The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-06-10

0NIOW that the ten Of you have
~ made up your minds to call your
club the "Ten SHIPPERS club" l as
sumo you are ready to hear a tale or
two" said Captain Ira, and there was
a humorous twinkle in his eye.
Yes" answered several shippers.
And if you please. Captain Ira, I'd
like to hear more about that pony
named Minute" added Bobby Treat.
CAS- / told you some time back" be-
gan the captain, II didn't really go
along all the way with Minute. Some
Of the things I know about him were
told to me by his friends. other
things / just had to surmise for my.
self.
Suppose I tell you this story as
Minute himself might, II he could
talk. Wen see how close I can come
to talking like you may think a horse
should and to having hOrse-feelings,
Sand hOrse-sense. Try to imagine these
things with me. It was like this
And Minute thinks to himself
Well, there 1 was tied tight and fast
to this new manila picket line. There
wasn't even a bit Of grass to nIbble,
and l was so hungry that I could have
devOured a bale Of hay.
pretty soon. some soldiers came.
and they led US all away to a big
courtyard where we we're sorted out.
Then we were assigned to certain
men. These men looked US over with
a great deal Of interest. They patted
US on the nose, and examined our feet,
and some Of them thumped us IN the
ribs till it hurt like everything.
FINALLY, we were all led back to the
picket line and tied fast again.
IF you have ever been real good
and hungry, you know just how
grOuchy it makes a fellow feel. I was
grouchy, sure enough. Besides that,
some big horses near me started to
shove and to make remarks about my
size. I stood all 1 could of it, then I
began to kick. Now, I'm a pretty good
kicker, even though 1 do say it myself,
and it was no time at all until / had
all those big horses standing away at
a respectable distance.
About that time. the soldiers came
along to feed us. One Of them saw
me standing there all by myself, and
he stepped close and looked me over
in that calculating way men have when
they are thinking Of buying one Of us
horses. Only, Of course, he couldn't
buy me. He could only pick me out.
TO ride and to take care Of. Also. II
you don't mind my saying it, so that
l could sometimes take care Of him.
Then heard him call to some one fur.
Their down the line: Here is the horse
] want" Next, he went away and then
came back with a big feed Of-Oats
l never tasted anything more delicious
THAT soldier and soon grew TO he
firm friends. He took good care Of me
lone day my soldier and l were e
go on guard at one end of a big ar
tllery practice range. The idea wa.
that we were to keep everyone from
going down a road which led to TN,
far end Of the range, where the shells
exploded. l don't know how It cam,
about, but in some way a farmer an,
his wife, with a cart drawn by twl
black oxen, had gone past the soldie
who was on guard before we came
A friend Of the farmer told us of il
He also explained how we could max,
a short cut through the hills and reacl
the farmer before the firing started.
Away we went at a gallop. Dow
a lane; across a brook: through
thicket; into a cowpath; helter-skelre
we scurried along for a mile or twe
Then, right in front OF US. a grea
long cliff loomed up. II was high :
a t~hree-stOry house, sleeper than tn
steepest roof and studded with iuttin.
boulders as big and broad as q dooI
My soldier was very angry. II
AFRAID he said something which WASH
very nice. Then he jumped or N
back and decided to hasten on Bfoo
as it looked all he could do to elm
the cliff himself.
"Up the cliff he started. Neve
once did he look back at me. Whe
/ saw that, I decided to do some cIlmI
Ing myself. It was a hard pun. Ono
] thought I couldn't make 1t. But
scrambled on and, Just as my soIdls
went over the top Of the cliff I snorte
to get his attention and to have hIl
wait for me.
Ibid he waltz Well. you can "a,
believe he did. He actually huge
me in JOY when I reached his Sid
Then he swung into the saddle AZ
away I galloped.
I'VE caught the farmer and his wi
and maybe saved fhsir lives Tn.
were grateful 70 us. at any rate.
Wen, that is al 20 thattaIe. and II
going for a trot. Come around son
other time and IN have more 3.
tales to tell you
With that. Minute starts eating. "a
all ne can hear Is bis sfrone lee
%cFunching the grains 81 corn.