Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1873 — Singular Wagers. [ARTICLE]

Singular Wagers.

The passion of man for games of hazard is almost universal, and finds expression in the most reckless, singular, comical, -and notunfrequently silly wagers. A story is told of a well-known sporting character in New York who was very low with fever. The doctor was standing by his bedside watching the flickering pulse, and solemnly remarked to the weeping friends that he would hardly live an hour, when the dying man opened his eyes, the passion of his life asserted itself even under the shadows of death, and feebly whispered his challenge Jo the physician; “I’ll bet you an even fifty that I’ll live an hour and a quarter.” . - ■ ■*, Hardly less curious and better authenticated instances of singular wagers can he given. In 1855 a gentleman inNew York made a bet of $5,000 against $25 that his ! opponent could not throw three sixes of dice twenty times in succession. He threw them eleven times, and was offered SI,OOO to withdraw, reftised It, and missed on the twelfth throw. About the year 1720 Lord Mountfort and Sir John Bland staked twenty guineas a side upon the lives of two men then in public life, the former backing Beau Nash to outlive Col- , ley Cibber, the comedian. The latter liven to 1757 and Beau Nash till 1761. A quarter of a century before the principals of the wager had each died by suicide; but the stakes were paid over to the heirs of the winner. About the year 1800, when infernal machines, poisoned food, explosive grenades, axic?other assassination plots seemed to render the death of Napoleon almost a certainty, a party of English gentlemen met at the house of Sir Mark Sykes, and the conversation turned upon the probabilities of his speedy death, which some o the company scouted as improbable. Sir Mark, on the contrary, believed liis early death almost certain, and finally offered, if any one would give him one hundred guineas, to pay one guinea a day as long as Napoleon lived. The Rev. B. Gilbert accepted the offer, paid his hundred guineas, and for three years received the guinea a day, as stipulated. But after that time the baronet grew tired of the incessant drain, and. refused to longer pay.. An action was brought to recover, when the court decided that as the wager created an undue interest in the preservation of the life of a public enemy, and on the other hand held out a strong inducement to . plot his assassination, it was against public morals and therefore illegal. Wagers have also proved fatal sometimes to the unconscious subjects of them. Sir Thomas Host* of Ashton, riding home from the chase one day with some friends, began boasting of the punctuality of his cook, and was so extravagant in his praise that some one proposed to bet Ally pounds that he would not have the meal ready to serve when they arrived. Sir Thomas greedily took the bet, butonarriving home was chagrined to find that for the first time in his life the cook was behind time with his dinner. The baronet was so enraged by the jeers of his friends that he made his way to the kitchen, seized the cleaver, which was lying upon the table, and with one blow killed his unhappy servant. , ,- T jesSr--."- ;■ * ... _ An Oshkosh preacher and a lawyer vjere lately riding several miles from town, when their horse ran away, and they started for home on foot. They were soon overtaken by a lady alone, and driving a good rig. She invited them to ride, and they Availed t themselves or her courteous invitation. When they reached Main street, to the surprise no less than disgust of the twain, the eccentric female put whip to her bays, and gave the business men and boys a free circus. Four times she forced them before the crowd. Their business has since been explanatory. Thb libel law of Pennsylvania; no leas than Quaker traditions, are promotives of mildness of diction by papers published therein. Hence v»o account for the PhilaPress remarkingthat “the murder of Walworth in NevrYork, by his son, has naturally created great excitement, and called forth general condemnation of the uofillal act.”