Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1862-10-16
HUMoR OF SOLDIER LIFE!

A private soldier, by tho name OF Richard
Lee, was taken before the magistrates of Glas'
cow, for playing cards during divine service
The account uflL Is ,,iua given in the English
Journal -
Sergeant commanded the soldiers at tho
church. and when the parson had read the pray
ers ho took the text Those who had Bible
took it out, but this soldier had neither Biblo
nor Common Prayer Book but pulling out
pack of cards, he spread thcm out before him.
lie first looked at one card and then another.
The sergeant of the company saw him and
said:
Richard, put up the cards this is no place
for them
'N,ver mind that, said Richard.
| When the service was over, the constable
took Richard prisoner, and brought him be-
fore the mayor.
WelI,' says the mayor, what have you
brought the soldier here for 2
For playing cards in church.
well, soldier, what have you 10 say for your.
SELF
Much, sir hope
Very good if not, will punish you moro
than ever man was punished
Il have been, said the soldier, about six
weeks on the march, have neither Bible nor
Common Prayer Book. | have nothing but
pack of cards, and | hope to satisfy your wor'
ship of the purity of my Intentions
Then spreading tn. cards before the mayor,
he began with the ace
when see the ace it reminds me that there
is but one God.
when see the duce it reminds me ofFather
and Son
when | see the tray it reminds me ofFather
Son and Holy Ghost.
When see the four, it reminds me Of thd
four Evangelists that preached-Matthew.
Mark, Luke, and john
when l see the FIVE, it reminds me Of the
five wise virgins that trimmed their lamps
There we're ten, but five were wise and five
were foolish, and we're shut out.
when see the six, it reminds me that in
six Gays the Lord made HEAVIER and earth.
when see the seven, it reminds me that on
the seventh day God rested from the great work
he had made, and halowed it.
When see the eight, it reminds mo of tho
eight righteous persons that were saved when
God destroyed the world, viz, Noah and his
wife. his three sons and their wives
when l see the nine, it reminds me of the
, niue lepers that were ccansed by our Saviour.
There were nine out OF ten who never returned
thanks.
when | see the ten, it reminds me of the
Ten Commandments which God handed down
to Moses on the tables of stone.
when | see the king, it reminds me of the
Great King of Heaven, which is God Almighty
When I see the queen, it reminds me OF the
Queen Of She5a who visited Solomon, for she
was as wise a woman as he was man. She
brought with her fifty boys and fifty girls all
dressed in boys apparel for King Solomon to
tell which we're boys ard which were girls
King Solomon sent for water for them to wash
the girls washed to the elbows, and the boys to
the wrists so King Solomon told by that
WELL said the mayor, you have given de-
scription of all the cards in the pack except
one
What is thatT
The knave, said the ,'ayor.
Il will give your honor description of that
too, if you will not be angry
Il will not said the mayor, if you do net
term me to be the knave,'
; Well said the soldier, the creates; knavc
that know of is the constable that brought mo
! here
4 do not know said the mayor, if he is the
! greatest knavo, but know he is the greatest
fool
when | count how many spots in pack oil
0 cards. find three hundred and sixty-tlvc-as
S many days al there are in year.
When count the number Of cards in pack,
| find there are Gfty.two-the number OF weeks
, in year; and find four suits number OF
: weeks in month.
y find there are twelve picture cards IN
g pack, reprcsensing the number of months in tho
wear; aud on counting the tricks, find th'r'
teen-the number Of weeks in quarter.
so you see, sir, pack Of cards serves for a
Bible almanac, and Common Prayer Book