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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1955-03-24, Page 2Crazy Stunts To Win Wagers Most stunts, whether crazy or just daring, are done for one of two reasons; publicity or to win a wager. Another York -London pedes- trian who attracted consider- able public attention was Mr. Foster Powell, He wagered a bvndred guineas that he would walk to York from London and back again in six days, and won. The most famous walking feat of all time arising out of a wager was that of Captain Bar- clay. He wagered that he would walk a thousand miles in a thousand successive hours. The amount at stake was £300 and the last leg of the course was in the sporting town of Newmarket. As the nearly exhausted walker appeared on the dusty road all the church bells of Newmarket were set ringing in celebration. One day Queen Elizabeth I was with Sir Walter Raleigh when the question came up of how much tobacco smoke is con- tained in a pound of tobacco — enough for perhaps 200 pipefuls. Sovereign and knight made a wager on it. But how to make the test? That was the problem. "The question may be settled in this way," annuonced one courtier. "Let the pound of to- bacco be burned, and then weighed again when it is re- duced to ashes. The weight of The smoke will be the difference between ashes and the unburnt leaf." This method was adopted, but history does not record either the amount staked or what the smoke weighed. The experiment was thorough- ly unscientific, anyway. ' During the Regency period, wagering was very popular among the "bloods." One day. at London's exclusive White's Club, frequented by the noble and the wealthy, a member bet five hundred guineas that he would walk from Hyde Park Corner to Piccadily Circus quite naked, He won his bet in a most in- genious way, Ordering the bottom to be re- moved from one of his car riages, he walked, shielded from the public view, inside the car- riage, nobody noticing his bare feet bet teen t h e turning wheels! When. a `!buck" of the same period bet that he would stand, dressed as a hawker, on London Bridge, offering new -minted sovereigns at a penny apiece and not sell one all day;'he was. taken on. He woxi his bet. No Londoner,. hurrying on his way; could be- lieve that a gold sovereign could be bought for a penny. 'Lord Spencer once made a curious wager and won it. This peer of the early eighteenth century wore the customary coat with tails. One day he wagered that he would usher in a new fashion for coats without tails. The wager was taken up as a bet of five hundred guineas. His lordship then proceeded as follows. He removed his tail coat, sent for a tailor and had She tails cut off very neatly, rounding the back of the coat so as to leave the impression that it had been thus made in the forst case. His leardship next took his gold-nobbed cane and walked with great composure through the fashionablePump Boom of Bath, All who saw bim were greatly impressed. There followed a stampede by the young "bucks" to their tail- ors, pressing demands for the immediate cutting of coats in the new style. Towards the end of the eigh- teenth century there lived in France the Chevalier D'Eon. He had delicate features and dress- ed in a very womanish fashion. This led to 'the legend that the Chevalier was not a man at all. And upon this point two wealthy men -about -town wager- ed five hundred guineas. Being unable to agree or prove the matter either way, they took the case to court. Before the Gaming Act of 1845, the law would enforce a wager. The famous Lord Mansfield presided over the trial. He heard all gravely, pronounced himself disgusted with such a case, but obliged to treat the wager seriously. He gave judg- ment of seven hundred pounds, on the grounds that the one party had not proved the Che- valier a woman after all. Another court case was brought by Lord March. He had made a wager with a Mr. Pigott that a Sir William Codrington would die before Mr. Pigott's father. But old. Mr. Pigott was car- ried off suddenly by a fearful attack of the gout, unknown to the wagerers at the time when they made their bet. His son claimed that since his father had died a few hours be- fore the bet was made, there was no true bet. But the jury did not take that view and Lord March was awarded the five hundred guineas of the bet and costs. Another bet which ended in the law courts (and much laugh- ter) was made as follows. One man bet another that he would produce three horses that could go ninety miles in three hours. As this feat seemed clear- ly impossible he was taken on, the wager being a hundred guineas. The, wagerer, who was also a wag, duly harnessed three fine trotting horses and set them off, together. "Three times three is nine," he grinned, "and three times thirty is ninety." The horses covered the thirty mile course, shoulder to shoul- der, and the bet was claimed. The claim was resisted, the law- yers were brought in. In court the . judge decided for the plaintiff, though most peo- ple would agree that it was a trick bet. Such actions were quite com- mon up to a century ago. Then, in 1845, the Gaming Act was passed, since when no betting transactions are. enforceable. But among sportsmen, to plead the Gaming Act is still considered dishonourable, and only the unscrupulous resort to this shelter provided by the law. Nor hell nor heaven shall that soul surprise, Who loves the rain, And loves his home, And looks on life with quiet eyes. —Frances Shaw ants,. Ma TABLE TALKS (Jam Ar.di w5. AND WHEN_THE_ PIE WAS OPENED" Haddock fillets continue to be a good buy throughout Canada this year. Catches of this tender, white-meated fish have been ex- cellent. Frozen haddock fillets, ready to cook and waste -free are the choice of many the wist shopper. Mild in flavor, inexpen- sive and easy to prepare, they are readily, adapted to many a delectable dish. If you're seek- ing a new look for an economi- cal fish main .course, here's a really novel idea. Instead of a fish fry for dinner, whynot; a, fish pie? The trick — delicate - flavored fish fillets cooked to flaky tender goodness between "pastry" layers of subtly seas- oned enriched bread crumbs that bake to a butter -rich crisp- nses. Note to . eagle-eyed- cooks: The baking time and tempera- ture are correct. That high heat and fast cooking assure perfect- ly cooked fillets—just done to the; right point where they are completely cooked, yet flavor remains mild, and texture 'just - right. BREAD CRUMB FILLET PIE I package frozen haddock fiillets '12 cup butter 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons vinegar 1/4. teaspoon salt 34 teaspoon pepper 3 cups soft enriched bread crumbs Thaw fillets. Melt butter in saucepan; add Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt' and pepper, Place bread crumbs in bowl, add enough melted butter. mix- ture to just moisten. Pat hal! bread crumbs out in bottom of flat baking dish,. Lay thawed fillets over this. Cover with re- maining bread crumbs. Pour remaining butter sauce over this. Bake at 450 deg. • F. (hot oven) 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Cut into serving size portions withsharp knife;-a'xztt eerve with flat server. Makes'to 6, servings. Practically every nutritionist stresses the fact .that the aver- age Canadian family doesn't eat nearly enough cheese and eggs — two of the finest foods we have and, in addition, easy on the budget. So here are a few cheese and egg recipes which ' I'm sure you'll find. worth while. * * * CHEESE OMELET 3.4, pound processed Canadian cheese 4 eggs 3 tablespoons water x/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon butter Cut cheese into small pieces. Beat eggs ' until bubbly. Add wa- ter, salt, pepper. Melt butter in skillet. Pour in eggs. As mixture sets on edges, gently lift eggs with a, spatula to allow uncook- ed mixture to run to bottom of pan. Continue to do this until all of the egg mixture is cooked through and has a creamy ap- pearance. Loosen edges of omel- et all around with spatula. Then slide spatula - under omelet to Fashion Takes Peek-a-ROo at Surrealasts The lightweight picot Paris orig- i'nal in a peek-a-boo fashion which the young lady is model- ing, at left, isn't causing that look of wonderment. The shoes, below, are to blame. Shown first in Paris, Franch, shoe at left looks upside-down when it's rightside-up. `This heel-to- toemodel is said to have been inspired by the works of Picas- so. "Geared" to the little model at right are the works in metal of artist Fernand Leger. Metal- lic toenails and a wrought -iron - like heel complete the -creation. • - -loosen from bottom of pan. lelece cubed cheese on half. Fold the other omelet half over -cheese and carefully lift out. Makes 2 servings. * * * EGG -BEEF PIE 1 12oz.) can cornedbeef bash cup grated cheese 2 cups cooked orcanned peas 4 eggs 3/2 teaspoon salt 34 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon horseradish Start oven .at 350° F Grease a shallow baking dish. Remove hash from can and crumble into pieces with a fork. Arrange in diagonal line in baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of hash. Spoon peas on each side of hash. Beat eggs until bubbly. Add salt, pepper, and horse- radish. Pour eggs over the ,peas and hash. Bake for 20 -25 -min- utes. 'Makes 0-25-min-utes.'Makes 4 servings. * * GRILLED CHEESE AND EGG SANDWICHES • 2 stalks celery 3/2 green pepper 6 hard -cooked eggs 3x xi2 xis teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper teaspoon onion salt cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 8 slices white bread 4 slices processed cheese Remove leaves from celery; wash and .chop eine Remove stem end from green pepper; cut into .small pieces. Shell eggs and chop coarsely Mix celery, green pepper, eggs, salt, pepper, onion salt together. Add mayonnaise and mix in lightly. Spread egg - filling on four slices of bread. Top : each -with . a remaining bread slice. Place a slice of cheese over top of each sand- wich, Preheat broker. Put sand- wiches on broiler rack and place 5-6" from heat. Broil for 5 min- utes or until cheese is melted and bubbly Makes 4 sand- wiches. * * CHEESE STRATA 8 slices day-old bread 3t2 lb. cheddar cheese 1 small onion 3 eggs 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon Salt 34 teaspoon pepper Remove crusts from bread. Grate cheese Peel onion; chop fine. Beat eggs till bubbly. Mix eggs, onion, 'milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Grease a medium casserole or baking dish.. Ar- range half the bread slices over bottom. Cover with grated cheese and top with remaining bread. ,,Pour over beaten eggs. Let stand until the liquid has been absorbed by the bread (about 20 minutes). Set oven at 325° 1'. Bake 1 hour Serve at once. Makes 4 servings* wCIOE-TUNA ' CASSEROLE ":"„.2-411l31 $?y1 oz.) cans tuna fish °4» talks' celery 6 sprigs parsley 3/ teaspoon . seasoned salt vs teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice cos eup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 (8 oz.) jar prepared cheese sauce 8 slices rye bread 2 tablespoons butter Start oven at 350° F. Drain tuna. Flake into pieces with fork. Chop celery and parsley fine. Stir in seasoned salt, pep- per, lemon juice and mayon- naise. Mix together well. Spread 4 slices of ; rye bread with the tuna mixture. Spread remaining 4 slices with butter and place on top of . the tuna spread 'slices. Put in shallow baking dish. Melt cheese sauce and pour over sandwiches. Bake 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings. * CHEESE PUFF 6 slices fresh bread 3x ib. cheddar cheese 4 : eggs 1 cup milk %4 teaspoon salt 7/2 teaspoon dry mustard Remove crusts from bread; cut into small cubes. Grate cheese. Separate whites from yolks of eggs. Beat yolks till. light and as thick as whipped cream. Add bread cubes, •cheese, milk, salt, and mustard to yolks. Mix together well. Set oven at 325° F. Grease a medium . casser- ole, Beat egg whites until firm enough to hold sharp peaks. Gentlystir egg yolk mixture in- to beaten whites. Pour into cas- serole and bake for 40 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Australian Wonder I told Tiger to paclt and move back towards Ayers Rock. would go on alone through the. bluffs to get photographs, and would follow the camels later. Thus, a little after sunrise, 1 moved once again up the slope of flowering lilies and followed a ridge to eastward, far enough to look into all the Olga chasm, at once. It was an unforgettable sight, transcending by far the grandeur of Ayers Rock, or any- thing else I have witnessed in my lifetime. The dome on which I stood was warm and peaceful in calm sunlight, and the dis- tant howling of Wulpa . Chasm was like a far -away, dim accom- paniment to the impressive still- ness of the hidden valley in be- tween and below me. Two or three miles out beyond the cir- cumference . of the complete • Olga group a heavy ground fog spread out above the sandhills' and plains like a . snowfield. It commenced to tuft and break up as I dropped down into a narrow crevice, tightly packed. with undergrowth for about two hundred yards. An hour or more later I emerged on the slope of, another valley to . meet three dingoes almost face to face. They paused a fraction of a second, wheeled and raced away while I scrambled hurried- ly onto a rough conglomerate outcrop to see more of them. My foot disloged a large boulder, which rumbled and rolled in considerable noise. The dingoes had disappeared completely, but the echoes started up several euros. They went hopping off in different directions, rattling over stones and spinifex, pausing awhile to look about at this man- made disturbance; a snort, and on again, up and up with in- credible strength and grace. Eventually I scrambled two or three miles east of the main 01 - gas, and entered a canyon about five hundred feet deep, and less than a hundred feet wide be- tween sheer red walls; and• con- tinued' up it for half a mile to scramble out on to a rocky bal- cony•that I recognized as one of the front legs of the Elephant dome I had seen the day before,. The "head" of the elephant was now one sheer wall rising a good ' four hundred feet to my right. The "leg" was hollowed below- me elowme with caverns and overhangs. Rock •wallabies hopped and lay round in the sun, unconscious ®f my presence above them, Movement was impossible with - noise, and when I continued downhill they whisked into shel-- ted..:— From "I Saw a Strange Land," by Arthur Groom. We cannot fight for love, as men may do; We should be woo'd, and were not made to :woo. Shakespeare.. • SHE'S A DREAM—Actress Janet Leigh is "the young man's dream of whathe expects of love." At least, that's the opin- ion of the American Photo- graphic Society which named her "The Golden Beauty," The 60 photogs also gave her a miniature gold camera. SEM/ICS' BY THE IFOOT-Fedi-Cabs, half .bicycle -half ricksha, get serv'inging at garages such a#'this hi Taipei, Formosa's capital. Popular because lets expensive tooperate and hire than auto taxis, they supply as necessary portion of the capital's transpor4 t6 tiott4