The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-25
TWO LESSONS
IN HISTORY.

an Atlantic liner when | foil into con
versatlon with IN English cockney
He boastcd great deal about tho Dc
slrabiliV of n royal family, n nobility,
and, above all. dccrled America for
having 80 little history behind hor, liz
talked NO Extensively that became r.
rltated
I'VE have something OF history"
said. AT least what we have IL OF
interest, The discovery and settlement
OF the country, the colonial period. all
teach a lesson OF mans prowess and
hardihood, OF course to an English.
man our Revolution could not bo inter.
estng,"
THAT was no light" ho said. "You
couldn't expect England to send troops
across the ocean In those days, when
there wasn't nothln' but sallln' ships.
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 ita
rlghtful owners"
Burr didn't turn over West Point 10
the British Arnold did that Benedict
Arnold"
"Well, now. fancy know some.
thin about that as well as you. DO
y suppose 'aven't the education TO
take In little bit Of story that don't
take up n page o. the worlds history
General Aaron Burr sent Major An.
DIRE with the papers,
"You mean General Arnold sent Mn.
jor Andre with the papers"
'No, don't. mean General Aaron
Burr"
A man sitting beside me turned and
said to me.
There's only one way TO cure these
Brltishers> OF their eonceit, and that Il
TO give them chance TO back their
opinions with their money, II you'll
offer to bet him ten dollar bin that
he's wrong he must either take you or
acknowledge that he's got the thing
mixed"
"A pretty fool ia be" said the cock
ney. TO bet and you the only one hero
to hold the stakes or leave the decision
to. aln't so bloody stoopId us that"
'You don't need to leave II 70 me"
said my partisan. ANY man aboard
this ship who knows anything knows
that Benedict Arnold was the traitor.
Traitor the cockney cried.
"Oh. shut up, The gentleman bets
you $40 you're wrong DO you take
himw
tYes, III take him, and don't oh. /
Iect to your holdIn' the stakes but do
object to your decidln' the bet"
My defender looked at me, with II
wink. and handed him Sl0 which
the cockney covered.
"Tll go you another ten," said the
stake holder
NO" replied the cockney, apparent
ly somewhat shaken by the mans con.
tldence. Two pound IL enough 10
take out Of pair OF greenhorns on Il
small thing like that"
Every man who came into the smok.
ing room was asked who surrendered
West Pointer tried to surrender IT.
70 the British. and every man named |
Benedict Arnold. After four persons
lad thus decided the bet the cockney /
permitted the stake holder to turn over
'he money to me. which he did. to the
'ockney's apparent discontinue. He
vas surly about It and vowed he'd yet
sven with me before the end Of the
Toyage. was dissatisfied with my.
'elf for being led into taking the fel. I
ow's money. but the man who sug.
,ested the bet said 1t served him right
md would teach him that there was
American history. after all.
The evening before we reached port
he cockney came TO me with novel
'et ON English history. lie offered to
bet me $50 that couldn't name the
Kings and queens of England from
Henry VIII. to Charles H., Il to for.
'eit 500 for every error made. or
'ourse the forfeits were to my dsad-
but there should be big odds
n my opponents favor. couldn't
'cry well decline to give the man his
evenge, especially as he seemed very
lnXious for 1t, he Offering to leave both
he stakes and the decision to the man
Who had served as stake holder before.
[his person came up while we were
alking, and could hardly refuse. We
ach deposited $50 and an additional
200 for two possible errors, which
we're to be the limit paid for. was to
write out my statement and hand It to
he stake holder This did from mem
ry, since had no books for reference.
named Edward W., Mary, Elizabeth,
ames l., James H., Charles T., Charles
l. and Cromwell as de facto king.
The decision of the referee was de
aged till late at night; then II was
anded me, written out on paper. 1t /
an thus:
Lady Jane Grey, proclaimed queen,
mitted. Cromwell never proclaimed king
nd not 80 styled, put in You lose the
eft. $50, and pay forfeit for the two above
rrors. In all $3.50.
] saw no more Of the cockney nor
he friend who had SO sympathetlcally I
econded me In my first bet till the
ext morning, when noticed them go.