The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-01-28
Art in Betting.

"Yes, Colonel" said the Captain
smiling, sit is quite true "
/ "Nonstnse !" chorused dozsI
voices
at isn't nonsense" said the Colon
ell; "for / am told on very good au
ihoritv-namely, his old Colonel, &
dear friend Of mlne-that it is true
He told me when IL was lirst settled
that Brown was 70 exchange; anO
now: You hea: he atles,s TO it him
self /"
proof, proofl7 cried the others il
one voice
"Ahl' said the Colonel, "proof
Come. Brown, how is you manage
it? You won't mind to teIling, |
suppose p
"Ob, dear, me-" said Brown, smiI-
iog, 81 don't mind telling. You see
| study the couoteHsnce of the man
| bet with, and know beforehand
bow matters will BE- / eau real a
mans face euolgh for the purpose OF
the wager
you can read mine, then p ask
ed tie Colonel, chueklng
"Ob, yes" was the calm reply.
"AOd the officers round the table
grew Interested
what can ynu read there, then 2"
asked the Colonel
Captain Brown looked at him
attentiveIy for n few moments aud
then said:
We'll, for one thing, | can read
that the old wound on your back has
brokeA out afresh.p
Nonsense 2" ro0red the Colonel
never bad wound on my back. -
The yonng officers exchanged
glances, aud the CJlOael saw il, and
il made bin more angry
you do not like the subjec
touched" said Csp,ain Brown grave
ly-"then we will pass it over /
beg your bardon for touching so ten
der place"
Bot confound il all, sir ?" roared
the Colonel, 'I have no wouad on
my back TO break out afcesh"
The Captain smiled
"Come, tbeh," said the Colonel,
tigdtiog hard TO keep down bis an
ger, "you are & betting man I'll BET
you two ten pound notes to one that
| have Do5 got wouod, nor yet
even & scar of wouad-egen a
scratch upon my back VIII you
bet p
with pleasure, ifit pleases you.
Colonel
"Damme, sir it does please me ! l
want this cleared 10. A wound on
my back Dtmme, sir. never turn
ed my back to the enemy 10 my lie
Nov, sir. will vOu bet ?
Il sill, said the esptais, speaking
reluctuu ly, as # he was forced into
it; while the Colonel was evidently
growing purple trom suppressed rage
sc BOD, then" said the Colonel /;
twenty pounds to ten The mess
here are witnesses Smith, ck the
door.
A Young Cornet obeyed; aud
heated by wine. the Colonel, in hi-
rage and desire to prove bis new
Captain TO be what be mentally call
ed humbue, proceeded to dlvest
himself OF all his upper garments, re-
vealing several bullet scars aud
sword culs upon his chest and arms !;
but there was not the vestige of
scratch upon biz back.
"COme look all of you ~ cried The
Colonel; I'm noJ ashamed. Youth
fiod 90 old wound upon nv back
Oue aud all suspected The old gen
tleman, Gcd declared there was not q
scar.
Now, Captain Brown" said the
Colonel, perhaps you will come and
look, sir, and satisfy yourself 2"
I'm take the word Of these gentle
men, Colonel, said Brown. II have
lost | was mistaken "
"Humph! Im glad of that" said
the Colonel, suatcbi0g himself back
ioto bis clothes, and at last bUttoulng
up his Coat, "i'm afraid, sir. you could
not read my countenance
"No. sir. | confess | could not /;
| am beaten. There are your ten
pounds "
The Colonel chuckled and looked
delighted ss be pockote0 the money,
for this, aud the feeling that be bad
been too much for the new captain,
put him 10 the best of numOrs. So
jolly was be that be pstted Brown
aifrctionately on the back wnen they
parted
"You couldn't read me, my lad, eh?
NJ, no; rather too deep for you, eh-
eD 2"
Much too deep, Colonel was
beatt A." said Brown.
And from that day, for whole
fortnight, Browns glory as better
was under eciD-e AT the end Of
that fortnight there was a change
The reason was this:
Colonel Rollins was so delighted
at having, as he said, beaten the
better man. that be wrote to his
friend, the Colonel Of the Lancers
regiment.
DEAR WARREN That was all
CANNON about Browns luck at bet
Ting. He said be could read peoples
faces, and 81 wen 10 that way and,
hang me, if the first night be was here
be didn'; bet hat bad reopeued
wound on my back | bet him, OF
course-twO to one-prOved to him
that | had not, and pocketed his Gl0
IL will be lesson for him He is
nice fellow, though, aud we like him
very much
Yours very truly,
JoHN ROLLINS
An answer came back in the course
of post or two.
DEAR ROLLINS - Glad you like
Brown. Haug him we don't He
has bitlen Us too often. and has just
bitten US again. Confaund him
The night before be left Us | was
talking about what sharp officer
you were-quite Tsrtar-and be
laid wager with me. that was Iak-
en-, too. by half the officers in the
mess, that he'd do as be liked with
you in fact, that the very FIRST time