 

 while it did not look very rosy to me, I felt fairly confident 

 that Minnie E.. would beat him the race. She did, but not 

 Avithout a struggle, as he hung on and went one of the best 

 races of his life. Just before the race started my old friend 

 Charlie Perkins, whom everybody around a race track is on 

 friendly tenns with, came and asked m^e what I thought 

 about the race. I told him to bet every dollar he had on 

 Minnie R., as I thought he would win it, sure and easy. 

 After the race was over, Perkins came around and in his 

 own peculiar manner, told me that times had changed con- 

 siderably since he was a boy, as in those days men would not 

 tell a friend to put liis last dollar on as close a race as that 

 was. But, after I explained to him that Jewett was about 

 three seconds faster than I thought he was, Charlie said that 

 as long as he had Avon his money, he would foi'give me. 



From Buffalo we went to Rochester, where Minnie R. 

 met and defeated the same field of horses, in four heats, 

 Jewett winning one heat. None of the pacers were at their 

 best in this race, as they had not gotten over the scorching 

 time they had at Buffalo. We returned West from there, and 

 gave a number of exhibitions Avith running mate, in all of 

 Avhich Minnie R. .acted Avell and went fast. In this per- 

 formance at Chicago, Avhere Minnie R. made her record, the 

 runner Avas not right up to his best form, as he had taken 



