Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — He Lost the Wager. [ARTICLE]

He Lost the Wager.

A man from the interior who had never seen a steam heating apparatus such as is used in wholesale houses, factories, .etc., of this city, entered a Jefferson avenue business establishment yesterday for the purpose of making a purchase. Seeing a lot of men standing around a “ steam box,” and being naturally inquisitive, hefralked up to the group to ascertain what caused them to gather around the pipes. One of the salesmen, noticing that the customer’s curiosity was aroused, determined to have a little sport at his expense. ,He accordingly made a wager for the cigars that not one in the whole party could lift the “ box” four inches from the floor, at the same time eying his prospective victim in an Inviting manner. The boys comprehended the object of the xvager at once and stepped back to await the result. “Lift that thing,” he exclaimed, raising his powerful arms to show how much muscle he possessed, “do you think that a man who can raise a wagon-box can’t lift that air machine four inches from the floor? Why, I can throw it on my shoulder and never say boo.” Turning to the salesman who proposed the wager he shook hands with him in token of accepting the bet and placed himself in position. In the meantime one of the salesmen had turned on a full head of steam, acd the man grasped the heated tubes. That was all. He emitted ono frantic yell and started for the man who had concocted the plan. But he changed his mind, cast a rueful look at his smarting hands and then joined in the general laugh; but it must be confessed that his hilarity was a little forced. He paid the wager, however, and quitted the establishment with a profound sense of the philosophical depth of that man’s mind who first discovered that “it is never safe to bet on another man’s game.”— Detroit Free Press.