Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-11-21
WAGERS.

WAGERS.
Waycrs have been called fools arguments
but they are the resort of English speaking peo-
pie everywhere for the settlement of all torc-
bic questions. In old times, in England, "bet-
ting was the rule of life, as the literature OF
the last century and the century before show
Sir Robert Wslpolc bet with Mr.. Pulteney
guinea that he had not misquotcd Horace"
cared Pu,euey right, upon which Sir Robert
threw the guinea across the House to be pick
cd up BY his opponent, with the remark that
it was the first public money he had touched
Tor long time. The headquarters of bctters
were at Whites. Walpole writes:
''One of the youths at Whites has commit
ted murder and intends to repeat it. He bet
ted 900 guineas that a man could live twelve
hours under water; hired desperate fellow,
sunk him in ship by way of experiment, and
both ship and man have not appeared since
Another man and Il ship are to be tried for
their lives. Many bets were made on health
and longevity. \ writer, referring to this, says
that those who would be gamers by the death
Ola person on whom wager is laid, watch
ali the stages of his illness, and are as .impa
ticnt Tor his death as the undertaken who cN-
poets to have the care of funeral, while the
other side are very SolicitouS about his DEATH,
send every hour to know how he does, and
takes rs much care Of him as ccrgyman'S
wife docs OF her husband, who has no other
fortune than his living | remember a man
with the constitution of porter, upon whose
life very great odds were laid, but when the
person he was pitted against was expected to
die every week, this man shot himself through
the head, and the knowing ones were taken in. /
Lord Mounttore and sir John Bland stakcd
20 guincas side upon the lives Of two noted
men, the former backing Beau Nash to outlivc
Colley Cibber. The comedian died in 1857, at
the aye of st, and Beau in l76l, at the age of
81; but before the first event came about both
the wagcrs had committed suicide At the house
of Sir Mark Sykes the conversation turned upon
the dangers to which Bonaparte was exposed,
and the host offered to take a hundred guineas
from any one OF the company and pay back.
guinea Il day as long as Bonaparte lived. The
Rev. B. Gilbert accepted the offer, and paid
down his hundred guiueas. For three years he
received his guinea day regularly enough stheu
the baronet grew tired Of his bad bargain, and
refused to continue his payments. The clergy
man brought an action to compel Sir Marx to
fulfil the agreement. The Court decided that
as the wager created an undue interest in the
preservation OF the lite OF public enemy,and,
on the other hand, held out an inducement to
pot his assassination, 1t tended to produce pub
lie nj ch ef, and was therefore illegal. -
Wagers have sometimes proved fatal to the
unconscious subjects of them. Sir Thomas lloSte
of Aston, riding home from the hunting field
with some friends, extolled his cooks punctu-
ality in such extravagant fashion that he was
badgercd into risking considerable sum upon
it. Uuluckiy, for the first time, the cook was
behind time with the dinner. Enraged with the
iccrs of his visitors, the irate Sir Thomas made
i;)r the kitchen, took up a cleaVer lying too
readily, and with one blow killed his unhappy
servant.
Ia September, 1888, says the Annual Regis
ter, "a young Irish gentleman, for very con-
siderable wager, set out on Monday, the 22d
instant, to walk to Constantinople and back
again in one year; and IN June OF the follow
ing year Mr.. Whalley arrived about this time
in Dublin from his journey to the Holy Lapd
considerably within the limited time OF twelve.
months. The wager laid on the performance
Of that expedition was EGO, ,0OO Buck Whal-
lev was Dublin macaroni, whose appearance
in a swallow. tailed blue coat gay waistcoat,
buckskin breeches, and top-boots, created no
little establishment at Jerusalem. lie was
taken for madman and, thanks to that b :
lief and stout shileagh, went on his way vi :
molested and was enabled to return home TO
claim his winnings, and he was hencefortn
dubbed Jerusalem Whalley.
Some wears ago London waterman Wagered
that he and his dog would jump from the CEN
tire arch of the Westminster bridge and land at
Lambeth together lie leaped trom the bridge,
and the dog followed suit, but taking 1t iHto
his head that his master was in danger OF
drowning, the faithful fellow dragged hlm
wIly-niliy to shore, and by his well.lntentloned
blundcr lost the waterman his wager.
An inpudcnt rascal had such faith IN the
GOOD lasses of Worcester that he bet he would
E;ss fItv girls in going down the High street
Of that faithful city. Unfortunately for his
speculation, he caught Tarter the very hrst
attempt and got three weeks hard labor Tor
his pains. ,r,
Brougham contrivcd to make holiday, pay
for itself by the exercise OF a little shreWaness'
It was in his college days that, by way OF seeing
:, little life, he went one autumn to Dumlries III
rjer 70 make one at the Caledonian hunt meet
inc According to the then custom everybody
i;ncd at table d hote, and after dinner betting
SET in. Brougham offered to bet the whole
COMPANY that none of them would write down
the manner in which he meant to 60 70 the
raccs next day. Those who accepted his enal,
;cngc wrote their coDjectures, ana Dro"susm
wrote down his intention OF travelling IN S0Iao
chair. a mode of conveyance no. one nao nt
nnnn To the races he went, ao immense
crowd seeing him safely chaired to the course :
The bet was then renewed as to the manner q
his return to Dumfries, the accepters 1axa1s sa1s
their wits to imagine t he emostimpro9aole lnuuo
of travelling Brougham had calculated up?n
this, and won the double event by returning ~
post -chaise and pair. ~ ,.oa
TLcse English stories might be supplcmcIntea
~ the multitude of queer election bets ma1e 10
this country, at the head of which the "ilecl-
harrow business stands prominent.
RAuRoAps.-We are pleased to learn tnat
there is good prospect now for the completion IN
of the Shenandoah Ralrosd:' from .Mnll0ro NUN -
We were pleased to meet the lndetlltlgaG'e 5l
as as they toward t the Wssbogtou Ss.hE
10 nauance the interests OF the w asnu