Connecticut western news., 1908-01-23
TWO LESSONS
 IN HISTORY.
tOriginal.l

was sitting in the smoking room of an Atlantic liner when I fell into con versation with an English cockney. He boasted great deal about the de- sirability of a royal family, nobility, and, above all, decried America for having so little history behind her. He talked so ofenslvely that I became IT. ritated.
 We have something of a history" said, At least what we have is of interest. The discovery and settlement of the country, the colonial period, all teach lesson of mans prowess and hardihood. Of course to an English man our Revolution could not be inter esting."
 '"That was no fight" he said. You couldn't expect England to send troops across the ocean in those days. when there wasn't nothin' but sailin' ships. I know all about your Revolution. There wasn't but one O the generals that was 'alf decent-that fellow Burr that turned over West Point to its rightful owners,
 Burr didn't turn over West Point to the British. Arnold did that--Benedict Arnold"
 "Well, now, I fancy I know some thin about that as well as you. Do V suppose I 'aven't the education to take in a little bit of q story that don't take up page O the worlds history General Aaron Burr sent Major An dre with the papers, .@
 UNp,g Ynaun Cnparal A Arpafd cant NTu. jor Andre with the papers,"
 "No, I don't. I mean General Aaron Burr" ...
 A man sitting beside me turned and said to me:< .t..
 There's only one way to cure these Britishers of their conceit, and that is to give them a chance to back their opinions with their money. If youN offer to bet him ten dollar bill that he's wrong, he must either take you or acknoT ledge that he's got the thing mixed"
 "A pretty fool I'd be-" said the cock ney, ito bet and you the only one here to hold the stakes or leave the decision to. I ain't so bloody stoopid as that"
 "You don't need to leave 1t to me" said my partisan. Any man aboard this ship who knows anything knows that Benedict Arnold was the traitor"--
 "Traitorr' the cockney cried @
 'Oh, shut up! The gentleman bets you $10 you're wrong. Do you take him?"
 'Yes, I'll take him, and I don't ob- ject to your holdin' the stakes, but do object to your decldin' the bet"
 My defender looked at mo. with s wink, and I handed him S10, which the cockney covered.
 'Tll go you another ten," said the stake holder
 "No," replied the coclSney, appsrent- ly somewhat shaken by the mans con- fidence. 1.-TWO pound is enough to take out of pair of greenhorns on n small thing like that"
 Every man who came into the smok. ing room was asked who surrendered West Point-or tried to surrender It. to the British. and every man named Benedict Arnold. After four persons had thus decided the bet the cockney permitted the stake holder to turn over the money to me, which he did, to the cockney's apparent discontinue. He was surly about 1t and vowed he'd get even with me before the end of the voyage. I was dissatisfied with my self for being led into taking the fel- lows money, but the man who sug- gested the bet said 1t served him right and would teach him that there was American history, after all.
 The evening before we reached port the cockney came to me with n novel bet on English history. He offered to bet me $50 that couldn't name the kings and queens of England from Henry VIII. to Charles IL, to for felt $1OO for every error I made. Or course the forfelts' were to my disat- vantage, but there should be big odds in my opponents favor. I couldn't very well decline to give the man his revenge, especially as he seemed very anxious for it, he offering to leave both the stakes and the decision to the man who had served as stake holder before. This person came up while we were talking, and I could hardly refuse We each deposited $50 and I an additional $200 for two possible errors, which were to be the limit paid for. was to write out my statement and hand 1t to the stake holder. This did from mem- ory, since I had no books for reference. I named Edward VI, Mary, Elizabeth, James l., James IL, Charles l., Charles II. and Cromwell as de facto king.
 The decision of the referee wus de layed till late at night; then it was handed me, written out on paper. It ran thus: ...-... z
 Lady Jane Grey, proclaimed queen. omitted. Cromwell never proclaimed king and not so styled. put in. You lose the bet. $50, and pay forscit for the two nbove errors, in oll ssJ0.
 saw no more of the cockney nor the friend who had so sympathetlcaIly seconded me In my first bet till the next morning, when I noticed them gv- Ing down the gangplank arm in arm. laughing and chatting together, doubt less over the clever manner in whicI. they had done me out of balance of