The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-11-19
Queer Nagers..Bets, of ali Sorts
and Times.

dog would jump from the centre arch of
W estminster bridge and land at Lam
beth together He le,ped from the
bridge, aud the dog followed suit; but
taking it into his head that his master
vas in danger Of drowning, the faithful
fellow dragged him, willy-nilly, to the
shore, and by his well intentioned blum
der lost the waterman his wager
When the false news came to Eng.
land that Sebas.opol had fallen three
days after the battle Of the Alma, a
party Of Snsses men drsnK to the health
OF the victors at a certain inn; but one
incredulous man would not believe the
glad tiling., and offered to give the
landlord a sovereign upon condition Of
receiving a shilling day as long as the
Russians held their own. The offer
was accepted and for many Saturday
night did "the Russian" look for his
seven shillings, the unIueky believer in
the prowc.s Of the allies eventually pa
wing some eighteen pounds for his sinA
gle sovereign
An odd match came off at York in
1906, between Thomas Hodgson and
Samuel Whitehead, the question being
which Of the two could sssume the
most original character. Whitehead
got himself up half man and half wo-
man, one side Of him representing 8
fashionable lady, the other negro
booted and spurred Hodgson, who
was sbjudged the winner, appeared as a
vertible man Of money; his coat and
waistcoat were covered with bank notes,
his hat band WAS OF the same valuable
material, while paper affixed to his
bsck told those whom it concerned that
he WAS John Bull Not reckoning a
purse filled with gold worn on his hat,
Hodsson's trimmings were worth S75
| guiness, 1--WE are extremely sorry,
says the recorder Of the contest, "thst
the whole of the money cannot be con-
verted, IS it certainly ought, to the use
of his lawful creditors"
Brunei once got the best Of Stepen-
son over wager. They were travelling
together in railway carriage, Stephen.
son wrapped in dark plaid, on the ex-
act disposition of the folds Of which he
rather plumed himself "You are look
ing at my plsid," said he to Brunei
"Ill bet you ten pounds you cannot put
it on properly the first time" "T!l bet
ten pounds against the plaid" said
Brunei "If l put it on right when we
get out at the next station, the plaid is
mine; if l miss l pay you ten pounds" "
l''Done," said Stephenson. Brunei sat
silent until the train stopped, then step
ping on the platform, he asked for
the plaid, which was slowly unwound
by his owner and handed over, not to
be given back again, for Brunei wound
it round his own shoulders as if he had
always worn it. He had never tried i!
before, but when challenged did not like
to be beaten, and at once set to work 20
study the folds of the plaid. II got
the thing pretty clear in my head before
we reached the station, and when saw
him get out of it / knew I was right, SC
l put it ON at once"
| Broughsm contrived to mske a hoh
day pay for itself by the exercise of q
little shrewdness, Il was in his college
days that, by the way Of seeing 4 little
lie, he went one autumn to Dumfries il
order to make one at Calendonis hun
meeting. According to the then Gus
tom, everybody dined at table d'hote
and after dinner betting set in. Broug
ham offered to bet the whole company
that none Of them could write down tn,
manner in which be meant to 60 to th'
, races the next day.
Those who accepted his challenge
wrote down theif conjectures, and Broug
ham wrote down bis intention OF trav
cling in q sedan chairs mode Of convey
ance NO ore hit upon To the races h,
went,an immense crowd seeing him safe
, ly chaired to the course. The bet va
then renewed as to the manner Of hi:
return to Dumfries, the acceptors taxin!
their wits to imagine the most improba
BILE methods Of travelling Brougham bat
: calculated upon this, and won the doub
lie bet by returning 10 post chaise and
pair.
| Equally shrewd was the gentleman
who, in backing a Goek Of geese to bea
drove of turkeys in race On \ turn
e pike road, stipulated for choice of plac
t and time He fixed upon the hour be
: fore sundown. At the start the turkey
! went ahead as if they we're going to vii
r in s walk, but as the sun set they brok
' from their walks, rushed through tn
hedges in search Of resting places, ant
1 in spite of all their driver could dc
/. roost they did +; while the geese, trsyel
n ing along sedstely, reached the end Q
r the course before their rivals had finish
D ed taking their nap.
e When wall-chalker offered to chal
e "Warren's Backing on every wa
: round London for fifty pounds, th
: blscking maker exclaimed, ''Tll bet yo
k two hundred pounds to one that it can
f not be done in month" Warren los
t the bet, but got the best and cheapes
e advertisement he ever had
!. Two painters at work on lax
e steamer under repair appropriated som
: of the white lead provided for their us
e by tying in their overalls at the ankle
: and filing the space between trouser
and overalls with white lead. To reac
Y the shore frem the vessel they had t,
: cross plank. In doing this one STUN
: bled and fell into the lake, sinking lik
e. mill stone. His friend stood on shor
= bewailing his fate, and crying, "Ol
8 dear. oh, dear! Whist will become o
. his poor wife and children - "Wha
!, are you blubbering. about" said by
: stsnder, "don't you see they are gettin!
ready to haul him out? He's got t
n rise three times, you know" Got t.
8 rise three times!' exclaimed the painter
Y pulling out his purse, "I'll bet he don
come up oncer
OyergrOWn Hogs.
There is not one single atvsntage t
q be claimed in favor of big hogs. Their
y never WAS monster hog which did no