The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-04-04
CURIOUS WAGERS.
EXAMPLES OF FOOLS ARGUMENTS
OUT OF THE MuSTY PAST.

Men Who Made Shows Of Themselves to
Win Bets-Laying Large Sums ON the
Result Of Trifing Affsirs-A Race Be-
tween Drops Of Water,
1t has been remarked that ga collec-
ton OF foolish wagers would make a
voluminous work." and SO odd are some of
these fools arguments" as Butler pith-
lily terms them In his "Hudibras," that a
selection of some of the most curious
may prove not uninteresting.
During the last century, when, par
ticularly in club life, the least difference
of opinion frequently ended in a bet,
many remarkable and eccentric wagers
were made.
In 1929 poulterer of Leadenhall
market betted $50 he would walk 202
times round the area Of Upper Moor
fields in twenty-seven hours; and accord
ingly proceeded at the rate of five miles
an hour on the amusing pursuit, ito the
infinite improvement of his business and
great edification of hundreds of specta-
tors"
To characterize the follies Of the day
1t will be necessary to add to the account
OF the walking man another of hopping
man, who engaged, in December, is3i,
to hop 500 yards in fifty hops in st.
James park. He performed the feat in
forty-six.
TRIALS OF SPEED.
In February, ITO, bet was laid by a
noble earl that he should find man who
would ride to Edinburgh and back again
to London in less time than another
noble earl should make a million dots in
the most expeditions manner he could
contrive.
In September, 1889, Col. Ross set out
from London for York, on a wager with
Mr.. Pigot Of 800 guineas that he
reached his destination in forty-eight
hours ON the same horse. He performed
the journey three hours within the time.
On the 18th of May, 1917, a respect
able farmer of Lindsey, for a
wager of a few pounds, undertook to
ride pony up two pair of stairs into a
chamber of the George inn and down
again, which feat he actually performed
before a numerous company, whose as
constituent was heightened by the rider
being upward of eleven stone weight and
his horse less than thirty stone They
were weighed after the feat, to decide
another wager.
In The Annual Register for 1888 we
find the following: "a young Irish gen.
tleman, for very considerable wager,
set out on Monday, Sept. 90, to walk to
Constantinople and back again in one
year. 1t is said that the young gentle
man has 100000 depending on the per-
formance of the exploit"
The Earl of March, on laying a bet
that he would cause message to be dis
patched certain distance quicker than
any horse could convey it, won his wager
by inclosing the message in a cricket
ball, which was thrown from hand to
hand by relays of professional cricket
ers. AS Duke of Queensberry, he betted
1000 guineas that he would produce a
man who would eat more at a meal than
any one whom Sir John Lade could find.
The duke was informed of his success
not being present at the achievement
by the following bulletin from the field
of battle: my lord, have not time to
state particulars, but merely to acquaint
your grace that your man beat his antag-
onist by an apple pie"
BETTING ON DEATH,
At Whites coffee house, where, dur
ing the last century, gaming wascarried
on to heavy amounts, book was always
laid upon the table for entering wagers,
and in these betting books, some of
which still exist, may be found bets on
all conceivable subjects: on marriages,
births, deaths; on the duration Of min
istry, on the chance of an election, on a
rascals risk Of the halter or the shock of
an earthquake.
Walpole, writing to Sir Horace Mann,
Sept. |, 1850, says: "They have put into
the papers good story made at Whites.
A man dropped down dead at the door
and was carried in. The club immedi-
ately made bets whether he was dead or
not; and when they were going to bleed
him, the wagerers for his death inter-
posed, and said it would affect the fair
ness of the bet''
Certain it is that during this period no
subject appears to have been too serious
for bet; and that nothing was consid-
cred too trivial medium, the following
lines, founded on fact, bear witness:
The Bucks had dined, and deep in council sat:
Their wine was brilliant, but their wit grew fat.
Up starts his lordship-to the window flies,
And 10! "A race! race" In rapture cries.
"Wheref' quoth Sir John-"Why, see two drops
of rain
Start from the summit Of the crystal pane;
thousand pounds which drop, with nimblest
force,
Performs its current down the slippry course"
The bets were made; in dire suspense they wait
For victory, pendant on the nod of Fate
Now down the SASH unconscious of the prize
The bubbles roll, like pearls from Chloes eyes.
But, ah the glitt'ring joys of life are short;
How oft two jostling steeds have spoiled the
SPORT
So, thus attraction, by coercive laws,
TIL approaching drops into one bubble draws.
Each cursed his fate that thus their project
crossed;
How hard their lot, who neither won nor lost!
Chambers Journal.
In the Black Country.
Zone woman at work in shop behind