Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-03-04

=
81 know you are mistaken"
"Td like to bet you something
on it," said John, with a decisive
gesture.
"I'll bet you anything you like,
my dear fellow, so that you make
it an object"
"You amt sure enough to bet
thousand dollars3'
GA thousand 2"
81 thought it would shake your
confidence in yourself" nodded
Peter with smile.
John Ogden started to his feet,
and brought down his hand with
slap upon the table.
"Dare you bet thousand dollars
Peter! 2"
eyes"
"You'll lose it."
81 am able"
"Pll go it The bet is made.
Will you hold here while I go and
, get the money 2"
eyes"
John hurried away to the bank
| and drew out his thousand dollars,
e and with it returned to the lunch
room flushed and excited. A mu-
tual friend was called, to whom tho
case was stated.
; 81 bet a thousand dollars" said
John "that Colonel Frank Powers
has lost his right arm, and that his
l left arm is whole"
4 "And I,'said Peter, "bet tho
same amount that Colnel Frank
Powers has lost his lef arm, and
that his right arm is whole"
n The money was deposited in tho
:. hands of the mutual friend, with
instructions that he should pay it
to the winner. And then they
|, agreed that the three should go at
e once to the hotel and there settle
n the matter.
g Twelve months before this time
t John Ogden would not have bet SO
large o sum under any circum-
" stances but the habit had indeed
grown upon him.
o Arriving at the hotel the three
It were admitted to the Colodels
t presence.
"Ah, boys, / am glad to see you.
n | am feeling much better to-day.
d John old fellow, l can get up for
you now. How are you p
g And Col. Frank Powers arose,
s and extended his hand-his RIGHT
! HAND,-and when John felt its
grasp he found it true flesh and
! blood, warm and pulsating! He
staggered back with a groan.
: "You will excuse US Colonel"
said Peter but John and I had
little dispute. He thought you
t had lost your right arm"
| 80, no." returned Powers, smil-
ing, "Thank Heaven, my right arm
t is spared Understanding his good
t right hand,-"but this poor stump
r is all that is left Of its fellow"
: pointing to the empty sleeve that
4 hung by his left side.
John got away as soon as he
y could. In the lower hall the two
thousand dollars was paid over to
Peter Cartwright.
81 am sorry you lost your money
t John," the latter said, as he put
: the bank-notes into his pocket-book
: "but think l won it fairly"
"It's all right, Peter" And
J, John tried to smile as he said so,
t but he could not do it.
4 A miserable man was John Og-
den that afternoon and more
:. miserable went he went home in the
evening. His wife asked him
: what was the matter, but he would
n not tell her and when she pressed
him he was angry. He could not
tell her that the savings of years
the money that was to have paid
t for their precious home-had been
swept away in a moment-swept
s away by an act of his own sin and
s folly.
That night he slept not wink.
o On the following morning pale and
shaking, he started to go away
e from his home with out his break
fast. On the doorstep he was met
k by Cartwright's clerk, who handed
4 him a sealed packet.
at is from Mr. Cartwright, sir.s
"Do you wait for answer y
: "No, sir"
? "John went back to his house,