Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-14
MR. BECK ON A WHlRLwIND.
The Kentucky Senator's Turn on the
Bloomingdale Road.
A story Told In the senate Cloak
J Room Of an Airing Behind Capt.
Norris Sleepy.Loeking Mare,
that Proved to be q Flyer.

WASHINGTON, April 1st.-"That
is a very fast train that Aies between
New York and Philadelphia, but I
don't think they will ever get rail-
way that will go AS fast as once
was carried over the old Blooming
dale road.' So said Senator Beck
the other day 70 asnumber of his
brother senator's. They were sitting
in the cloak room, smoking cigars OF
varying fragrance. The new senator
from Nevads. Mr.. Fair, puffed at .
cigar about whose richness Of flavor
could be No doubt, but be became 80
interested in the anecdG:e that the
senator from Kentucky told that he
permitted tho cigar to rest between
the first and second fingers long
enough to lose the flame and there
fore the fragrance. Senator Butler.
Of South Carolipa. stood leaning
against the wall, his face at times
almost concealed by the delicate
smoke that ascended from Senator
Vests cigarette. The grave senator
from Texas, Mr.. Coke, wss sitting
in an armchair just within the thres-
hold OF the cloak reom, where he
cosld enjoy his Partage, and at the
same time see and hear all that was
going on upon the floor of the senate.
But when the first sentence of Mr..
Beck's story fell upon the ears. the
droning utterances of Mr.. Dawes
and the dresry roll call lost all inter-
est. There were other senate
standing near, and their evident in
terest encouraged Mr.. Beck to tell
the story with even more than his
usual vividness of description.
81 don't remember just what year
it was" Mr.. Beck said, "but 1T was
before came to congress, and wheu
| was quite young man, that was
in New York city. 1t was III the
days when the old Bloomlngdsle
road was q favorlte drive for New
Workers with fast horses. Now l
like q fast herse myself, and l
thought had ridden behind some
One afternoon l was up town, or
what was at that time up town in
Now York, and gentleman came
along whom l knew. His name Was
Capt. Norris. He was driving a
dreadfully bony and angalar-looking
msre, and when he asked me if l
would like to take seat beside him,
l was almost ashamed to get in be-
hind such a specimen of horseflesh.
Still knew that Capt. Norris was
something of lover Of hsrses, and
beside l couldn't in courtesy refuse
him. SO got in. The sleepy-seem-
ing old mare logged along ia a most
tirespme way. Her head hung down,
and it seemed as though it was all
she could do to drag her legs along.
"'We'll 60 out on the Blooming
dale road if you don't, mind,' the
captain said, 'and see some Of the
steppers.' ,. , -
"Wel, that would be pleasant
enough, for L thought 1 would have
chance to see brush or two be-
tween some of the noted. horses of
New York of that day. said to the
Captain that l almost wondered why
he wasn't out with stopper. him.
self, knowing how fond he was of
fast driving. He said that he some
times did take a fast horse out, and
l remember looking at the dingy,
bony mare, and feeling for the cap.
tain some of the shame which |
thought he ough: to have felt for
himself. noticed, too, that the peo-
pie whom we passed, who recognized
him. were staring At his mare, aud
thought that they were wondering
how it happened that Capt. Norris
| was out with such u plug as that.
l,by and by We got on the Bloom.
ingdale road. aud one after another
tream passed by. observed that
now and then the gentlemen who
were driving noticeably fine and
speedy animals would turn to the
Captain as they came alongside and
Intimate desire to match speed