LIFE WITH THE TROTTEES. 267 



the wire so close that I hardly think anyone could tell 

 which horse was first. Here Jimmy put me in mind of his 

 illustrious namesake, James G. Blaine, because he claimed 

 everything and conceded nothing. He told the judges that 

 I had scared his horse off his feet, carried him wide on the 

 turns, and that my conduct had been unbecoming a gentle- 

 man and a scholar, and his friends who were many, and 

 who backed the horse, i hought the judges were bound tO' 

 decide the heat in favor of Richardson whether or no. I 

 thought at the time and still believe that Protection was 

 entitled to the heat and race. He had trotted five heats 

 without making a break, over a rough heavy track and 

 there was no heat that Richardson Lad not indulged in. 

 a good deal of breaking. After the crowd had shouted 

 themselves hoarse I got a chance to make a statement to 

 the judges and they awarded the heat and race to Protec- 

 tion. Some of the critics said tbat my talk got the race,, 

 but if the money is hung up for trotting horses I don' t see 

 why they should not all be compelled to go on a trot if 

 they expect to win it. I don't think any horse should be 

 allowed to run in a heat under any circumstances, unless it 

 is a running race. In aU the last races that I drove Pro- 

 tection in I had him shod with a light shoe, a two-ounce 

 toe-weight, leather and sponge, and had him calked about the 

 same as you would for the road. He had a low lieel and a 

 big frog and I found that the hard track seemed to hurt 

 him. I put the calks on to break the concussion, and he 

 went better. All through this campaign Protection acted 

 very steady, and contrary to what everyone said about 

 him, proved himself much better than an empty stall and 

 gave me renewed faith in the Volunteer blood. 



William Darling dates his connection with the turf many 

 years back, from the same school with Peter Johnston, Ed 

 Brown, Jimmy Boyle and others of that class. In his 

 younger days Darling did not have the same opportu- 

 nity to make trotters that trainers do in these times owing 

 to the great difference in raw material, but that Darling 



