The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-06-09
Senator BeCk's Ride.

old Bloomingdale road was favorite
drive for New Workers with fast horses.
Now I like fast horse myself, and
thought l had ridden behind some. One
afternoon 1 was up town, Or what was at
that time ND town in New York, and a
gentleman came along whom l knew.
His name was Captain Norris. He was
driving dreadfully bony and angular
looking mare, and when he asked me II
would like to take seat beside him, l
was almost ashamed to get in behind
such a specimen of horsetiesh. Still l
knew that Captain Norris was something
of q lover of horses, and besides |
couldn't in courtesy refuse him. SO
got in. The sleepy seeming old mare
logged along in a most tiresome way.
Her head hung down, and it seemed AS
though it was all she could do to drag
her legs along.
"'We'll go out on the Bloomingdale
road if you don t mind, the Captain said
'and see some of the steppers.'
"Well, that would be pleasant enough,
for thought I would have a chance to
see brush or two between some of the
noted horses of New York of that day.
said to the Captain that almost won.
dered why he wasn't out with stopper
himself. knowing how fond he was OF
fast driving. He said that he sometimes
did take fast horse out, and I remember
looking at the dingy, bony mare, and
feeling for the Captain some of the
shame which thought he ought to have
felt for himself. noticed, too, that the
people whom we passed, who recognized
him, were staring at his mare, and L
thought that they were wondering how
it was that Captain Norris was out with
such plug as that.
"By and by a noble animal passed us.
The gentleman who was driving looked.
as he passed, around at the Captain. l
noticed that the Captain nodded, and
that he took little tirmer grip of the
reins. The gentleman slowed up II lit
tie, sufficiently to let us pass.
''Try it, Cap, he shouted.
The Captain nodded.
81 saw that the mare lifted her head a
little as the grip on the reins frightened,
and put some little animation into hei
feet. BY and by we heard the clatter Of
hoofs back of us. / looked around and
saw that the gentleman was coming at a
splendid pace.
:" See if he passes u.s. said the Cap
tain, and he made one little chi-rup to
the mare.
Gentlemen, I have seen transforma-
ton scenes. l have seen the old man in
the opera of Faust changed in an instant
to the handsome young fellow. l have
seen politician change his coat, but
nevar saw such transformation as then
Her ears no longer hung limp. They
were erect and tossed back to catch the
sound of these approaching hoois. Her
dingy body seemed to CLEAN, and
her legs looked like tho spokes OF a
rapidly-revolving wheel. She was all
fire, all animation, all electricity. l
could think of nothing but locomotive
rushing along at the rate OF mile a
minute. Heavens, how the wind cut my
face!
Look out for your hat, Beck, said
the Captain, and Ipulled it down over
my ears. glanced quickly at the Cap
tain. He held the reins firmly and bis
eyes were fixed ahead. We were plung-
ing ahead on o whirlwind. l thought
what beauty that mare now IS. and l
thought there was only one end of it all
humiliation. l grabbed the seat firmly
with both hands, and pressed my feet
against the dashboard. The wind moaned
in my ears, although We made the breeze
ourselves. l could hardly breathe, l
could not see, except away ahead. l
know we passed team after team, and
heard the people cheer. l shut my
eyes. l thought the crash would come,
1 would have begged the Captain to stop,
if the speed had not been so great that
speech was impossible. said to my
self, James Beck, your day has come.
Whew-w-w-w! How we were flying!
There was no motion excepting speed.
We were flying over the road, horse and
riders, seemingly impelled 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 seemed mingled
into one. When will this end? | won
dered. The suspense was awful. 1
wanted whatever was going to happen to
happen at once. 1t seemed as though
we had been an hour riding, when the
speed slackened, slower and slower, and
at last the mare stopped. opened my
eyes and saw that we were standing at a
roadside inn.
"'Are you through, Captain?' trem-
blingly asked.
"'Yes, he said, laughing; LETS take
little Santa Cruz.