The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-11-18
MATHEW PENDLETON'S WAGER

pher, "has his ldiosyncracy. NO
one is without some individual trait
whereby he is distinguished from
others"
Accepting this theory, it was very
easy to tell what Mathew Pendle-
ton idiosyncracy was. He professed
to be sc,f-reliant-entirely indepen-
dent of, and Indifferent to what the
wc:h might say or think. For
public opinion he entertained q pro-
found contempt and regarded it as
only another name for public preju-
dice. This feeling, which he carried
to an excess, probably arose from
an over-weening self-conceit, which
led him to regard with supercilious
contempt the judgement of others
when opposed to his own.
1t was upon this point he was
cOnversing one evening with a
friend. The two were slowly walk
ing up the fremont street mall.
st is easier to talk than to act"
said his friend, whom we will call
Warburton.
DO you mean that my actions are
not consistent with my words" in
quired Pendleton, haughtily.
81 mean this, that though you are,
no doubt, sincere, you would find it
a more serious thing than you i'm
agine to stand out against the worlds
prejudices."
"You are mistaken" was the de-
cided reply.
'sProve to me that / am so, and /
will concede to it."
'In what manner do you wish to
have me prove it ?"
81 will tell you. You arc a man
ofwealth ; l would have you do
something outre-something unex-
pected-and preservere in it for one
week"
81 agree, provided, of course; that
it involves nothing wrongful" L"
Certainly. That is understood" i"
"Name your proposals, then"
Mr. Warburton stopped to con-
slider. They were at that moment
passing a stand belonging to one of
those venders of fruits, nuts, and so
forth, which may be found at brief
intervals upon the Common. As
Warburton looked upon one of these
a thought daWned upon him.
81 have it :" said he, his face
lightning up with quizzical smile,
"Here is a 1ne opportunity for you
to convince me of your courage"
explain yourself"
"Take charge Of this apple-ven-
ders table for one week, remaining
at your post ten hours every day,
and I will confess that your courage
is greater than now believe it to
be-"
81 will do So" replied Pendleton,
promptly.
"But mark. l must make one
condition your object in doing so
must remain a profound secret be-
tween us two. 1t must not even be
revealed to your wife"
81 agree to this condition"
Suppose we ratify it by wager.
l will bet one hundred dollars that
you abandon the undertaking before
the week is out"
Accepted and you may as well
count your money lost from this
moment"
"That depends on circumstances.
If lost, it will be promptly paid"
"One point only remains to set
tied. when shall commence p
81 leave that point to you, as most
interested p
"Next Monday morning then
that will make an even week. l will
also make condition of my own
that absent myself one hour for
dinner"
THAT is only reasonable. Agreed" "
The two friends separated, each
confident of winning the strange
wager which had just been made.
"If he don't get sick of this job"
soliloquized Warburton, II am very
greatly mistaken. It will be a good
lesson for him, however. His inde
pendence-which is his great hobby
will be little less loudly asserted
after the signal failure to make it
good, which l foresee."
Pendleton, on the contrary, reaec-
ted complacently, "Warburton's a
very good fellow, or would be, but
for his cowardly fear of what the
world will say. Because he hasn't
the manliness to stand up, relying
upon his own manhood, and bid de-
fiance to the world and its opinions,
he imagines that 1 must be as weak
as himself. No doubt there are
others who share his opinion. am
glad to have an opportunity to con-
vince them alas | shall do in this
instance that 1 claim nothing in
words in which l am not ready and
willing to back up my actions. The
only thing I regret is, that the test
which he has chosen should be ofso
insignificant a character. No doubt
it seems terrible to him to stand be-
hind a table and vend nuts and ap-
plies in the face of the worlds sur
prise, and perhaps derisiOn. For
me, it is the simplest thing conceiv-
able"
So can the current of Mathew
Pendleton's reflection. In this COM
placent mood he awaited the event
full Monday morning which was to
be the beginning of his weeks trial.
Monday morning dawned auspici-
ously. Mathew Pendleton, after dis
cussing his coffee and rolls, left the
house and walked composedly to the
Common, which he entered, and
walked down fremont street mall,
examining with his eyes the various
stands which he passed. At length
he passed in front Of one which was
kept by Miss Bridget O'Grady, an
enterprising Hiberian lady of about
forty, who with q due regard to her
personal comfort, had been at the
Iexpense of chair, in which her
lportly form was established. OBJ
serving that Mathew paused in front
Of her stand, she rose with alacrity,
ldusted her fruit with a rag of ques-
tionable appearance, and inquired,
in peculiarly insinuating manner
"Will the gentleman buy some
fruit? It's chape and the bist in
the market"