, 1872-12-26
WAGERS.


Wagsrs have been called FOOLS arguments, but
they are the resort Of Englizh-speak1ngp people
everywhere for the settlement Of all fotcible
questions. In old tiuaes in England, 'betting: ~
was tile rule OF llfe as the literature Of the last
century and the century before show. Sir Rob
ert Walpole bet with Mr: Pultency guinea that
he had not misquoted :: Horace - in parliament,
The Clork OF the House declared Pultcne7 right,
upon which Sir Robert threw the guinea asSoss
the House to be picked up by his opponent, WIN,
the remark that it was the first public money he
had touched for q long time. The headquarters
of betters vera at Whites. Walpola writes
"One Of the youths ct Whites has committed 4
murder, and intends to repeat it. He betted if
teen hundred guineas that man could live
twelve hours under water; hlred desperate fel-
low, sunk him in s ship by way Of experiment,
and both ship and men have not appeared since
Another man and ship arc to be tried for their
lives" Many bets we're made on health and
longevity. writer, referring to this: sase that
those who would 10 Ssiuers by the death Of d
person on whom wager is laid, Swatch all the
stages OF his iluesa and a7e as impatient for his
death as the undertaken who expects to have the
care Of the funeral; while the other side are
very solicitous about his recovery, send every
hour to know how he does, and take as much
care Of him a3 . clergymans wife does Of her
husband, who has no other fortune than his iv-
ing remember q man with the constitution Of
d porter, upon whose life very great odds wero
laid but when the person he was pitted against
was expected to die every week, this man sho5
we're taken IN"
Lord Mountfoze and Sir John E1and stahed
men, the former backing Beau Nnsh to outli7e
Colley Cibber. The comedian died in 1857, at
tho ago Of Sc; and the beau in 17G1, at the age
of 81; but before the first event came about,
both the wagers had committed suicide. At the
house Of Sir Mark Sykes, the conversation turn
ed upon the dangers to which Bonaparte tbs e1-
posed, and the host offered to take hundred
guineas from any one Of the company, and pay
back g guinea day as long as Bonaparte lived.
paid down his hundred guiness. For
threa years he received his guinea q day
@ regularly enough, gh then the Pasoast satg ggrs!z
an action to compel Sir Mark to fulfill the agree
ment. Tho Court decided that as the wager cre-
ated an undue interest in the preservation Of tho
life Of public eneEy, and, On the other hand,
held out an inducement to plot his assassination,
it tended to produce public mischief, and Was
therefore illegal.
Wagers have sometimes proved fatal to the
unconscious subjects of them Sir Thomas
Hoste Of Aston, riding home from the hunting
tuality in such e3travagant fashion that ne waa
badgered into risking Il considerable sum upon
it. Unlucki1y, for the first time, the cook was
behind time with the dinner Enraged at the
jee1s Of his visitors, the irate Sir Thomas made
for the kitchen, took up cleaver lying too read
lily, and with one blow killed his unhappy SER
want.
In September, 1888, says the Annua! Register,
" A Young Irish gentleman, for . considerable
to Constantinople and back again in one year )"
and in June OF the following year, Mr. Whal1ey
arrived about this time in Dublin from his jour-
-uey to the Holy Land, considerably within the
limited time Of twelve months. The wager laid
on the performance OF that expedition was E20,-
600. Buck Whallsy was Dublin mac2roni,
whose appearance in swallow-tailel blue~coat,
gay waistcoat. buckslin breeches and top-hoots,
created no little aBtouishment at Jerusalem. He
was taken for madman; and thanks to that be-
Lief and {. stout shile1agll. went on his way IN
molested, and was enabled to return home to
claim his winnings, aud he was henceforth dub.
bed Jerusalem Whalley-
Some years ago London waterman wagered
that he and his dog would jump from the centre
arch OF Westminster bridge and land at Lam
bath together. He leaped from the bridge, aud !.
the dog followed suit, but taking it into his
head that his master was in danger OF drowning,
the faithful fellow dragged him wil1y-niuy to
the shore, and by his wel-intentioned blunder
lost the waterman his wager.
An impudent rascal had such faith in the good
1asses OF Worcester, that he bet he would kiss
fifty girls in going down the High street Of the
faithful city. Unfortunately for his speculation,
he caught q Tartar the very first attempt, and
got throa weeks hard labor for his pains.
Brougham contrlved to make holldsy pay Tor
itself BY the exercise Of q little shrewdness- It
was in his college, dnys, that, by way OF seeing q
little life, he went one autumn to Dumfrle5, In
order to make one at the Caledonian hunt meet
ing. According to tue then custom, everybody
dined at table dhote, and after dinner betting
set in. Brongham offered to bet the whole COM
pany that none of them would write down the
manner in which he meant to SO to the races
next day. Those who accepted his challenge
wrote down their conjectures, and Hroughan
Trote down his intention OF travelling in sedan
chair, mode Of conveyance no one had bit
upon. To the races he went, an immense crowd
seeing him safely chaired to the course. The
bet was then renewed as to the manner OF his
return to Dumfrcs, the acceptors taxing their
Wits to imagine the most improbable method OF
travelling Brougham had calculated upon this
and won the double event by returning in post
chaise and pair.
The English stories might be supplemented
by tho multitude Of queer election bets made in
this country, at the head OF which the Wheel
barrow buainess stands prominent.