Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-07-08
THE EDlTREsS OF THE CATTLE
MARKET.
HOW MiDY MORGAN GAME TO WRITE FOR
THE NEW YORK OBSERVER.

THE NEW YORK OBSERVER.
Editorial Correspondence OF the New York
Observer.
Fifteen years ago, us | was diligently
at work in the New York Observer Of
flee, which then occupied the third floor
OF the old Potter building, a remarkable
person was shown to my desk. Look
ing up from work | saw towering be-
side me a mans frame in female attire.
She was six feet and more in stature.
broad-shouldered, angular and sinewy,
with long arms, ending in large and
wel-formed hands, and feet of suitable
size to carry with ease and comfort such
body. The dress was as unique as the
form that it covered. \ blue serge,
without trimming, made with loose,
plain waist, and skirt without fulness,
reaching only to the ankles, stout bro
gans, and a compromis between hat
and bonnet, which was evidently de-
! signed for all weathers, completed the
attire. The face that looked up to had
prominent features and high cheek
bones, and was somewhat weather-beat-
en-, but the eyes were bright blue, keen
and intelligent, and seemed to light up
the rugged features so as to make them
positively attractive. With pleasant
voice, and that rising infection so agree
able in contrast to the harsh nasal whine
which is common in this climate, my
visitor stated her errand: 81 saw thatlthe
New York Observer had department
for farmers, and would like to bring
you weekly report of the cattle mar
ket."
A few moments of conversation con
vinceu me that the applicant was thor
oughly competent to do what she pro-
posed, and the result was an engage
ment that has continued through all
these wears until it was cancelled, a week
since, BY the death of "Midy" Morgan.
The New York Observer has had during
its seventy wears many assistant editors
in various departments, but none of
them have been more painstaking, ac-
curate and punctual than the editor of
the "cattle market" She was at the
same time furnishing the elaborate daily
livestock reports of the New York
Times, and wrote also upon similar top
les for other daily papers, for the Agri-
culturist, the Turf, Field and Farm, and
the Country Gentleman; besides this she
wrote occasional articles upon her spec
ialties to papers in the interior of the
country. But every Friday she appear
ed in the New York Observer office with
broad slips of brown paper covered with
strange herogly phics, for her handwrit-
ing was.as unique as the rest of her per-
sonalty. THE compostors learned at
length to read it as readily as their Keen
eyed class would decipher the arrow
headed tablets of Babylon, if they had to
''set up one of these every week.
Gradually / came to know Miss Nor
gan, to employ her skill in the choice of
horses, to hear her history from her own
lips and to see her in her cottage on Jer-
sey City Heights before she began the
pleasure and worry of her later years,
the erection of Il costly and curious house
on Staten Island. She was my guest on
Washington Heights, and on one of my
visits to England by her request called
upon her aged mother, who was then liy-
ing at Kensington in London. She was
thoroughly in love with her work and
had a hearty respect and affection for all
good animals. She knew their qualities
aud capacities by sort of instinct, and
they knew her for kind and generous
friend. Her advice about horses and
cattle was that of an expert, and no one
could give the points and dispositions OF
a dog with more accuracy and precision
1t has been SAID that men who have made
their fortunes on the turf owed their
success to her Judcious advice, and
horsemen, like Robert Bonner, Commo-
dore Vanderbilt and his son, William
II. Vanderbilt, General Grant and Thorn
as Murphy were among her personal
friends. Mr.. Vanderbilt invested her
savings and enabled her materially to ac-
ouire little fortune, which has been es.
timated since her death at more than one
hundred thousand dollars.
The early life of Miss Morgan was re-
markable, and the years before she came
to this country had a. romantic interest
Miss Morgan's baptismal name was Ma
ria, but she was known only as mildly
She was born in County cork, in Ireland
Nov. %. 1925, and her father, Anthony
Morgan, was large landed proprietor
She received thorough education, and
was able to converse fiuently in several
languages. On one occasion she wished
to spend vacation abroad and came tC
ask me if could not help her to form
small party for whom she would act a
courier "for you know said she, "tha
know all about Europe and can tall
any of the languages. The plan was
given up on account of other engage