Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-05-05
MIR. BECK ON A WHIRLWIND.
The Kentucky Senator's Turn on the Bloom
ingdale Road


The Kentucky Senator's Turn on the Bloom-
ingdale Road.
New York Sun Washington Letter.
''That is a very fast train that flies be-
tween New York and Philadelphia; but 1
don't think they will ever get railway train
that will 60 so fast as once was carried
over the wild Bloomingdale road" So
said Senator Buck the other day to a num-
Der of his brother senator's. They were
sitting In the cloak room smoking cigars Of
varying fragrance. The new senator FROM
Nevada, Mr.. Fair, pulled at cigar about
whose richness OF Il avor there could be no
doubt, but he became soSinterested in the
anecdote that the senator from Kentucky
told that he permitted the cigar to rest be-
tween the first and second fingers long
enough to lose the flame and therefore the
fragrance. Senator Butler, of South Caro-
lima, stood leaning against the wall, his
face at times almost concealed by the deli
cate smoke that assembled from Senator
Vests cigal cite. The grave senator from
Texas, Mr. Coke, was sitting in an arm chair
Just within the threshold of the cloak.room,
where he could enjoy his Partsga, and at
the same time see and hear all that was
going on upon the floor of the senate. BIT
when the first sentence of Mr.. Beck's story
fell upon his ears the uterrances of Dawes
and the dreary roll-call lost all interest.
There were other senators standing near,
and their evident interest encouraged Mr..
Beck to tell his story with even more than
his usual vividness of description.
81 don't remember Just what year it was, :"
Mr. Beck said, "but it was before I came
to congress, and when was quite young
man, that was in New York city. It was
in the days when the old Bloomingdale
road was a favorite drive for New Workers
! with fast horses. Now, like fast horse
| myself, and I thought I had ridden behind
some. One afternoon was up town, or
what was that time up town in New York, and
a gentleman came along whom knew. His
name was Capt Norris. He was driving
dreadfully bony and angular looking mare,
and when he asked me if I would like to
take seat beside him, I was almost asham-
ed to get in behind such a specimen of
horsedesh. Still knew that Capt. Norris
was something of lover of horses, and be-
sides l 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.
Well get out on the Bloomingdale road
see some of the steppers.'
'Well, that would be pleasant enough,
for thought would have chance to see
brush or two between some of the noted
horses of New York of that day. I said to
| the captain that almost wondered 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 remember looking at the dingy, bony
mare, and feeling for the captain some of
the shame which I thought he ought to have
felt for himself. I noticed too, that the
people whom he passed. who recognized
him, were staring at the mare, and I thought
they were wondering how it happened that
Capt. Norris was out with such plug as
that. Well, by and by we got on the
Bloomingdale road and one after another
team passed by. observed that now and
then the gentlemen who were driving notice.
ably fine and speedy animals would turn to
the captain as they were alongside and in
innate desire to match speed with him.
The captain would shake his head and some
times reply: No; you are no good;' and he
said this in a bantering way, as though to
return banter for banter.
Then we logged along, and I was really
getting sick of it"
by and by noble animal passed us.
The gentleman who was driving looked, as
he passed, around at the captain. I noticed
that the captain nodded, and that he took
little firmer grip at the reins. The gentle
man slowed up a.little sufficient to let us
pass.
Try it, cap, he shouted.
The captain nodded.
II saw that the mare lifted her head lit
tie as the grip on the reins frightened, and
put some little animation into her feet. By
and by we heard the chatter of hoofs back
of us. I looked around and saw that the
gentleman was coming at splendid pace.
See If he passes us. said the captain,
and he made one little chirrun to the mare.
Gentlemen, have seen transformation
scenes. I have seen the old man in the
| opera of Faust changed in an infant to sa
| handsome young fellow. I have seen
politician change his coat but I never saw
| such transformation as then happened.
| The mare lifted her head. Her ears no
longer hung limp. They were erect and
| tossed back to catch the sound of those ap-
preaching hoofs. Her dingy body now
| seemed to CLEAN, and her legs seemed like
the spokes OF rapidly revolving wheel.
| She was all fire. all animation, all electrici-
| ty. could think of nothing but locomo-
tive rushing along at the rate of a mile a
minute. Heavens, how the wind cut my
| face!
Look out fer your hat, Beck, said the
captain, and pulled it down over my ears.
| glanced quickly at the captain. He held
the reins firmly, and his eyes were fixed
ahead. We were plunging ahead on
whirlwind. I thought what beauty that
mare now is, and thought that there was
only one end of it all-annihilation. I
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 ourselves. could hardly
breathe, I could not see, except away ahead.
I knew we were passing team after team,
and heard the people cheer. I shut my
eyes. thought the crash would come. I
would have begged the captain to stop, if
the speed had not been so great that speech
was impossible. said to myself, James
Beck, your day has come Whew-w-w-w
how we we're flying! There was no motion
except speed. We were flying along the
road, horse and rider, seemingly impelled
by an unseen irresistible power. I opened
my eyes once and saw some men away
ahead waving their hats. In an instant we
had reached and passed them .andas we went
Dy the three men seemed mingled into one.
When will this end? wondered. The sus-
Al IL -