The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-01-29
minute"

So 41ERE are many good names TOT
him." said Captain Ira, as he
stroked the velvet-smooth muzzle of
Tommy Radnor's new, pony. Mean
while, the other nine boys of the club
had gathered around and were admir-
ing the sleek little fellow. All sorts
of names were suggested. Finally,
Bobby Treatsasked the captain if he
didn't know of some famous pony aft
ier which Tommy's might be named
Eyes, several of them" replied Cap
tain Ira. '"There was one in particu-
lar.
They waited for the captain to start.
But he stayed silent for a time
Reaching out for clover blossom he
pulled it from the STEM Then he
plucked out a thumb and finger full
of the little pink petals and sucked
the honey-sap from the base of them.
There was a far-away look in his eyes.
Boys" he said at last, I'm about
to tell You. of a famous pony. But he
was a pony who never had his name
il any printed story and he was not
cited in any dispatch book. His fame
now lives as a happy memory in the
hearts of several thousand men. It
is really story of half dozen parts.
I'll only tell you of the one which I
know best, today. Some other time,
if you like. I'll tell the others.
ut was, while the big war was going
on. was in command of an old P. &
O.. liner. which had been converted
into horse transport. -Four trips we
had made and, despite all the talk
about submarines, our most exciting
moments had been when horse had
broken loose now and then and started
a ruction between decks.
'sThe fifth "trip across began as I'M
eventually as the others. The only
out of the ordinary thing had been the
antics of a small bit of horseflesh
which the hostlers had nicknamed, on
account of his size. Minute
Elbow Minute ever won past the in
spectors, / can't say. He was under
size something like five hundred
pounds. The shoe he wore was as
dainty as a woman's wedding ring, in
comparison to the average. After he'd
known you for two minutes, he'd be
nuzzling through your pockets for SUI
gar humps And if you let him loose,
he'd follow anywhere. One calm day
sighted him strolling along the for
ward hurricane deck, apparently with
his mind made up to mount the bridge
and visit me as soon as he could find
the way up.
From then on he was the ship pet.
had stall rugged out for him in an
unused runway between two cabins.
Things went so far that the ships
tailor fashioned him a set of four soft
rubber boots, So that he could walk
the deck without slipping.
"Then the unexpected happened.
Out of clear sea, one night, sub
marine popped its periscope. Next
thing, a torpedo crashed into us We
started to sink I had the lifeboats
lowered. Our wireless sputtered a
continuous S. O. S. for help. In about
twenty minutes my ship slid gently
into the sea, almost as though she were
glad of the long rest which awaited her.
at was very dark night and. at
my command, the boats had rowed
away as fast as they could from the
ships side, so they would not be en-
quilted with her when she went under.
Thus. after the ship had gone down,
l found myself floating in the chilly
sea, hampered from active swimming
by my clothing, and with little hope
of being able to keep on top until
should be picked up.
There was snort in the water be-
side me- 1t was Minute, as I found
out later. Then, with thankful heart,
seized hold of his name. He was a
strong swimmer and bore me easily
until one of the boats found u.s. /
was hauled aboard.
"Since the boat was a good-sized
one and could easily bear his addi-
tional weight, 1t was decided to try
and save Minute also. I'll never forget
how patient he was. just as though
he knew the danger he was in and
that we would have trouble saving him.
"A makeshift tackle was at last put
together and he was dragged aboard.
You would have laughed to see how
he looked with his feet waving free
in the air and laced fast on them the
ungainly rubber boots which the tailor
had made for him.
Later we were picked up and
Minute was delivered to the army in
France"
After the captain quit speaking.
Tommy thought bit. Then he said:
do you mind If I call my pony
Minute'?"
NO, indeed" replied Captain Ira.
"And some other time I'll tell you
more about Minute and his exploits
in France.