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A Parisian stock-broker, just before his death, laid a wager on
parole with a rich capitalist; and a few weeks after his death, the latter
visited the widow and gave her to understand that her late husband had lost
a wager of sixteen thousand francs. She went to her secretary, took out her
pocket-book, and counted bank notes to the stated amount, when the
capitalist thus addressed her: "Madame, as you give such convincing proof
that you consider the wager binding, _I_ have to pay you sixteen thousand
francs. Here is the sum, for _I_ am the loser, and not your husband."

During the speculations of 1837-38, Mr. C., a young merchant of
Philadelphia, possessed of a handsome fortune, caught the mania, entered
largely into its operations, and for a time was considered immensely rich.
But when the great revulsion occurred he was suddenly reduced to
bankruptcy. His young wife immediately withdrew from the circles of wealth
and fashion, and adapted her expenses, family and personal, to her altered
circumstances. At the time of Mr. C.'s failure, his wife was in debt to
Messrs. Stewart and Company, merchants of Philadelphia, about two hundred
dollars for articles which she had used personally. This debt, she had no
means of liquidating. However after the lapse of twelve years, and when the
creditors had of course looked upon the debt as lost, Mrs. C. was able to
take the principal, add to it twelve years' interest, enclose the whole in
a note and address it to Messrs. Stewart and Company. Messrs. Stewart and
Company, upon the receipt of the money, addressed a note in reply to Mrs.
C., in which they requested her acceptance of the accompanying gift, as a
slight testimonial of their high appreciation of an act so honourable and
so rare as to call forth unqualified admiration. Accompanying the letter
was sent a superb brocade silk dress, and some laces of exquisite texture
and great value.

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