A French Betting Story

An offioer named Verdier was celebrated in bis garrisou ior winning all his bets. None of Lis comrades could boast of ever lmving been successful, and so at last no one cared to bet with him. One day Verdier was transferred to another regiment, but the fame of his peculiar luok had already spread before him. After a snpper tendered him by his corarades on the eveniag of liis arrival, wben champagne had mado its appearance, Gen. B - called ont : " Is it really true, Verdier, that you win every bet ?" "Yes, General." "But how the deuoc do you do it ?" " Oh, very simply. I am a physiognomist, and I bet only when I'm quite gure." "You are a physiognomist? Well, what, for instance, can jou find to read now in my face ?" " I can see," said Verdier, prompt] y, " that the old wound in your side has broken out again." " Nonsense I" thundered out the General. "But-" " No ' but,' after I assuro you, sir." " Perhaps you do not like to speak of it - perhaps a duel - " "Diable! you won't believe me? What will you bet ?" " Anything you please, General." " Five hundred francs." " The gentlemen present are the witnesses." With these words the General proceeded without more ado to divest himself of his coat and shirt, when a close scrutiny by all present revealed tlie fact that there was no trace of a wound by a sword or ball. " You have lost your bet, Verdier !" shouted the General, resuming his garmonts. "I have, indeed, lost tbis once. Men may err sometimes. Here are tbc 500 francs." With a chuckle the General put the money in his pocket. After he had reached home, he at once wrote to his old chum, the General in ccmmand of Verdier's regiment : "Dear friend, the story of Verdier's luck is all humbug. lie has just mado a bet of 500 francs that I had a wound in my side, and of eourse he lost it." The answer carne back : "Your naivete is truly charmmg ! Your winning the 500 francs cost me 2,000, which Verdier bet me, on the day of his leaviDg, that he would make you, on the flrst evening of meeting, take off your shirt in the presence of your fellow-offlcers, and that you, yourself, would inform me of the fact."