The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-02-06
Minute Tells q Story


ssN low that the ten Of you have
made up your minds to call your
club the Ten Shippers club" as
sumo you are ready to hear tale or
two said Captain Ira, and there was
q humorous twinkle in his eye.
YES" answered several shippers,
"And IL you please, Captain Ira. I'd
like to hear more about that pony
named Minute" added Bobby Treat.
"As / told you some time back" be-
gan the captain, II didn't really 60
along all the way with Minute. Some
Of the things know about him were
told to me by his friends. Other
things l just had to surmise for my.
self. II,
Suppose I tell you this story as
Minute himself might, II he could
talk. Wen see how close can come
to talking like you may think horse
should and to having horse-fee!ings,
and horse-sense. Try to imagine these
things with me. 1t was like this
"And Minute thinks to himself
Well. there was tied tight and fast
to this new manila picket lire. There
wasn't even bit of grass to nibble.
and was SO hungry that could have
devoured bale Of hay.
Pretty soon. some soldiers came,
and they led us all away to big
courtyard where we were 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 fellow feel. I was
grQuchy, sure enough. Besides that,
some big horses near ME started to
shove and to make remarks about my
size. stood all could Of it, then
began to kick. Now, I'm a pretty good
kicker. even though do say 1t myself,
and 1t was no time at all~until I 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, IL
you don't mind my saying it, so that
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 big feed of-oatsl
l never tasted anything more delicious.
That soldier and soon grew to be
arm friends. He took good care Of me.
"'One day my soldier and / were to
go on guard at one end Of a big ar
tillery practice range. The idea was
that we were to keep everyone from
going down road which led to the
far end Of the range, where the shells
exploded. I don't know how 1t came
about, but In some way a farmer and
his wife, with a cart drawn by two
black oxen. had gone past the soldier
who was on guard before we came.
A friend Of the farmer told US of it.
He also explained how we could make
a short cut through the hills and reach
the farmer before the firing started.
AWAY we went at gallop. Down
q lane; across brook; through a
thicket; into cowpath: helter-skelter
we scurried along for mile or two.
Then, right in front Of us. a great
long cliff doomed up. 1t was high as
a three-story house, sleeper than the
steepest roof and studded with jutting
boulders az big and broad as a door.
My soldier was very angry. I'm
afraid he said something which wasn't
very nice. Then he jumped or my
back and decided to hasten. on afoot,
as 1t looked all he could do to climb
the cliff himself.
"'Up the cliff he started. Never
once did he look back at me. When
I saw that. ] decided to do some climb
ing myself. 1t was hard pull. Once
! thought couldn't make 1t. But
scrambled on and. just as my soldier
went over the top Of the cliff / snorted
to get his attention and to have him
wait for me.
"'Did he wait? Well, you can just
believe he did. He actually Rugged
me in Joy when I reached his side.
Then he swung into the saddle and
away galloped.
1--WE caught the farmer and his wife
and maybe saved their lives. They
were grateful to us. at any rate.
"Well, that is all to that tale, and I'm
going for trot. Come around some
other tGme and I'll have more war
tales to tell you"
With that. Minute starts eating, and
all we can hear is his strong teeth
Il