The Penn's Grove record., 1883-09-29
Romance of the Border.

NSNJ AtDN
southwestern frontier knew Monte
Kate. She has prominently figured as
a border character for the past twenty
years. | never met any II who knew
her real name or aught of her ante
cedents. | saw her for the first time
here during the summer of 1866. She
was then the talk of the tewn-brilliant,
witty, young, divinely beautiful and
possessed of an abundance of money
which was literally supplied her by the
countless friends the witchery of her
smile had won TO her side.
She had just come in from one of the
frontier posts, and was scattering her
money right and left. She had sump-
tuous apartments at the best hotel,
drank the costliest wines, ate the very
choicest of viands, and drove about
the Alamo City in a naughty little
phaeton, drawn by a pair of mettlesome
''pied" ponies. l saw her every day
for two weeks. One evening on the
military plaza she passed me as | was
strolling with a friend along the bon
quette.
"A pretty woman,' | observed.
eyes, replied my friend, that's
Monte Kate, She's been here about
three weeks on a regular spree. Yes
terday the sheriff attached her ponies
and carriage for debt, and she was
forced to give up her apartments at the
hotel. She has a friend out at II of
the, frontier posts and she has sent for
him to come to her relief. He has to
do it every time she ome to the city.
He'll be here tomorrow, pay her debts
and take her back with him. Next day
she'll make another big stake and she'll
come in here to spend it. She'll never
let up until she's dead broke, and then
she'll go back to her game and drink
nothing until she's way ahead"
''She runs "a game then 2n
"Yes-monte. That's how she got
her name. She's the slickest dealer ON
the frontier"
The next morning | went down to
the depot to see a friend off. On the
platform at the station was huddled a
little group, a man, evidently a Ger
man, his sick wife and three children,
the youngest a baby, who was crying
piteously. They We're on their way to
New Braunfels, and were out of money,
They had no friends, and 10 one there
seemed to think it his duty to inquire
into or attempt 10 alleviate their suf-
ferings. The woman, who was young
and had an interesting face, was moan
ing pitifully, and the poor husband
tried To console her, while great tears
rolled down his cheeks and dropped on
the wasted hands of his helpmeet. My
friend made some inquiries from one
of the bystanders about them, and was
going To order their removal to some
place where the sick woman could re-
ceive proper medical attention when a
street hack drove up and Monte Kate
alighted. Her cheeks were flushed an
she walked unsteadily. The crowd
about the poor family caught her eye
and she anne toward it. When she
saw the mans tears and the big, hun
CRY eyes of the children, and the wan,
thin face of the mother, her womanly
sympathy was aroused. She pushed
het way forward, and addressed the
man "a few words in his native tongue lie.
He wiped his eyes with his hand and
replied, and for several minutes they
carried on an animated conversation.
Suddenly Kate faced the crowd and
her eyes flashed with scorn.
You're a fine lot of suckers, you
are ~ she cried. Here's this poor
man, with a sick wife and starving
children, been lying on this platform
ever since yesterday, and nobody in all
the city had heart enough to throw
them a bone OF a crust of bread. You
call yourselves Christians. ] am glad
| amt, but I've got a heart, and Ican't
see "a dog suffer. All of you have
money in your pocket. l haven't
I'm busted but l think l can raise a
few dollars
She wasyery much excited and be-
gan tearing the rings off her white fin
gers. She called the hackman up, add
ed earrings, a long chain, a costly
watch, "a necklace of pearls and a dia-
mond breastpin to the lot and poured
them into his hat.
''Sam," she said, take these up to
Isaacs' and get all you can on 'em.
Tell him | want the money for a par
tieular purpose. Drive like the devil.
and III see that you're paid.n
She walked back to the side of the
wretched German as the haekman drove
away, and kneeling down, whispered
a few words of encouragement into the
ears of the sick wife. The woman's
face frightened she said something in
a low tone to her husband, and he dried
his eyes. The children crowded about
and stared at the beautiful, richly
dressed woman IN open-mouthed, OPEN
eyed wonder. 1t made a very pretty
picture, and the crowd looked ON in sill
ence. Presently the haekman returned,
and, jumping from the carriage, placed
a roll of notes in Kate's outstretched
hand. Without looking at the amount