Lloyd Wright

    On a hot summer Sunday after the morning service at the little
country church where every neighbo r attended, the ladies were preparing
for a church picnic. 1he men had set up a long table on sawhorses and
the ladies spread sheets over the table. As the children played the men
sat around and talked. The ladies took fried chicken and potato salad
along with all the trimmings from their picnic baskets and set it on the
table. Kyle and Elsie had been sitting under a shade tree watching the
rest of the children run and play. They both were secretly wishing they
could join their friends. Elsie now was wearing leg braces and could use
crutches to drag herself around. Kyle noticed their dads had moved off
away from the other men and were having a private talk.
    The afternoon passed quickly as well as all the fried chicken and
potato salad. It was then time for the men to get the ice cream freezers
which had been sitting in the shade packed in ice. Kyle ate his home
made ice cream so fast it gave him a head ache. When he mentioned it
to Elsie, Ellie was standing close by listening and told him.
    "That's what you get for being a hog."
    She then ran off knowing that her sister and Kyle could not
follow and catch her. After the dessert was finished, it was time to put
everything away and pack up to go home. It had been a great day for
everyone.
    That evening a丘er all the evening chores were complete, the family
sat on the front porch listening to the sounds of the approaching night.
Kyle sat on the edge of the porch and let his legs hang off of the edge.
As he sat there, he swung his crippled leg trying to regain the strength
in it. He could now put a little weight on it. His parents were slowly
swinging and enjoying the cool of the evening. Finally, Kyle's dad broke
the evening silence when he said.
    "Mr. Tucker told me Elsie would be going to school this f过1 and
Ellie will be starting school. He has been watching how Molly has
carried Kyle to and from school and so has the other neighbors. He
knows where a pony cart along with a set of pony harnesses is located.
1he blacksmith has an old cart in an old storage shed and is willing to
fìx it up and give to us. Another neighbor has the pony harness and has
no need for it. He is willing to give it to us also. Mr. Tucker thought
maybe Molly could be used along with the cart to carry the children
to and from school. He was wondering if we would be willing to see if
Molly would let us harness her and hitch her to a cart. He suggested if
we agreed to try it, he would talk to the blacksmith about any necessary
repairs to the cart and then bring the harness and cart over to try out.
You know Kyle, it wouldn't hurt to give it a try before school sta口s and
see if Molly can be used to pull the cart. It will give her time to get used
to it. You know Mr. Tucker was nice selling Molly to you for ten cents.
If you could give his girls a ride to school everyday, it would give him
more time to work in the fìelds."
    Kyle sat quiecly for a moment. He could just visualize in his mind
Molly pulling the cart. He thought it would be fun and he would enjoy
Elsie's company going to school. Kyle then replied.
    "i would like to try Dad. Do you think Molly would really pull a
cart?"
    "i don't think it would hurt to give it a try. It sure would help them
out." His dad replied.
    Kyle's mom quickly agreed.
    One week later, Kyle and his dad had just finished putting a load of
alfalfa hay in the barn when Mr. Tucker came rattling in the driveway
in his old pickup truck. He had a little pony cart hitched onto the
back of the truck and a harness for a pony in the truck bed. After he
squeaked to a stop by the barn, he got out and shook Kyle's and Mr.
Wyatt's hand.
    "If you have time, let's try this harness on Molly and hitch her to
the cart." Mr. Tucker said.
    Kyle put Molly in her stall and she was soon harnessed. 1he collar
and harness fit perfectly. Molly was led outside and hitched to the pony
cart. Molly seemed to be a little nervous with the harness on her when
she was first hitched to the cart. Mr. Tucker took hold of her bridle
and led her around the barnyard under the watchful eyes of Kyle and
Fetch. Molly was at first kind of skittish but soon acted as if she had
done this before.
    "Let's give Kyle a try driving her with the reins from the cart." Mr.
Wyatt said.
    After Kyle was safely onboard with the reins in his hand, he spoke
to Molly and she pulled the cart like she was enjoying it. Fetch was
walking along by her side and watching Molly's every move. Both men
agreed Kyle should practice with Molly in the barnyard for a week
before he ventured out on the road. 1his would let Molly get used to
pulling the cart and give Kyle experience in driving her.
    One week later, Molly pulled the cart to school with Fetch checking
on her all the way. As Molly pulled the cart down the road, she was
under the watchful eyes of Kyle, Fetch and all the neighbors. One day
as Kyle drove Molly down the road, he saw Mr. Tucker standing out
by the road waiting for him. When Kyle stopped by Mr. Tucker he saw
Elsie and Ellie sitting on the ditch bank.
    "Are you ready for a couple of passengers?" He asked.
    Kyle readily agreed and the girls were soon tucked safely in the
cart along side of Kyle. Mr. Tucker followed along behind on a horse
to make sure all was well. He soon found out he was not needed. Kyle
and Fetch had everything under control except for Ellie's scolding of
Kyle about his driving of Molly.
    When school started again, the sight of these children in a cart
being pulled by a pony and a watchful dog trotting close by became a
daily sight. Fetch would stilllead Molly home after the children arrived
at school. In the afternoon, he would be seen faithfully leading Molly
back to school to bring the children home. 1his was the beginning of
daily ritual during the school year.
    The men in the community got together and decided a shed should
be attached to the woodshed at school for Molly and Fetch to stay in
when the roads were muddy and the weather was bad. This would
allow Molly and Fetch to make only one round trip a day during bad
weather. They all donated material for the shed and hay and straw for
Molly.The teacher agreed to have the older school boys help unhitch
Molly in the morning and hitch her back to the cart in the afternoon.
this proved to work out great. All the children enjoyed helping care
for them and that they were fed and watered. Molly and Fetch soon
became a part of the school. The students liked caring for them so
much they would wish for bad weather so Molly and Fetch could stay
at school during the day.
    Weeks led to months and months led to years. During this period
of time, Kyle had regained enough strength in his leg to walk without
crutches. Elsie could stand on her legs but still required crutches to
help her along her way.They both agreed how lucky they were. 1heir
childhood friend, Bobby, was free from the iron lung and was now in
heaven.
    Molly remained a faithful and gentle pony but was showing a litde
gray on her muzzle. She had regained a little of her eyesight. She still
had to depend on Kyle and Fetch going to and from school. She could
fìnd her way from the barn to her water and could see just enough to
keep from running into large objects. Fetch still had to keep her away
from the barbed wire fences.