The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-31
HumOr of Soldier Life.

Glasgow, tor playing caTdS curing ulVlne SER
vice. The account of it is thus given in an
English journal:
Sergeant commanded the soldiers at the
church, and when the parson had read the
prayers he took the text. Those who had
Bible took it out, but this soldier had neither
Bible nor common prayer book but pulling
out pack of cards, he spread them out be-
fore him. He 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
Never mind that, said Richard.
When the service was over, the constable
took Richard prisoner and brought him be-
fore the mayor.
WELL said the mayor, what have you
brought the soldier here for?'
For playing cards in church.
We'll, soldier, what have you to say for
yoursef:?'
Much, sir, hope.
Very good; if not, l will punish you more
than ever man was punished
i have been,' said the soldier, about six
weeks on the march. l have neitl.er Bible
nor common prayer book. l have nothing
but pack of cards, and l hope to satisfy
your worship of the purity of my inten-
TONS
Then spreading the cards before the may
or, he began with the ace
when see the ace it reminds me that
there is but one God. When see the deuce
i, reminds me of Father and Son. When
see the tray it reminds me of Father, Son
and Holy Ghost. When see the four it re-
minds me ofthe four Evangelists that preach
ed-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. When
| see the five, it reminds me of the five wise
virgins that trimmed their lamps. There
were ten, but five were WISE and five were
foolish and were shut out. When see the
six, it reminds me that in six days the Lord
made heaven and EARTH When | see the
seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day
God rested from the great work he had made,
and hallowed it. When | see the eight it
reminds me of the eight righteous persons
that were saved when God destroyed the
world, viz: Noah and his wife, his three
sons and their wives. When | see the nine,
| it reminds me of the nine lepers that were
cleanSed by our Saviour. There were nine
out of ten who never returned thanks. When
| see the ten, it reminds me of the ten COM
mandments which God handed down to Mo-
Ses on the tables of stone. When see the
king, it reminds me ofthe great king of heav-
en-, which is God Almighty. When l SEE the
queen, it reminds me of the queen of Sheba
who visited Solomon, for she was as wise a
woman as he was man. She brought with
her fifty boys ard fifty girls all dressed in
boys apparel, for king Solomon to tell which
were boys and which were girls. King Solo
mon sent for water for thsm 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 a
description Of all the cards in the pack ex-
cept one
What is that .
The knave.'
4 will give your honor description of that
too, if you will not be angry
i will not said the mayor, if you do not
term me to be the knave.'
Well said the soldier, the greatest knave
that know Of is the constable that brought
me here
4 do not know said the mayor, if he is
the greatest knave, but know he is the big
gest fool
when | count the spots in pack of cards
| find three hundred and six,y-hve- as many
days as there are in year. When count
the number of cards in pack, find there
are ffty-two-the number of weeks in a year,
and find four suits---the number of weeks
in month. find there are twelve picture
cards in pack, representing the number Of
months in year and on counting the tricks
find lhirteen-the number of weeks in a
quarter SO you see, sir, a pack of cards
serves for Bible, almanac, and common
prayer book