Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-05
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.
The Senator'S Life at woodreye-A Crow
for senator Vest.

The Senator'S Life at Woodreye-A Crow
for senator Vest.
Since the death of Mrs. Beck some three
or four years ago, the senator has passed
very little time in his state, spending his
summer months and occasional HOLIDAYS
with his only daughter, Mrs Goodloe In
the winter their home was at the Elizabeth
house, but in the summer they occupied
| their country seat, about three miles from
town, from which the most charming view
of Washington and the surrounding
country in every direction is obtained.
"Woodreve" is built upon high point, and
from it the land slopes in every direction,
giving one glimpses of the Capitol, the
monument, "Oak View" and the many
landmarks about the District and adjacent
Maryland.
He Helped About the Farm.
Here in the summer afternoons one
would find Senator Beck sitting enjoying
the cool breeze or straying about the
grounds helping Betty, as he called Mrs
Goodloe, feed the chickens, nurse the
young orphaned calves, hive the bees.
hunt for the gui nea-hen, or turkey nests,
helping the boys TO get in the hay before
the shower comes on. His chief amuse-
ments were with the rod and gun He
frequently put to blush young officers,
friends of Maj. Gootlloc, when the glass
balls would fly to pieces under his steady
aim.
Bagging Dish of Grow.
One day the senator was found in very
happy mood over killing a crow which had
been making sad havoc among the cher
r!es He was maturing a plan to send
the crow to Senator Vest as the first game
of the season, hoping he would indulge
literally in dish of crow" which deli
cacy the Democracy had been obliged To
feast upon
Mrs Goodloe said that she had been
awakened that morning by hearing her
father going stealthily down stairs, and,
knowing his then critical condition, she
ran out to attend to his wants, when she
spied him descending the stairway on tip
toe in his night shirt, shotgun in hand
Intellectual Attachments.
From his brusque exterior one would not
have supposed Senator Beck to be fine,
classical scholar, but he was, and he de
lighted in repeating pages from the clas-
steal and modern poets. This fund of knowl-
edge, together with that education which
contact with the world in the struggle with
poverty gives had w.;etted his mind to a
brilliRncy and keenness of wit seldom
W
seemed to have more more of the quick
wit of the sister race-the Irish.
His General Popularity.
All about the Capitol was heard the
most sincere and earnest expressions of re-
greet yesterday afternoon. Mr. Beck was
extremely popular with the mem
bers of the senate and it's employees
and officers alike He had many warm
friends on the Republican side of the
chamber, and no enemies Senator Beck
was greatly beloved by the employees
of the senate for his uniform kindness and
courtesy and his active interest in their
welfare. Instances of this were repeated
Sunday. One of them was the case of
John Dudley. a colored man, an old sol
der and member of the g. A. R., who had
been discharged from his place. He went
to Senator Beck and presented his case
On the fioor of the senate the warm
hearted kentucktan made a plea for the
colored man. with whom he had not been
previously acquainted, that was so effec-
tive that Dudley is still upon the rolls of
the Capitol force
Arrangements for the Funeral.
Arrangements for Senator Beck's flu
nersl were nearly completed last night
The formal announcement of his death
was made in the senate by Senator Black
burn to-day, and the senate at once adj
journed, and on Tuesday the funeral serv-
ices will be held in the senate chamber
After the funeral services on Tuesday the
senator's remains will be taken over the
Chesapeake and Ohio railway to Lexing-
ton, KY, where the funeral will take place
on Thursday. All of the Kentucky dele
cation in congress will accompany the re-