infant who is in after life a genuine admirer of a good
horse." Of these Uncle Dan was the star. He had an eye
for a horse, while he never grew weary expatiating on
the beauty and goodness of a certain blaze-faced, small
gelding, bay in color and "Morgan on both sides," that
could out trot, out walk, out run, and out pull any horse
in Ashland County for fun, money or marbles.
   The old story about the bent twig has a striking exam-
ple in the case of William B. Fasig. From the time that
he could toddle, the stable had more attraction for him
than the schoolhouse, and as soon as he was permitted
to drive a horse, a brush on the road or the third of a
mile tan bark track, was, in his eyes, the only thing on
earth worth living for. The limit of boyhood delights
was reached when his father gave him two mares. One
was called Nell and the other Jenny. Nell was a roan
mare considerably older than her new owner. She had
the heaves, a docked tail, and was adorned with a pair of
bone spavins. But all of these defects were lost sight of
from the fact that she could trot like a blue streak. There
was not a horse in that "neck of woods" that could step
by her, and the climax was reached when she made her
youthful owner the "King of the castle" by defeating the
local star,Lucy,at the county fair, for a 25 purse in 3:03.
The band was not called out to "See the conquering hero
come," but the desire to have it, and the showman in-
stinct to wish for it was there, even at that date. For
weeks "Benny" Fasig and Nell were at the top of the
heap, and when Uncle Dan called there was talk of rec-
ord-smashing that made the performances of Lady Suf-
folk, Ethan Allen, Dutchman and Flora Temple, look
hazy. All dreams of youth have silver linings. We have
all had them, our children will have them, their children



8



MREMOIR .