Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-01-10
How the Bet
Was Won
lcopyrlght. 1917. western Newspaper union. J
B, SADIE oLcoTT

Two young doctors who had recent
ly been let out of medical college to
practice their profession on an unsus-
pecting public were sitting over late
supper discussing problems that had
mystified physicians for hundreds of i
years. They passed from one prob
lem to another falling last on insanity.
81 believe" said Doctor Meriweather
| to Doctor Hotchkins, "that there are
many persons confined in lumtic asy-l
lums' who are as sane as l am"
quite likely" replied Doctor Hotch-
kiss facetiously.
"Humph," replied Doctor Meriweath-
err, ''Ill bet you that can get myself
y put in an insane asylum simply by ask
| ing questions of strangers in which
there is nothing impossible or improb-
able"
There was discussion between the
two doctors as to what would be conf
sidered impossible, at the end of which !,
q bet of ten dollars was made between !,
them, the money to be spent on din.
ner, that Doctor Meriweather would
get himself locked up for insanity
When he was ready for the trial he nos
titled Doctor Hotchkiss to be at cer-s
tain place on a certain day and hour
that he might see for himself that the,
bet was won fairly. 4
| A few days later Doctor Meriweatherl
stood on the sidewalk of compara-i
lively unfrequented street, and Doctor
Hotchkiss sat on the porch of an I'M
occupied house within few yards Of
him. Presently woman came byI
| pushing baby carriage. Meriweather
accosted her.
you haven't seen house going byl
here lately, have you?" he asked. t
The woman looked at him with al
puzzled expression.
i "A house?" she repeated.
"Yes, small frame house, paintedl
gray, green blinds, lace curtains, porch
In front and small addition in rear"
Il The woman lnstinctively placed her.
self between the doctor and her child. .
and went on-slowly till she had got
some distance from him, then as rap
idly as she Could CO. fear evidently
squirting her on. ~
i The next passer was a man, of a be-
nevolent cast of confidence. Doctor
Meriweather accosted him.
"AIy FRIEND" he said, "have you seen
! woman and q couple of children go
by here?"
mo- have not sir" said the man
politely, pausing to learn if he could
be of service.
'"rhey We're riding; riding in house
painted gray"
you mean in an auto or carriage"
said the gentleman.
mo, l don't; mean house, C
gray house, With green blinds and lace
curtains in the windows"
The mans face changed from be-
nevolent to serious expression.
'"The woman" the doctor continued,
was trying to keep the children quiet,
but there was nothing to get excited
about; the house was not running
away; it was going very slowly"
II am afraid can't assist you in
finding these persons, my friend" said
the gentleman. "Good-day, sir" And
he passed on. Doctor Hotchkiss heard
him mutter: "Poor fellow"
II see your game" said Hotchkiss to
Meriweather. "but you can't get your
self put in bedlam In that way the
world is cold; they'll all leave you to
take care of yourself, even If you are
mad"
WAIT" was Meriweather'S reply.
The next person was an elderly lady.
Mpriweather put the usual questions.
Like the last person he had tackled,
she supposed that he meant some sort
of Il vehicle; but he corrected her, and
added that he was fearful that the Oc-
cupantS of the house might be burned
alive. since rhe chimney was shakey
The woman seemed Immediately to
take deep, interest in one who had
evidently lost his reason. She asked
him If he would not so With her to q
place where he would have attention
madam" he replied you think ne
crazy. I am perfectly sane"
The woman passed on, shaking hel
head negatively.
Doctor Meriweather was beginning
to fear he would lose his bet when Ii,
saw n policeman coming.
Wnat are you doing here! aSke'
the cop authoritatively
Waiting for some people to come
by, riding in frame house."
you're the man I've heard abou
from Several persons. Come along
It's not my business to leave such a
you loose. You might hurt some one
Meriweather protested that he wa
perfectly sane, but policemen are uset
to all sorts of stories from those the.
take off the street, and led him away
| Calling "black maria" he put TIL
doctor in it and drove him to an in
, sane asylum. HotcnkiSs called cal
, and followed. When his friend wa
| taken into an asylum and was exam
ined by the doctor in charge, Hotch
kiss was present but said nothing