Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-03-28
Betting on a Certainty.

In the British army III India betting
among the officers often runs TO an ex-
treme Of vice that is sometimes fearful
to contemplate. Perhaps it is no worse
than in club life in London, where the
most amusing as well as tragical stories
are told of the curious bets that are
made. Betting on certainty is held to
be unfair, unless the avowal is distinctly
made, SO that no undue advantage Is
taken.
An officer in he'army had imported for
his private apartments new and beau
tiful mahogany table. A day or two after
it had arrived and had been duly III
stalled in his quarters, a brother officer,
great swell and very unpopular,
dropped in Familiarity, and greatly adj
mired the beautiful table. The owner
was shaving himself at the glass with
his back to his visitor-Col. Brown-but
continued the conversation until the col
onel withdrew, the latter remarking that
he hoped soon to have his legsunder that
elegant mahogany.
The owner of the table, whom we
must call Maj. Jones, made up little
dinner party in the course Of few days,
and Col. Brown was one of the number.
It was natural that the new table should
be the subject of remark, and Brown,
who affected to be a connoisseur In all
matters, said the table was perfect. with
one exception.
Jones'" And pray what is that, col
onel ?"
Brown-"It's just little too high"
Jones" Do you think so? How
l. ~~Iox To hn
Brown-"I presume it is the usual
height, just thirty-six inches, and it
ought to be less than that by at
least half an inch"
JONES' THAT is the exact height,
thirty. five and half inches, not thirty
six, as you suppose"
Brown-"Pardon me. am certain it
is three feet high; will make you bet
on it.
Jones" You will lose if you do, for
[ give you notice that know its exact
height to half an inch, and if l bet /
shall bet on q dead certainty"
Brown-''L am just as sure as you are:
l am betting on certainty also; my
eye never deceives me. [ will lay you q
! hundred or thousand pounds that this
| table is thirty-six inches high; no more.
| no less"
The major sought to dissuage his
guest from his purpose to make bet,
assuring him that he E1aeaO the height OF
| the table, and did not want to bet on q
certainty, but. when the excitement
| grew furious, the wager was finally laid
at an enormous sum- have heard il
stated as high as $50, 000-G10, 000
1 Tbo& ooo,,oc ,DronnetorO11C c17oh G
trife was the subject, but the gambling
spirit does not stick at trihes. When the
betting was finally arranged, Col. Brown
exclaimed, exultingly, 81 told you
kneaO the table was exactly thirty-siz
inches high: did knOaU it, because wher
L called, just after it arrived, took Its
measure on my cane as l sat by it, anc
after ] went out measured, and found i
to be, as have said, precisely thirty-si2
inches high"
EYES," said Major Jones, 81 was sit
ting with my back to you, but I was
shaving before the looking glass, and
saw you taking the measure of the table
with your cane. Suspecting that yor
were preparing for bet as to its height
after you left [ had half an inch take1
off, and it is now precisely.thirty-fve anG
half inches high.
The applause that followed this result
was tremendous, and completed the dis
comfture of the unpopular colonel. /
| was evident that he had been laying {
plan to cheat, and would have pockete6
the money if he had won. He was sem
to coventry. He sold his commission
and returned to England, being unable
| to stand up against the contempt of the
officers, who thoroughly despised his
character.