A FRENCH BETTING STORY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 186, 16 June 1879, Page 2

A FRENCH BETTING STORY.

An officer named Verdier was celebrated in his garrison for winning all his beta. None of his comrades could boast of ever having been successful, and io at last no one cared to bet with him. One day Verdier was transferred to another regiment, but the fame of his peculiar luck had already preceded him. After a supper tendered by his comrades on the evening of this arrival, whan champagne had made its appearance, Gen. B—called out,

"Is it really true, Verdier, that you win all your bets 1 !" " Yes, Goneral." " How tha' deuce do you do ; t ?" " Ob, very simply. lam a physiognomist, and I only bet when I am quite sure."

" You are a physiogonomist ? Well, what, for instance, can you find to read now in my face f " I can see," said Verdier promptly, " that the old wound in your side has broken out again." " Nonsense," thundered the General, " But-," " No but I assure you, sir," "Perhaps you do not like to speak of it—perhaps a duel—" " Diable! you won't believe mo? what will you bet !"■ i " Anything you please, Goneral," "Five hundred francs,"

" The gentlemen present are the witnesses."

With these words the Goneral proceeded without more ado to divest himself of his coat and shirt, when a close scrutiny by all present revealed the fact that there was no trace of a wound by sword or balll

" You have lost your bet, Verdier," shouted the General, resuming his garments.

" I have, indeed, lost this one, Men may err sometimes."

With a chuckle the General put the money in his pocket. After he had reached home, lie at once wrote to his old chum, the General in comfpd of Verdier's regiment: " The story of Verdier's liref is all humbug, He has just made a bet" of 500 ' francs, that I had a wound in my side, and J of course he lost it."

The answer came back" Your naivete is truly charming. Your winning the 500 francs cost me 2000, which Verdier bet me on the day of his leaving, that he wjculd make you, on the first evening of your meeting, take off your shirt in the prescence of your fellow-officers, and that you yourself would inform me of the fact."