A CHAMPION BETTER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2628, 11 June 1877, Page 3

A CHAMPION BETTER.

The following story.is going around in French, military circles: —An officer— Verdier—was celebrated in his garrison for winning every bet; None of :hia comrades could even .boast of ever having beenvictorious, and at last no one cared to enter a bet with Him. One day Verdier was transferred to another regiment, but the fame of his peculiar luck had already Spread before him. After a supper tendered him by his comrades on the evening, of- his arrival, and when the "champagne ' made it appearance, General; 3* called out, •'.ls'- it really true, Verdier, .that .you " win every bet?' 'So it is, general,' 'But how the deuce do you do it P' ' Oh, very

simply. lam a physiognomist, and bet only when lam quite sure.' ' You are a physiognomist. Well, then, what, for instance, can you read in my face?' I can see,' said Yerdier, promptly, 'that your old wound on the upper and back part of youv leg has broken out again.' ' Nonsense,' thundered out the general, 11 never had a wound there.' ' I bog pardon, my general, but—' 'No but! after I assure you, sir.' • Perhaps you do not like to speak of it; perhaps a i duel '■'•■■-' 'Le diable ! you won't believe | me! What will you bet ?' Anything you please, ccnoral.' ' Five hurdrod. francs.' 'All right, 500 francs.' The gentlemen present were witnesses. With these words the general at once proceeded to divest himself, sans gene a la Suwarow^ of his pantaloons, and a scrutineer's iuspection by all present revealed tho fnct .that there was no trace of a wound by sword or ball. ' You lost the bet, Verdier 2' shouted the general, packing himself up again... ' I have lost, indeed, this once. Men may err sometimes. Here are yonr 500 francs.' The general put the money with a chuckle into his pocket. A fter he arrived home he at once wrote to his old chum, the general in command of Verdier's former regiment :—* Dear friend—The story about Verdier's luck is all humbug ! He has just made a bet that I had a wound on my back, for SQO francs, and, of course, lost it.' The answer came back :—.' Your naivete is truly charming? Your winning 500 francs' cost me 2,000, which Verdier bet me on the day of his leaving that he would make you, on the first evening of meeting, take off your inexpressibles in the presence of your officers, and that you yourself would inform me of it.'