New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-08-02
Cap'nBen's
Spy Glass
BY JONATHAN BANG
Of 71bs Ygiannsos

idst IdiI, l chuSnt SlSnt OI u StrlKlHe
Esure that ] knew at nce.
Taller than most men and slow Ia
his movements. his clothes a combine
ton of nautical and rustic, he stood
out like a lone pine tree In a field. He
was the ideal type Of the old-fash'
Toned New England shipmaster. with
an eye as blue as the sky on a summer
day. I recalled how I had first seen
him at n little town down East where
] was spending my summer vacation
He was standing o on the wharf
looking out to sea through a large spy
glass. We had got into conversation,
he had taught me how to use the glass
and I had learned how greatly ne val
ned 1t and had carried 1t around the
world with him on several voyages.
Seeing him again nov In the crowd
ed station, I went up to him at once.
"Why, Cap'n Ben" l exclaimed,
"where in the world did you come from
and what are you doing in BOstonT
"Oh, my daughter is married to a
teller that works down in the market
district and I've been up here maxim
them a visit. TIN gOln' back tonight
on the train. I'd rather go down by
boat, but they have pulled 'em all of
on account OF the war;"
well, how Is fine old spyglass?" I
said. II presume you go down every
little while and have a look around
just as you did last summer"
Cap'n Ben paused a minute before
quite a little yarn ter spin about that
old glass since you last saw her. My
train don't go for an hour and If you
have the time and would ike to hear
It I'll spin It to yer"
"WeIl, Captain. a real yarn frOm'a
real sailor isn't 10 be heard every day.
] think that We had better take one
of these seats and you reel IT OF to
me-"
old Man Did His Bit.
Yer know" said Capn Ben after
being seated. II told yer last summer
that l thought a powerful lot Of that
glass and I DIDN'T think that she and
! would eve part company, and now.
by lingo. I've sold her, or just as good
as sold her for a dollar"
Why, Cap'n Rem" I exclaimed, chow
did that happehY"
well. TIL tell you," resumed Cap'n
Ben. Ever since Uncle Sam went in
ter this war, I've felt meaner than a
skunk that I want In It. I wrote to
Washington and to some kind of n
shipping hoard here in Boston. Offerin'
my services, hut they wrote back ]
was too old. I amt but se~venty-three
at that, and then, too, they said that
they wanted men who had experience
in steam and as ia been on a wind
TANNER all the time I went to sea,
they didn't seem ter have any place
for me.
"Well, Of course. like everybody else,
] was reading In the papers as how the
submarines were sinking vessels right
and left and how our boys on the de-
strOyers had gone over to help the
English ter destroy that special breed
Of sea lice, and M day I saw a piece
saying that the navy was mighty shy
Of marine glasses Of all kinds. 1t
that most OF them had been
made In Germany and we couldn't
make them here fast enough because
we had to have a lot of 'em right
away quick, and this article said that
II anybody had n spyglass or a pair
Of binoculars. If they would send them
to the navy department they could use
them to mighty good advantage: 1t
said that Uncle Sam would pay a dol
them after the war, but II they were
lost the dollar was to be the purchase
price of EN-. It seems that they had
to give you the dollar, for there was
some kind of a law that wouldn't let
you give 'em to the government.
well, I got to thinking the thing
over, and I concluded that II they
wouldn't give me n show. here was n
for the old glass to do her bit,
and l sent her along. My name was
engraved on 1t. had that done years
agO, and in about n week l got a letter
from this man Roosevelt who Is as
secretary of the navy, saying
he had received 1t.
Glass Saved Thousands Of Men.
!, -Of cours I missed the old gal a
good deal, but I didn't regret It fer a
although I'll admit I didn't
,ank much on ever seeing her agin.
well, do you know about three
weeks ago I got n Of these letters
rom across that had been opened by
he censor 4 couldn't imagine who It
vas from, and I looked at It quite a
While before I opened it, but when I
lid I SUR got a good. surprise. I've
.ot the letter here in my pocket and
on can read II for yourself"
He took out a large, o~ld-fashiOned
valet from an inside GOA pocket and
ook a letter from Its spacious depths
nd handed It to me to reQd.
Mr.. Benz. F. Buck:
Dear Sir-I have in my possession,
board the U. s. torpedo destroyer
a spyglass on which your name
) engraved. As I am war; that a !
reat many patriotic citizens have con-
such articles to the q. s.
avy, l take It for granted that you
'ere one Of that number. As this :
lass was only yesterday probably the !.
,eans Of saving the lives Of several ,,
thousands Of our boys on one of our :
-ansports. I thought 1t might interest !!
on to be acquainted with the fact. :
4 course naval regulations are such d.
rat l cannot at present give you the !.
etails of the affair, but after the war !.
over, I hope to meet you and tell I