Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-01-22
a Pack of Cards,

y considerable sermon is preached on
very curious text, in the following article:
One Richard Middleton, a soldier, attend
ing divine service with the rest Of the reci-
ment, in a church in Glasgow, instead of
pulling out Bible to find the parsons text,
spread pack Of cards before him This be.
havior was observed by the clergyman and
sergeant of the company to which he be-
longed. The latter ordered him to put up
the cards, and on his refusal, conducted him
alter service before the mayor, and preferred
foOnal complaint Of Richards indecent be-
havior. Well, soldier. said the mayor, what
excuse have you to offrr? If you can make
an apology, it is well; if not, you shall be
severely punished. Since your honor is so
good, replied Richard, as to permit me to
speak for myself, ant it please your worship,
have been eight days on the march, with
the bare allowance Of sixpence per day. and
could not have a Bible or any other good
book. On saying this, Richard drew out his
pack of cards, and presenting one of the
aces to the mayor, continued his address to
the magistrate as follows:
When l see an ace, may IL please your
honor, it reminds me that there is only one
God, and when look upon two or three,
the former puts me in mind Of the Father and
Son, and the latter ef the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost; a four, of the four eyangelists
Matthew, Mark, Luke and JOHN; five. the
five wise virgins who were ordered to trim
their lamps, Cthere were ten indeed; but fiJ
your worship may remember, were wise. and
hYe were tooilsh;) six, that in six days God
created heaven and earth, a seven, that on
the seventh day he rested from all that he
had made; an eight, of the eight righteous
persons who were saved from the deluye. viz:
Noah and his wife and three sons and their
wives; nine, of the lepers cieaused by our
Saviour, (therc were ten. but only one. offered
his tribute Of tharks;) and ten, Of the ten
commandments
Richard then took the knave, placed it
beside him. and passed on to the queen. on
which he observed as follows:
This queen reminds me Of the queen Of
She5a, who came from the utturrnogt Darts Of
the earth to hear the wisdom Of Solomon. as
her companion Cthe king docs Of the great
King of Heaven, and Of King George the
Second.
Well, returned the mayor, you have given
me good description of az the cards except
the knave. If your honor will not be angry
with me, returned Richard / can give Won
the same satisfaction on that as on any in the
pack. No, said the mayor. Well. returned
the soldier, the greatest knave j know is the
sergeant who brought me before you I don't
know, replied the mayor, whether he be the
greatest knave or not, but 1 am sure he is
the greatest fool. The soldier then continued
as follows:
When count the number of dots in a
Pack, of cards, there arc 365-so many days
are there in year. The cards in a pack are
$50 many weeks are there in year; when
reckon how many tricks there are in a
pack, 1 find there are 12-so many months
are in year. So that this pack of cards is
at once Bible, almanac and prayer-book to
me.
The mayor called his servants, ordered
them to entertain the soldier well, gave him
piece of money, and said he was the clever
est fellow he ever heard in all his life.
"A young lady told typo frie.d he
might print kiss On her cheek but lie must
not publish it.
Good sleighiug all last week.