The Washington critic., 1886-08-03
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON, AUGUST 3, 1885.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

lUl lUD VI lllu ia IL
Anent the speech delivered in the
Senate last Thursday by Mr.. Beck, the
Washington correspondent OF the Bal
timore Sun tells the following story:
Mr. Beck was booked for speech on
the Morrison surplus resolution on that
day. He wanted to free his mind on
certain points, and II was then or
never. So up he got, and for about
twenty minutes the words rolled out of
his mouth like torrent his brawny
fist pounded his desk like the hammer
of blacksmith, and his massive head
shook vigorously and emphatically
with every rising infection of his
voice. When he finished he was
sight indeed His collar had doubled
up so that It looked like a narrow piece
of wet tape tied around his neck. His
shirt-bosom was sobbing with pcrspira
tion. Great damp patches came
through and exhibited themselves all
over the back of his coat, and his face
was as If a heavy rain was running
down 1t. While he was thinking how
uncomfortably he felt page came
and told him Mrs. Beck was up In
his committee room and wanted to see
him. Wondering what could have
brought her from home on such o day,
he went up stairs, and was surprised to
find her taking from valisc full
change of nice cool linen. She told
him that she had read In the morning
paper after he left that he was "going
rough-shod" for the Finance Commit
tee amendment to the Morrison resolu-
tion, and rs she knew very well the
condition he would be in after he got
through, she had hastened to the Capt..
tol with what she now handed him. 1t
did not take very long In the privacy
of his committee room for him to strip
and wash Off the damage resulting from
his forensic contest and slip into his
clean and well starchcd linen. He then
walked back to the Senate Chamber
prouder than any peacock, and for the
rest of the day his only topic with
every one he met was the virtues and
charms of Kentucky wives.
a**
Rev. Stephen II. Tying. though now
living abroad, says the New York cor.
respondent of the Troy Times, o. "a
sionally reappears among his former
acquaintance. He has had full share
Of foreign life, but, like most New
Workers, he finds it impossible to live
contentedly elsewhere. He Is now
forty. seven, and certainly has had n
very peculiar experience. He entered
the ministry In his twenty second year,
and had career of remarkable success,
advancing steadily, until he became
rector of Holy Trinity, which Is one OF
the best parishes in this city. His ac
tivity and general ability rendered
him one of the most useful members
Of the profession, and had he mo-
fallen victim TO speculation he Nigh,
still have retained this eminence. The
story of his fall is too well known to
require repetition. He was induced to
speculate, and a clique of brokers got
such control of him that he became
their slave. lie sunk all he had md
plunged so heavily in debt that at last
he left the country as the only means of
escape. Since then he has held an i'm.
portant life insurance appointment
both in Paris and London, but he Is
thoroughly tired of foreign life, and,
having suffered severe punishment for
his sin, should be allowed to resume
his profession. lie is now here look
ing up old friends, and hopes that he
may find pulpit. He will work hard
for low pay, and all he wants is the
privilege of returning to his former
profession in the city he loves so we'll.
1t is hardly probable, however, that
this hope will be realized. New York
contains a large number of unem-
ployed clergy, and n new church effort
is out Of the question. Experience
generally comes too late, and poor
Tyngs fate can only warn men who
have $4,000 pulpit to try to keep it.
~
A writer in the Atlanta Constitution,
who has been writing up the history
of Senator and x.Governor Joseph
Brown, furnishes a curious reminis-
cence suggested by the pixies recently
rec lived by the Tennessee Historical
Society. He says: "ConcGrnlng weap-
ons, 1t will be remembered that Tennes-
see volunteers carried bowie knives.
What an industry it was to get them
ready Trifing fellows who were un-
tidy in their dress and trifling in every
other sense would work away in the
sand, securing their butcher knives
as If the brighter they glist ened the
more tremulous would be the foe
when the contemplated hand to hand
encounter should begin. Soon they
were allowed to rust and drop by the
line of march. But as to the
Joe Brown pixies they were
Of little more intelligent con
ception, particularly in anllclpa.
tion that some Confederates would have
10 fight without guns. They consisted
of two pieces of timber about six feet
long. banded together with iron, the
corners rounded, with an aperture
rear one end, in which blade fifteen
inches long was inserted, and by
means OF spring, could be protrudcd
at will and firmly held in place. 1t Is
useless to say they were never used.
The Historical Society had better label
them with an explanatory note, for
those who did not know of the silly
things done in the beginning of the
Confederate war would never imagine
what they were intended for, | was
quite amused one morning about eight
years ago at a remark of General Sher.
man, who was my fellow pas
senger on the Western and AT
lantic Railroad. AS the train
was running into Graysvlle be pointed
to the stone mill 10y the Chickamauga