The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-06
Queer Wagcrs--Bets OF all Serss and
. Times. rar Efsf4st :sx ~

We extract the following from AL The Fe1r
Round: Some Years ago London water
man wagered that he and his dog would
jump from the centre arch Of Westminster
bridge and land at Lambeth together. He
Ieaped from the bridge, and the dog followed
suit; but, taking it into his head that his
master was in danger Of drowning, the faith.
ful fellow dragged him, willy-nilIy, to the
shore, and by his wel.intentioned blunder
lost the waterman his wager.
When the false news came to England that
Sebastopol had fallen three days after the
battle Of the Alma, party Of Sussex men
drank to the health Of the victors ut u certain
inn; but one incredrlous man would not be-
lieye the glad tidings, and offered to give the
landlord q sovereign upon condition of re-
ceiving shilling day as long as the Rus
slams held their own. The offer was accept.
ed, and for many Saturday night did "the
Russian" look for his seven shilings, the
unlucky believer in the prOwess of the allies
eventually paying some eighteen pounds for
his single sovereign.
An odd match came off at York in 1905
between Thomas Hodgson and Samuel
Whitehead, the question being which of the
two could assume the most original character.
Whitehead got himself up half man and half
u
| ionable lady, the other negro booted and
spurred. Hodgson, who was adjudged the
winner, appeared as veritaDle man ofmoney; |;
his coat and his waistcoat were covered with
bank notes, his hat-baud was of the same
valuable material, whilea paper affixed to hts
back tcld those whom it concerned that he
was john Bull. Not reckoning purse filed
| with gold worn on his hat, HodgSon's trim.
mings were worth $40 guincas. "We are
extremely sorry," says the recorder of the
contest, "that the whole Of the money cam
not be converted, rs it certainly ought, to the
use Of his lawful creditors !"
Brunei once got the best Of Stephenson
over q wager. They were travelling to-
gether in 4 railway carriage, Stephenson
wrapped i'll dark plaid, OIL the exact dlspo-
sition Of the folds of which he rather pumed
himself. "You are looking at my plaid"
said he to Brunei. "I'll bet you ten pounds
you cannct put it on properly the first tinie."
"Fll bet ten poundsagainst the plaid" said
Brunei. "If put it on right when we get
out at the next station, the plaid is mine If
miss | pay you ten pounds" "Done,"
said Stephenson. Brunei sat silent until the
train stopped, then stepping on the platform,
he asked for the plaid. which was slowly un-
wound by its owner and handed over, not
to be given back again, for Brunei wound 1t
round his own shoulders as If he had always
worn it. He had never tried 1t before, but
WHEN challenged did not like to be beaten,
and at once set to work to study the folds OF
the plaid. 81 got the thing pretty clear In
my head before we reached the station, and
when l saw him get out OF it knew | was
right, SO put it on at once" !.
| Brougham contrived to make a holiday
pay for itself by the exercise OF little
shrewdness. 1t was in his college days that,
by the way Of seeing little life, he went one
autumn to Dumrlies in order TO make one at
Il Caledonia.hunt meeting. According to
the then custom, everybody dined at table
dhote, aud 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 10 so to the races
the next day.
Those who accepted his challenge wrote
down their conjecturcs, and Brougham
wrote down his intention Of travelling In u
sedan chair, a mode of conveyance no one
hit uDon. TO the races he went, an immense
crowd seeing him safely chaircd to the
course. The bet was then renewed as to
the manner of his return to Dumfries, the
acceptors taxing their wits to imagine the
most improbable methods Of travelling.
Brougham had calculated upon this, and won
the double bet by returning in Il post-chaise
and pair. .-.-.-..
Equally shrewd was the gentleman who,
in backing flock of geese to beat drove OF
turkeys in race OH turnpike road, stipu-
lated for choice of place and time. He nxed
upon the hour before sundown. At the
start the turkeys went ahead rs if they were
going to win in walk, but as the sun set
they broke from their walks, rushed through
the hedges in search of resting-places, and
in spite of all their driver could do, roost
they did; while the geese, travelling along
seduteIy, reached the end OF the course be-
fore their rivals had finished taking their
nap. -. 4
when a waI-cIaiker offered to chalk
"Warren's Backing" on every wall round
London for fifty pounds, the blackiDg. maker
exclaimed, % IN bet you two hundred pounds
to one that it cannot bc done in month
Warren lost the bet. but got the best and
cheapest advertisement lie ever had.
: \. Two painters ut work on lake steamer
' under repair r appropriated some Of the wnite
lead proyided for their use by tying IN tnefs
; oyerals at the ankles and filling the space
between trousers and oyerails with White
lead. To reach the shore from the yesse
they had to cross plank. In doing this ont
e stumbled and fell into the lake, sinking llk'
milestone. His friend stood on shore De
wailing bis fate, and crying, "Oii, dear !! on
dear what will become Of his poor VIE ane
children 2" "What are you blubbefine
about" said a bystander, 4" don't you &c.
they are getting ready to haul him OUT ),
, He's got to rise three times, you KNOW, !,
"Got to rise three times!" exclaimed Tux
painter, pulling out his purse, "Pl BET %
,, don't come up once ~