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A saddlebag of tales;: A collection of stories,
Fourteen short stories of determined children in the old West.
239 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1972
About the author
Rutherford G. Montgomery
93 books19 followersRutherford George Montgomery
Also published as Everitt Proctor, Al Avery, Art Elder, A.A. Avery and E.P. Marshall.
Montgomery was born in Straubville, Sargent County, North Dakota, "a true ghost town" as of 2005. to George Y. and Matilda Proctor Montgomery. He studied at Colorado Agricultural College, Western State College of Colorado, and University of Nebraska; taught elementary school in Hot Springs, Wyoming; and from 1917 to 1919 served in the United States Air Corps. During the 1920s, he worked as a teacher and principal at junior and senior high schools in Montrose County, Colorado.
Montgomery married Eunice Opal Kirks in 1930; they had three children. He served Gunnison County, Colorado, as a judge from 1931 to 1936 and as county commissioner from 1932 to 1938, then became a freelance writer.
While still at school, Montgomery began writing stories about the wild animals that lived around his family's farm. He went on to write books about aviation and the people, landscapes and animals of the American West, particularly horses. In all, he wrote more than 100 books.
From 1941 to 1946, Montgomery was a writer for Dick Tracy. He worked as a creative writing teacher 1955–57 and as a scriptwriter for Walt Disney Studios 1958–1962.
From Wikipedia
Also published as Everitt Proctor, Al Avery, Art Elder, A.A. Avery and E.P. Marshall.
Montgomery was born in Straubville, Sargent County, North Dakota, "a true ghost town" as of 2005. to George Y. and Matilda Proctor Montgomery. He studied at Colorado Agricultural College, Western State College of Colorado, and University of Nebraska; taught elementary school in Hot Springs, Wyoming; and from 1917 to 1919 served in the United States Air Corps. During the 1920s, he worked as a teacher and principal at junior and senior high schools in Montrose County, Colorado.
Montgomery married Eunice Opal Kirks in 1930; they had three children. He served Gunnison County, Colorado, as a judge from 1931 to 1936 and as county commissioner from 1932 to 1938, then became a freelance writer.
While still at school, Montgomery began writing stories about the wild animals that lived around his family's farm. He went on to write books about aviation and the people, landscapes and animals of the American West, particularly horses. In all, he wrote more than 100 books.
From 1941 to 1946, Montgomery was a writer for Dick Tracy. He worked as a creative writing teacher 1955–57 and as a scriptwriter for Walt Disney Studios 1958–1962.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 24, 2026
The Western Writers of America put out a series of reprint anthologies featuring their members' works. Some were themed, and some weren't. This one's theme seems to be about young people (under 30) overcoming obstacles. This is the third such anthology I've read, the second that was illustrated by one of my favorite artists, Sam Savitt. He did his usual brilliant job. However, his illustrations were on the story title page, which made for some spoilers.
Stories were originally published from 1930 - 1956. They all originally appeared in magazines ranging from Cowboy Stories Magazine to The Young Catholic Messenger.
It's a fun read. Nothing too challenging here, although there were a few stories that made me cringe with stereotypes and animal cruelty. I think this was the only anthology in the series that was specifically aimed at teens.
Selections:
* "Savvy-the-Cow" by S. Omar Baker. Brief rhyming poem filled with exclamation points! About the most important thing a cowboy needs!
* "All the Way" by A. C. Abbott. A 15 year old cowboy needs to sell one of his two cow ponies. A year later, he discovers his old pony in a rodeo ... as a bucking bronc. Okay, a little silly, but a feel good story.
* "Hoofbeats and the Gospel" by Damaris Goehring. Our Protagonist's horse here is a Morab, which is surprising, since I hadn't thought the word for the cross (and now its own breed) had been coined in the 1970s. Anyway, a cute story about love and a local horse race.
* "When the Trail Divides" by Harry Sinclair Drago and E. D. Mygatt. Respectful story of a crippled Cree boy and his pet hybrid bear. Hybrids of black bears and grizzlies do exist. WARNING: Bear kills two dogs.
* "Prairie Kid" by Dorothy M. Johnson. Told mostly in the point of view of an eleven year old boy, who has to be the adult of the group.
* "Slit-Ear Tames the Dude" by Charley Niehuis. Another bear story, but this time the focus of a hunt. The dude, who likes kicking small dogs and cutting up the horses he rides, is not killed, sadly.
* "The Way of the Valiant" by Norman A. Fox. The stereotypes are strong in this one.
* "The Kid from Nowhere" by I. R. Gleason. One of the shortest stories here, about an orphan working at a ranch who butts heads with the new owner.
* "Streak o' Light" by Dorothy L. Bonar. The sexism is embarrassing ... especially from a woman writer. Shame. Looked like a nice horse racing story. The title refers to a palomino stud.
* "The Glory Ride" by James Propp. This is a modern Western about two kids on the rodeo circuit. One rides broncs, and Our Protagonist (his sister) rides relay races, which is a very obscure rodeo event.
* "To Lhasa" by Hal G. Evarts. This is the most unusual story here, since it's set in Tibet. The cows are yaks. The Chinese have invaded, and grab a Tibetan yakherder to draft him into their army. Sadly, getting rid of a company of Chinese soldiers turned out not to be that easy in real life. WARNING: Tons of yaks killed.
* "Ride It Out" by D. S. Halacy, Jr. A teen and his black horse joins a new outfit, and immediately makes an enemy. Just yer basic Western, but no shooting.
* "The Biscuit Kid" by Stephen Payne. Typical movie Western stuff, with one character called Dago. Gotta wonder if Our Protagonist had Asperger's in his obsession over getting grub to cowboys in his outfit, despite all the gunplay and shenanigans around him.
* "The Spitting Image" by Rachel Ann Fish. A story about how families suck and about another rare rodeo event, the calf scramble.
* "The New Saddle" by Bill Gulick. A kid and his black stallion come to town for the rodeo ... and the rodeo promoter has his eyes on the stallion. Nice, satisfying horse story.
Stories were originally published from 1930 - 1956. They all originally appeared in magazines ranging from Cowboy Stories Magazine to The Young Catholic Messenger.
It's a fun read. Nothing too challenging here, although there were a few stories that made me cringe with stereotypes and animal cruelty. I think this was the only anthology in the series that was specifically aimed at teens.
Selections:
* "Savvy-the-Cow" by S. Omar Baker. Brief rhyming poem filled with exclamation points! About the most important thing a cowboy needs!
* "All the Way" by A. C. Abbott. A 15 year old cowboy needs to sell one of his two cow ponies. A year later, he discovers his old pony in a rodeo ... as a bucking bronc. Okay, a little silly, but a feel good story.
* "Hoofbeats and the Gospel" by Damaris Goehring. Our Protagonist's horse here is a Morab, which is surprising, since I hadn't thought the word for the cross (and now its own breed) had been coined in the 1970s. Anyway, a cute story about love and a local horse race.
* "When the Trail Divides" by Harry Sinclair Drago and E. D. Mygatt. Respectful story of a crippled Cree boy and his pet hybrid bear. Hybrids of black bears and grizzlies do exist. WARNING: Bear kills two dogs.
* "Prairie Kid" by Dorothy M. Johnson. Told mostly in the point of view of an eleven year old boy, who has to be the adult of the group.
* "Slit-Ear Tames the Dude" by Charley Niehuis. Another bear story, but this time the focus of a hunt. The dude, who likes kicking small dogs and cutting up the horses he rides, is not killed, sadly.
* "The Way of the Valiant" by Norman A. Fox. The stereotypes are strong in this one.
* "The Kid from Nowhere" by I. R. Gleason. One of the shortest stories here, about an orphan working at a ranch who butts heads with the new owner.
* "Streak o' Light" by Dorothy L. Bonar. The sexism is embarrassing ... especially from a woman writer. Shame. Looked like a nice horse racing story. The title refers to a palomino stud.
* "The Glory Ride" by James Propp. This is a modern Western about two kids on the rodeo circuit. One rides broncs, and Our Protagonist (his sister) rides relay races, which is a very obscure rodeo event.
* "To Lhasa" by Hal G. Evarts. This is the most unusual story here, since it's set in Tibet. The cows are yaks. The Chinese have invaded, and grab a Tibetan yakherder to draft him into their army. Sadly, getting rid of a company of Chinese soldiers turned out not to be that easy in real life. WARNING: Tons of yaks killed.
* "Ride It Out" by D. S. Halacy, Jr. A teen and his black horse joins a new outfit, and immediately makes an enemy. Just yer basic Western, but no shooting.
* "The Biscuit Kid" by Stephen Payne. Typical movie Western stuff, with one character called Dago. Gotta wonder if Our Protagonist had Asperger's in his obsession over getting grub to cowboys in his outfit, despite all the gunplay and shenanigans around him.
* "The Spitting Image" by Rachel Ann Fish. A story about how families suck and about another rare rodeo event, the calf scramble.
* "The New Saddle" by Bill Gulick. A kid and his black stallion come to town for the rodeo ... and the rodeo promoter has his eyes on the stallion. Nice, satisfying horse story.
Displaying 1 of 1 review