Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18
FLORENCE WON THE BET

"One afternoon, quite a good many years
ago, William j. Florence and John T. Ray
mond met in the cafe of the Russell House
In Detroit said a palmy-day actor who
was in Washington with a travelling conf
pany not long ago They were both play
ing engagements in the city of straits. On
the night before both men had sat UP pretty
late-rather early-with a party of con-
vivials ana neither of them felt particu-
larly hilarious when, shortly after turning
out of bed, they happened to line up to-
gether in the Russell House cafe. They
looked each other over sheepishly, without
saying much, until after they inserted into
themselves the preparations concocted for
them by the man behind the bar. Then
Raymond thrust his hands into his trousers
pockets, took a stand directly in front OF
Florence, with his legs spread out, and eX-
amined the famous J. Bardwel SlOte crfti-
cally.
William he said. solemnly, to Florence,
last night l observed with soictude, not
unmixed with sorrow that your well-known
addict to the bowl is growing fast upon
you. Be warned in time. my good Fellow;
Think of the ruined intellect, the shattered
health, the-er-deSolated home
&c oh, go to the dickens, said Florence.
'Har went on Raymond, with ludi-
erous assumption of solemnity 1t is thus
that all slaves of the grape. or soon-to-oe
slaves of the grape, thrust aside the adJura-
tons of those who have their welfare close
at heart. William, be cautioned in time
Put away from you, once and forever thls
awful habit that is
why, confound your impudence, Ray
mond.' burst out Florence, whose head was
of such proportions, owing to the previous
night off, that he couldn't quite perceive
whether the genial Col. Sellers was testing
not. If you didn't take two to my one
last night. and show EN-, too, I'll never see
the footlights again
But l. said Raymond pointir to him
-llf J1-tf h tr II Inc i
can use it or let 1t alone. It's all one to me
whether or not 1 ever again inhale the bou-
quet of the grape. Whereas you-you. my
poor friend
And Raymond pulled out his handker
chief and pretended to wipe away tear
from the corner of each eye. Florence's
eyes twinkled.
Look here, Raymond he said, it's now
October the 18th. isn't it? All right I'll
just tell you what I'll do with you. After
We have one more nerve reStorer in this
place I'll bet you the best suit of clothes
that can be made in New York for money
that | won't take another drink until
Christmas eve-that is, on condition that you
make the same bet. TIN be case of honor
bright, of course. I'm going east, and
you're going west. The man that takes the
first drink is to Immediately notify the
other by wire
William, you're on, said Raymond.
He hadn't intended to have his little joke
taken that way, but he was game, and he
stood for the bet. AS a matter of fact,
neither Florence nor Raymond was addict
ed to excessive drinking. They were SIM
ply men of liberal habits-men of the stamp
who took a drink when they wanted it.
So they took a final bracer in the Russell
House cafe that afternoon and went forth,
both resolved to be good until Christmas
eve.
Now, in truth, both of them found the
bet to be a pretty irksOme affair before
they were as much as a week older. They
naturally fell into cOngenial company a
good deal. where they pXDpPrp1 to
give evidence of the nimble wit which they
both possessed in such high degree in pri-
Vatc life, and they both afterWard admitted
that with the teetOtaler bet hanging over
them they often felt like deaths heads al
the feast. what. with the popping of the
corks all around and they clinSing virtu-
oUsly and resolutely to vichy and milk.
But they stuck to the terms of the bet
with logged determination for weeks.
ION the night of December .. more than
six weeks after the bet had been made,
Florence was taken in tow after the night
performance by a party of well-lnown,
h.gh-class New York men, that included
such bright souls Larry Jerome, Will
lam Travers, Charles Osborne and other
wits of national reputation. The party re-
paired to the Hoffman House apartments
of one of them. The magnums began to
appear by the case, and there soon com
menced an exchange of dazzling talk such
as, | fear, is not often heard nowadays.
But Florence didn't expand. All hands no
uCed that he under reefed sails. He
was almost gloomy FIChy ana milk was
his n. and he couldn't he persuaded to daily
with even a thimbleful of the nnagnums'
contents They tried persuasion, ridiculc,
everything, but Florence only shook his
head socmniy. jerome implored him to
abandon mis- Chaperon manner and Trav
crs suffered something to the general eff
feet that duerna Florence was a howl
ing fiasCo. But Florence was not to be
moved.
=" Gentlemen he said to them. with
gloomy dignity, 4 am bound in chains in
this matter. Plead with me not
"Whereupon they all roared at him, and
he looked completely miserable. The riot
of Wit and laughter went on, with Florence
sitting twidGing his thumbs hopelessly,
when there was knock on the door
" Come in shouted the gentleman in
whose apartments the fun was going
"A Western Union messenger entered.
g Telegram for Mr.. William J. Florence
he said.
Florence nodded the boy To him, and
| opened the telegram with bored express
| sion. He had no idea of its contents.
| He read 1t, and then he jumped several
| feet in the air. There was a broad grin
| on his face.
- Jerome, said he. just touch that but
ton for me. VIII you, please? | want to
order another case of magnums.'
| The telegram, which was from Chicago,
| read:
You win. Raymond. "