Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-07-01
A strange Bet.

Paris Cor. New York Graphic
The recent gambling scandals in Der
lin have recalled to the mind OF a
writer in the Revue Retrospective the
details of phenomenal game at
piquet, in which Casanova, the author
of the well-known Memoirs" took
part. The latter was staying, IN 1882,
at the Baths of Soultzbach, in COM
pany with the aged, extravaeant and
wealthy Madame Il Urfe, whom hewas
instructing in the occult sciences.
Thanks to Madame Urfe, Casanova
WAS introduced to the great lady of
the neighborhood, Nine. de Schauen-
bourg at whose residence he met an
officer named DEntrague, poor
player, who always made point OF
leaving the table whenever ne had
pocketed few louis. the two part
ners 9uarrelled one day over this
popularity of the officers, Casanova
charging him with cowardice. IL was
then agreed that at the next game the
man who first stopped playing was to
forfeit fifty louis to his partner.
The contest commenced at 3 in the
afternoon, and at 8 O'Clock in the even
ing ID Entrague proposed adjourn nent
for supper.
"You are quite welcome to leave on
payment ofthe bet, replied Casanova.
"As for one, | am not at all hungry"
This remark took away ID Entrague' s
appetite, and the game went on. By
8 in the morning Casanova had lost
100 louis, but he was as cool as ever.
At O'Clock the struggle showed no
sign of approaching its eonclu ioa,
when the beautiful Nine. SAKE aid
Nme. d Urfe, accompanied by NJ. de
Schauenbourg, entered the room. The
ladies unanimously advised the All
tagonists to indulge in a cup of choco-
late each, insisting that it was abso-
lutely necessary. This was agreed to
and the chocolate drank, when the Of
ficer, believing that he saw signs of
weakness in his adversary, exclaimed:
Suppose we say that the first one
who expresses q wish to eat, who
leaves the room for more than fifteen
minutes, or who dozes in his chair. will
lose the bet"
Agreed" replied Casanova, and the
game was continued with renewed ar
der. At noon the players were called
to dinner, but neither would admit
that he was hungry. About 4o'clock,
however, they decided to allow them
selves a little broth. Supper time
found them still at work, and their
friends, commencing to be alarmed at
the length of the struggle, proposed
that +,a,, cho,,iJ oarooI tba bat Cac
anova refused.
D'Entrague now began to show signs
of great physical discomfors. Helook-
ed as if he had been buried and dug up
again. notwithstanding this the
game continued all night, although the
officer kept getting weaker, mixed up
the cards and made mistakes in count
ing and disCarding. Casanova. al
though also showing signs OF giving
out, still held his own.
At last at 6 A. NJ. on the third day,
afterforty-two hours ofuninterrupted
piquet and fasting D'Entrague fell
backward in his chair fainting. Asst
Casanova he pocketed his dearly won
gold, but instead OF going TO bed he
went to an apothecary's, where he
took an emetic. Then, throwing HIM
self on his bed, he slept lightly until 3
O'Clock, when he rose and dined with
an excellent appetite. He seemed to
have entirely recovered from the eff
fects o. his extraordinary sitting. His
opponent was not so fortunate. 1t
took him several days to recover, and
at one time his life was in danger. His
youth, however. saved him. Casano-
va expected that his opponent would
quarrel with him, but on their meet
ing again the latter said:
II accepted foolish bet, but you
have given me lesson / shall re-
member all my life"