Connecticut western news., 1878-07-25
Curious Chances.

A Versailles wine-shop keeper was at work in his cellar, when suddenly the ground gave way, and he fell into what was at first thought to be well but on lights being brought, the hole was found to be the entrance to another wine-cellar, containing some of the best vintaGes of France and Spain. The archaeolog1Sts of Versailles were aroused; and their examination proves that this mysterious subterranean wine-cellar formed part of the Pavilion du Rendezvous, which Louis XIV. annexed to the Pare-aux-C -Cerfs, about which so many queer things are related by the court chroniclers of the period. The wine is said to have at tracted connoisseurs from all parts.-A farmer in the neighborhood of Tavistock was as lucky in another way. In re- pairing an old mahogany secretaire, knocked down to him at an auction, he discovered a secret drawer containing forty sovereigns, gold enamelled ring, and a lot of securities for money, one of which was certificate for over five hun dred pounds three per cent. consols. An old scrap of paper dated 17OO led to the belief that forty guineas had originally been placed there, but had been taken out in modern times and replaced by the sovereigns. a'es.9 a..H {- .9l
 A French lady not long since frequent | ly missed some of her valuables in most | V1yoo hnr. servant fell down stars and was severe ly hurt. On acting the good Samaritan and pouring oil into her, wounds, the mistress was astonished to find all her lost jewels in the pocket of her maid, who, it seems, had all the time been the culprit. How much oftener accidents contribute to the loss of money scarcely needs comment; but the. manner in which 8 gentleman lost all his winnings at play is worth repetition, as an instance of the fickleness, of fate. n He had won nine hundred. pounds at the ttgreen table. ? at Manaco, and was only waiting for his laundress to brlnga his dozen shirts home before he should quit the place. The laundress, however, did not turn up at the appointed time, and to while away the hours, he went into the Casino. Of course he played and not only lost all he had already won, but twelve hundred pounds besides, which made him heartily. wish he had left the shirts behind, that cost him one hundred pounds apiece for the washing. ....
 Among those who have been most re- markedly affected by accidental surprises are the deaf and dumb, and tales of un- known antiquity relate how speech or hearing has been recovered or improved in this way. Asa case in point:y About 175O merchant of Gloves named Joris- sen, who had become almost totally deaf, sitting one day near a harpsichord while some one was playing, and having a tobacco-p in his mouth, the bowl oi which rested accidentally against the body of the instrument, was agreeably surprised to hear all the notes in the most distinct manner. This accident was 8 happy one, for Jorissen, soon learned, by means of a piece of hard wood placed against his teeth, the other end of which was placed against the, speakers teeth, l. not only to keep up 8 conversation, but l to understand the least whisper. Other cures have been brought about less by skill than by accidental circumstances. There is story of 8 Frenchman who, through sword wound received in g duel, suffered from. internal abscesses, which forced him to walk in a stopping posture. Some time after, becoming engaged in another affair of honor, this time with pistols, the bullet of his ad
 versary chanced to pass exactly through the abscesses caused by the former wound, which. making them discharge, not only relieved him from the stoop, but caused him to walk with rather stiff carriage ever afterward. ..s.t .7n ,,t
 Not only have some of the ills tc which human flesh is heir been cured by accident, but life itself has been pre-. served. from destruction by the same means. Lives are often lost by accident, it Is true; but how they have also been saved by the chance detention of passen. gers from travelling in ships or trains that have afterward become wrecked is we'll known. The writer can testify tc the escape of sailor from what is called watery grave, owing to Jack happening to be tipsy, and incapable of taking hit place in boat putting off to wreck or the Isle of Man coast, when invited by his companions to take an oar. The boat put off without him, and it's crew were all drowned. When crowd col
 lected on the banks of the St. Martin Canal, in France, not long since, it was lucky thing that man who lived neal was urged by his wife to go and see wha
 was the matter. Upon arriving on the scene of action he learned that a chilt had fallen into the water and disap peared Being an expert swimmer, he plunged into the spot, marked by few bubbles, and rescued his own son, a lac aged eight, who in playing had slipped over the bank.
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