A GREAT HORSE 



the champion. He was untiriiii^ in his efforts to make 

 the meetinjT^ a success. 



At Tucson, Arizona, in the land of the cowboys, 

 Cresceus was noisily and enthusiastically welcomed by 

 thousands of the big-hearted and lively residents of 

 Arizona. On December 19, over a poor half-mile 

 track, Cresceus trotted a mile in 2:14^. The course 

 was fetlock deep in sand and dust, and the mile was 

 one of the fastest and best ever trotted by the champ- 

 ion. The track was little better than a country road, 

 and it was a wonderful testimonial to his gameness that 

 he was able to negotiate a mile in 2:14^ over it. 

 One of the most laughable incidents of the trip 

 occurred at Tucson, of which Mike The Tramp, Cres- 

 ceus 's famous pace-maker, was the hero. A program 

 of other races had been arranged to fill up the after- 

 noon, and Cresceus's exhibition was followed by a half- 

 mile running race in which the cow-boys were to race, 

 riding their own horses, first money being twenty-five 

 dollars. The entries came from all over the district, 

 and none of the cow-boys knew one horse from an- 

 other. So it was an easy matter to frame up a little 

 fun for the members of the Cresceus party, and when 

 the horses appeared on the track ready for the word, 

 few in the great crowd recognized among the starters 

 ]\Iike The Tramp, and his rider, Eddie Mitchell, of the 

 Ketcham stable. Both were disguised. Mike The 

 Tramp had been hurriedly fitted out with a high pom- 

 meled, loudly decorated, feathered and leathered Mex- 

 ican saddle, with big stirrups, and the diminutive rider, 



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