The herald., 1896-03-08
MR.. MONTAGUE AND HIS MOUNT

Q Harvard graduate who had decided TO
enjoy a little western lfe before finally
settling back east Mr.. Montague irnme-
dately made himself popular with the
leisure class of Phoenix, and learning from
one of his acquaintance, a fat little
Scotchman named Don, that the Phoenix
annual race meeting was near at hand. he
developed craze for horses. and wished
to buy a black 4-year-old of Don's named
Ginger, which was entered for the princi-
pal race.
Upon Don's refusing to sell he imported
a horse from Tucson and entered it under
the name of Son-of-a-gun.
Son-of-a-gun was a good horse. and the
first day that Mr.. Montague of Chicago
rode him down street he was stopped by
Sheriff Jim Gibson and politely asked if
the horse was for sale.
Now when the Gibsons want to buy a
horse it is good idea to hang
on to that animal: as either of the
brothers, Jack or Jim, would as coon
drink glass of soda water, as ride or drive
boor horse. So Montague refused to sell
Son-of-a-gun, in spite of the tempting offer
made to him by the minion of tue law.
The favorites for the principal event
we're Barlow Massick's FL Diablo and Col
mel Dobbins' Whisky Straight. Don was
expected to make place, if he did not fall
off at the corner of the track.
A dance was given at the Ford during
tuo race WEEK anu MT. montague
the damsels for twenty miles around by
his polished manners and immaculate eve-
ming dress. In spite of his heing tender
foot and riding with his stIrrups shorter
than was correct in Arizona, he was evi-
IDENTIFY no stranger to horses. and as Burt of
the Nevada corral remarked
(which and he only wants to live here a
few years and git onto the ways of the
kentry, and he makes a bang-up citizen of
Gods own land,' which, everybody knows,
is Arizona.
One night in the Palace he played faro,
and Cariboo Brown wept tears of joy TO see
the way in which he kept cases and played
his bets. What was more, he won fifty
dollars and raised himself to pinnacle Of
glory by spending every cent of it on
drinks for the9crowd before he left the sa-
loon. His bank account was apparently
endless, and he booked bets on his horse
for large amounts, getting long odds as it
stood, but small chance of winning. At
night time his familiar figure, dressed in
the height of fashion, was to be seen
around the different saloons, and he
achieved reputation for drinking, which to
quote Bob Dell, "was shorely highly cred
liable for young man."
His thirst for knowledge about the terri
tory was Unsuitable. He would sit with in
terested look and eager smile, listening to
old timers as they recnunted most mag
nificent lies about the "days that was y
The stories they told of outlaws, like the
Indian renegade. Apache Kid and his
white namesake. Kid Williams, were his
especial favorites, and he got from the
governor a documeat appointing him a
special deputy sheriff. This appointment
he said, he inlended to use in leading a
band of men, which he would pay out of
his own pocket, against the two despera-
dos.
Phoenix people laughed and said he was
kid with sand, but very, very green and
would learn in time.
When it was announced in the Repubi-
can that "the rich young gentleman from
Chicago, staying at the Ford, intended 10
settle in Arizona" the real estate men
arose as one man, and led by Colonel Dob
bins, like the Assyrian of old, came down
like a wolf on the fold.
Mr.. Montague did not intend to buy
"just them" they stated later.
Pm waiting faw a wemittance from me
1athaw," he had said. and building on this
remittance, they set up the drinks and en-.
tertained him in royal manner.
The races were to start on the 15th, and
rs the date was then the 18th, all Phoenix
was in a state of excitement.
Bets ran high on the favorites, and q
wager was made that Don would fall off al
the corner Of the track-a statement that