Long Odds £5 to a Penny— 1,200 to 1.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 125, 1 May 1885, Page 3

Long Odds £5 to a Penny— 1,200 to 1.

Bemenyi's Bet,

Very long odds, bufc a bet of this description was made yesterday between Mr Lennox, and a gentleman who entered the Queen -street stationer's shop at an early hour yesterday morning. " Well, how do you think the Hungarian fiddler is going- to take m Auckland ?" asked the stranger. Ominously rubbing his hands while he was fixing his considering cap, the seller of box and reserved tickets said : " 1 don't know. The great difficulty here is to strike the .public taste, which I feel somewhat doubtful if Bemenyi will do. There have been good fiddlers m Auckland m times past and they m a measure failed." " I'll t»ll you what I'll do," said the stranger ; " I will make a very gentlemanly bet with you. I lay a five pounds to a. penny that Bemenyi will gain the ear of his audience m less than five minutes after he commences to fiddle." "Done," said the little stationer ; " I take you." The bet was duly booked, and the parties bade each other good morning. Everyone who attended the concert given admits that the great musicianhad not rasped two minutes before he. was on good terms with the distinguished audience before him. This morning re^ memberirig yesterday's betting transaction) the stranger waited again on Mr Lennox. " I've come to claim a penny due to me," said he. "I am Remenyi, and can confidently say I never played before a more appreciative audience m my life. I carried them with me at once." " Indeed 1" said the little man, " I was not aware of the honor of the great Bemenyi's presence when 1 took the wager. I have fcheDleasure of admitting I have no claim to the £5, and that the penny has been fairly won by you," and so saying he extracted the pice of bronze from the till. Bemenyi says he never received such a welcome penny m his lifetime before, and m appreciation of the gentleman with whom he made the bet, he has instructed Mr Khon, the popular Queen -street jeweller, to attach it to his watch chain. Bemenyi is confident the people of Auckland have an ear for music. — Exchange.