Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-05-31
mis- scELLAHEous,
SENATOR BECK,s RIDE,


SENATOR BEGK's RIDE.
'tSs DON'T remember just what year it
= was" Mr.. Beck said, :.bus it was before
L came to Congress, when I was onite a
young man, that was in New York ci,v
! 1t was In the days when the old Blooming
| dale road was favorite drive of New York.
ers with fast horses. Now, like fast horses
myself, and thought had ridden behind
some. One afternoon l was up town. or what
was at that time up town in New York, and
gentleman came along whom knew. His
| name was Capt. Norris. He was driving a
dreadful body and angular-lookinp mare and
when he asked me if would like to ia ke n
seat beside him, | wss almost ashamed to oct
in behind such a specimen OF horse iesh'-
Still | knew Capt. Norris was something of
| lover OF horses, and besides couldn't in
courtesy refuse him. So I got in. Tho
sicePy.seemlns old marc logged along in
most tiresome way. Her head hung down.
and 1t seemed as though il was all she could
do to drag her legs along.
"Well 60 up on the Bloominndsle rond IF
you don't miud,' said the captain, .'and sec
somo of the steppers."
We'll, that would be pleasant enough for
l thought l would havo a chance to SEQ a
| brush o. two between somo of tho noted
horses OF New York of that day. I said 10
tho captain that almost wondered why he
wasn't out with q stopper himself. KNOWING
how fond he. was of fast driving. He said
that he sometimes did take fast horso of;,
and remember looking at tho dincy. bonv
marc, aud feeling for the captain some of the
shame which thought he ought to havo
felt for himself. r noticed, too, that tho
people whom we passed, who recognized him
were staring at his marc, and thought thew
were wondering how it was that Capt. Nor.
ris was out with such plug as that.
by and by noble animal passed US.
The gentleman who was driving looking, as
he passed, around at tho Captain. I noticed
that the Captain nodded, and that he took
little firmcr grip of the reihs. The gentle
man slowed up little, sufficiently to lot us
| pass.
TRY it, Cap" he shouted.
The Captain nodded.
81 saw the marc lift her hend littls no
the grip and the reins frightened, and mn.
some little animation into her feet. Bv and
| by we heard the clatter of hoofs back of us.
L looked around and saw that tho gentleman
was coming at splendid pace.
'See If he passes us.'' said the Captain.
and he made ono chirrup to the mare.
"Gentlemen, have seen Transformation.
| have seen the old man in the opera of
| 'taust changed in an instant to the hand
some young fellow. | have seen a politician
change his coat, but 1 never saw such n
Transformation as then happened The marc
lifted head. Her cars no longer hung linn.
They wore erect nnd tossed back TO catch
the sound of those approaching hoofs. Her
dingy body now ssotned to CLEAN, and her
legs looked like tho spokes of rapidly-re-
volVing wheel. She was all FIRE, all anima>
tion, all electricity. could think of 10th
ing but locomotive rushing along at tho
rate of mile a minute. Heavens. how the
wind cut my face
Look out for your hat, Beck" said the
Captain, and 1 pulled it down over nv ears.
glanced quickly at the Captain He held
the reiDs. firmly aud his eyes were fixed
ahead. We were plunged ahead on a whirl-
wind. thought what beauty that mare
now is, and Thought there was only one
end OF it tall-annihilation. ] grabbed the
seat firmly with both hands, and pressed
nay feet against the dashboard The wind
moaned in my ears, although we made the
breeze ourselves, 1 could hardly breathe. 7
could not see, except away ahead knew
we passed team after team, and heard 4he
people cheer. l shut my eyes. 1 thought
the crash would come. l would have bepeed
Inc captain to stops it the speed had not
been so great that speech was impossible. /
said to myself, James Beck, your dav has
come. Whew>w>w How we were Ayinp
There was no motion excepting speed. We
were flying over the road, horses and riders.
seemingly inpellcd by an Unseen irresistible
power l opened my eyes once and saw some
men away ahead waving their hats. In an
instant We had reached and passed them, and
as we went by, the three men mingled into
one. When will this end? / wondered
The suspense was awful. wanted whatever
was going to happen to happen at once 1t
seemed as though we had been an hodr rid
ing, when the speed slackened, slower and
slower, and at last the mare stopped l
opened my eyes and saw that we were stand.
ing at a roadside inn.
care you through, Captain? I tremb>
lingly asked.
YES" he said, laughing; "lets take a
little Sata Cruz
"The Captain turned the mare over to a
hostler, and went inside and helped my
self literally.
captain, you gave me great fright" 1
said. 81 had no idea that mare could go.
Why sbo's ft to be racer"
eyes, don't know but she IT," said the
Captain, nODchalaOtIy.