Year: 1872

VutcE hdStEss


SOME years ago London waterman
wagered that he and his dog would Jump
from the center arch of Westminster
Bridge, and land at Lambeth together.
He leaped from the bridge, and the dog
followed suit, but taking it into his head
that his master was in danger of drown
ing, the faithful fellow dragged him
willy-nilly to the shore, and by his WELL
intentioned blunder lost the waterman
his wager.


When the false news came to England
that Sebastopol had fallen, three days
after the battle of the Alma, a party of
Sussex men drank to the health of the
victors at certain inn, but one incredu-
lous man would not believe the glad
tidings, and offered to give the landlord
sovereign upon condition of receiving
shilling a day as long as the Russians
held their own. The offer was accepted,
and for many Saturday night did ''the
Russian" look for his seven shillings, the
unlucky believer in the prowess of the
allies eventually paying some eighteen
pounds for his single sovereign.


An odd match came off at York in 1906,
between Thomas Hodgson and Samuel
Whitehead, the question being which of
the two could assume the most original
character. Whitehead got himself up
half man and half woman, one side of
him representing fashionable lady, the
other a negro, booted and spurred.
Hodgson, who was adjudged the winner,
appeared as veritable man of money
his coat and his waistcoat were covered
with bank notes, his hat band was of the
same valuable material, while a paper
affixed to his back told those whom it
concerned that he was John Bull. Not
reckoning purse filled with gold worn
on his hat, Hodgson's trimmings were
worth three hundred and seventy-ive
guineas. 1--WE are extremely SORRY" says
the recorder of the contest, that the
whole of the money cannot be converted,
as it certainly ought, to the use of his
lawful creditors"


Brunei once got the best of Stephenson
over wager. They were travelling to-
gether in railway carriage, Stephenson
wrapped in dark plaid, on the exact dis
position of the folds of which he rather
plumed himself" "You are looking at
my plaid" said he to Brunei. "I'll bet
you ten pounds you cannot put it on
properly the first time" '1'll bet ten
pounds against the plaid" said Brunei.
"If put it on right when we get out at
the next station, the plaid is mine; if I
miss, pay you ten pounds" Done, :"
said Stephenson. Brunei sat silent until
the train stopped, then, stepping on the
platform, he asked for the plaid, which
was slowly unwound by its owner and
handed over; not to be handed back
again, for Brunei wound it roundh his own
shoulders as if he had always worn it.
He had never tried it before, but, when
challenged, did not like to be beaten, and
at once set to work to study the folds of
the plaid. Il got the thing pretty clear
in my head before we reached the station,
and when / saw him get out of it / knew
/ was right, so put it on at once"
Brougham contrived to make holiday
pay for itself bv the exercise of a little
shrewdness. 1t was in his college days
that, by way of seeing a little life. he
went one autumn to Dumfries, in order
to make one at a Caledonian hunt meet
ing. According to the then custom,
everybody dined at table d,hOte, and after
dinner betting set in. Brougham offered
TO bet the whole company that none of
them would write down the manner in
which he meant to go to the races next
day Those who accepted his challenge
wrote down their conjectures, and Broug-
ham wrote down his intention of travel
ing in sedan chair, mode of convey.
ance no one had hit upon. To the races
he went, an immense crowd seeing him
safely chaired to the course The BET
was then renewed as to the manner of hi:
return to Dumfries, the acceptors taxing
their wits to imagine the most improba
BILE methods of travelling. Brougham had
calculated upon this, and won the double
bet by returning in a post chaise and
pair.


Equally shrewd was the gentleman
who, in backing a flock of geese to beat
a drove of turkeys in a race on turn
pike road, stipulated for choice of place
and time. He fixed upon an hour before
sundown. At the start, the turkeys went
ahead as if they were going to win in a
walk, but as the sun set they broke from
their ranks, rushing through the hedges
in search of roosting places, and, in spite
of all their drover could do, roost they did
while the geese, travelling along sedately,
reached the end of the course before
their rivals had finished taking their nap
When a wall chalker offered to chalE
"Warren's Backing" on every wall round
London for fifty pounds, the blacking
maker exclaimed, "I'll bet you two hun
dred pounds to one that it cannot be done
in a month" Warren lost the bet, bu
got the best and cheapest advertisement
he ever had.


Two painters at work on a lake steamel
under repair appropriated some of tn
white lead provided for their use, by ty
ing in their overalls at the ankles, ant
filling the space between trousers ant
overalls with white lead. To reach tn
shore from the vessel they had TO cross |
plank In doing this one stumbled ant
fell into the lake, sinking like milestone
His friend stood on shore bewailing hi
fata ond rrvinU ont stnh dpar oh dear
what will become of his poor wife AM
children? ?" "What are you blCbbeIinl
about" said bystandeT, don't you Sc
they are getting ready to haul him out
He's got to rise three times, you know J
SCOT to rise three times ~ exclaimed tn
the painter, pulling out his purse, "I,l
bet he don't come up once !"-AA tn


Year Round.