The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-17

Senator BECK, OF Kentucky, told
the following story to Washington
correspondent:
u don't remember Just what year
it was" Mr.. Beck said, "but it was
before / came TO Congress and when
/ was quite young man, that /
was in New York city. 1t was in
the days when the old Blooming
dale road was favorite drive for
New Workers with fast horses. Now
| like Il fast horse myself, and |
thought / had ridden behind some.
One afternoon ! was UP town, or
what was at that time up town in
New York, and n gentleman came
along whom | knew. His name
was Captain Norris. He was driv-
ing dreadfully bony and angular
mare, and when he asked me if |
would like TO Ike q seat beside him
| was almost ashamed to get in be-
hind such specimen of horsedcsh.
Still | knew Captain Norris was
something of a lover of horses, and
besides | couldn't in courtesy refuse
him; SO / got in. The sleepy old
mare logged along in the most tire
some way. Her head hung down,
and il seemed as though it was all
she could do to drag her legs along.
"Well go out on the Blooming
dale road if you don't mind, the
captain said, and see some Of the
steppers.
well, that would be pleasant
enough, for / thought ! would have
chance to see a brush or two be-
tween some of the noted horses of
New York of that day. | said TO
the captain that | alncst wondered
why he wasn't out with a stopper
himself, knowing how fond he was
OF fast horses. He said that he
sometimes did take a fast horse out
and / remember looking at the dim
gy, bony mare, and feeling for the
captain some OF the shame which !
thought he ought to have for HIM
self. noticed too, that the people
whom we passed, who recognized
him, were staring at the mare, and
| thought that they were wondering
how it was that Captain Norris was
out with such a plug.
"By-and-by a noble animal pass
ed us. The gentleman who was
driving looked as he passed, around
at the captain. ! noticed the cap
tain nodded, and that he took lit
tie firmer grip Of the reins. The
gentleman slowed up a little, suiii-
GENTLY to let us pass.
Try it. Cap" he shouted.
THE captain nodded.
81 saw she mare lift her head
little as the grip on the reins tight
ened and put some little animation
into her body. By-and-by we
heard the clatter of hoofs back OF Us
| looked around and saw the gen
tleman coming at splendid pace.
"See if he passes us, said the cap
tain as he made one little chirrup
TO his mare.
Gentlemen, l have seen trans
formation scenes; I have seen the
old man in the opera Of Faust
changed in an instant to hand
some Young fellow. / have seen n
politician change his coat, but |
never saw such transformation as
then happened. The mare lifted
her head. Her ears no Ioager hung
limp. They were erect and tossed
to catch the sound Of the approach
inc hoofs. Her dingy body now
seemed 10 gleam, and her legs look
ed like the spokes Of a rapidly re-
volving wheel. She was all fire,
all animation, all electricity. !
could think Of noting but a loco
motive rushing along at the rate OF
a mile n minute. Heavens how the
wind cut my face.
Look out for your hat, Beck,
said the captain, and | pulled 1t
down over my ears. | glanced
quickly at the captain; he held the
reins firmly and his eyes fixed
ahead. We were plunging ahead
on a wlirlwind. l thought what
beauty that mare now is, and |
thought there was only one end OF
il all-annihilation. / grabbed the
seat firmly with both hands, and |
pressed my feet against the dash
board. The wind moaned in my
ears. although we made the breeze
| could hardly breathe,
] could not see, except far ahead. /
knew We were passing team after
team. aud / heard the people cheer.
| shut nv eyes. | thought the
crash would come. ] would have
begged The captain 10 stop If the
speed had not been so great that
speech was impossible. | said to
myseli, James Beck, your day has
come. Whew-w-w-wl how we were
aving. There was no motion ex-
ceptin-speed. We were flying over
the road, horse and riders, seem
ingly impelled by some unseen, ir-
resistibl, power. ] opened my eyes
once ana saw somemeE away ahead
waving neir hats In an instant
we had reached and passed them,
and as we went by the three men
seemed mingled into one. When
win this end come? wondered.
The suspense was awful. | wanted
whatever was going to happepto
happen at once. Ii 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 roadside
inn.
Are you through, captain?" ]
tremblingly said.
"Yes," he said, laughing, lets
take little Santa Cruz"
The captain turned the mare
over to a hostler and we went in
side, and | helped myself pretty
literally"
Captain, you gave me great
fright | said, Il had no idea that
mare could go. Why she's fit to