A GREAT HORSE 



the champion. He was untiring in his efforts to make 

 the meeting 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 runnmg 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 

 Mike 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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