, 1889-08-15
EXAMPLES OF FOOLS ARGUMENTS
OUT OF TIE MUSTY PAST,

Win Bets-LayinS Large Sums OH the
ResuI; of TrifIing AfIirs-A Race Bo-
tween Drops of Water.
1t has been remarked that "a colIec-
ton of foolish wagers would make a
voiuminoHs work; and so odd are some OF
| these fools arguments" as Butler ritl-
| 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
dcularly in club life, the least difference
OF opinion frequently ended in bet.
many remarkable and eccentric wagers
were made.
In lI29 4 poulterer of LeadenhaIl
market betted $50 he would wall, 2Oa
tunes round the area of Upper Moor
ieids IN twenty-Sevs.n hours; and accord
ingly proceeded ut the rate of five miles
an hour on the amusing pursuit. to the
Infinite improvement of his business and
great editication of hundreds Of specta-
tors"
To characterize the follies of the dav
II Will be necessary to add to the account
OF the walking man another of a hopping
man, who engaged, in December, iI3I
to hop 500 yards in fifty hops in St
James park. He performed the feat in
fOrty-siX.
TRIALS OF SPEED.
In February, 1910, bet was laid by n
noble earl that he should find Il man who
would ride to Edinburgh and back again
to London in less time than another
noble carl should make a million dots in
the most expeditions manner he could
contrive.
In September, 1888, a 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
nours on the same horse. He performed
the journey three hours within the time.
On the 18th of May, 1877, respect
able farmer of Kirton-Lindsey, for a
wager OF a few pounds, undertook to
ride pony up two pair of stairs into q
chamber of the George inn and down
again, which feat ho actually performed
before u numerous company, whose as
tonishment was heightened BY the rider
being upward of eleven stone WEIGHT and
his horse less than thirty stone. They
"NtS "Cl5IlCt StiIcF INC tCGt, to decide
another wager.
In The Annual Register for 1873 we
find the following: "a young Irish gen.
tleman, for n very considerable WAGER.
set out on Monday, Sept. 22, to walk to
ConstantinOple and back again in one
year. 1t is said that the young gentle
man has 100000 depending on the per.
formancc OF the exploit"
The Earl of March, on laying a bet
that he would cause n message to be dis
patched a certain distance quicker than
any horse could convey it, won his wager
by mcloslnS the message in cricket
ball, which was thrown from hand to
nan
ers. 500 b. ....
l,OU "-..r-.
mai I ..t ... .g-
any
The ..------ - - --------
not being present at the achievement
by the following bulletin from tho ficld
OF battle: My lord, have not time t.
state particulars, but merely to acquainI
your grace that your man beat his antag.
oliis1 oy an apple PIC.
BETTTNG ON nrATrT
,.yy,,..
AZ " hl'c 3 colee mousse, "herc, our
Ing the last century, gaming was carried
Oh to heavy amounts. n hook was ALWAYS
Ibid ,,no,, fho taI,Io rn,.
- 10 iAiS >,
anu III tHese betting DOCKS, some Ci
which still exist, may be found bets on
all conceivable subjects. NJ, MARRIAGES
bi,+bs do,+b.. or, H. ,1,,,,oti,, e .
'''S' NN.''i'' Oii 'ii0 Si'ii - ION VI S uiLu
lstfy, on the chance or IN election, on q
Fascals risk of the batter or tho shock Of
IN e1rtho1Iol;o
yyToIrcI, ,,-,;.;,- =.
"iPoic, "ii'llS " OH hofdce AIaiIh
sept. /, IIoU, says; They have put int
the papers a good story made at Whites
4 mon 5ror,,oI 1o,,.,, Ill 81 A., H.,