The Van Buren press., 1876-09-26
A RELIGIOUS PACK OF CARDS.
How they served as Bible, Almanac and
Book Of Common Prayer to q Soldier
An Ingenious Plea.

A private soldier by the name Of Rich
ard Lee was taken before the magistrates
of Glasgow, for playing cards during Di.
vine service. The account of it Is thus
given:
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 sol.
der had neither Bible nor common pray
or book; but pulling out pack Of cards,
he spread them out before him. He
looked frst at one card and then At an
other. The sergeant saw him and said !;
/" Richara, put up the rards; tnis Is no
place for them"
Never mind that said Richard.
When the service was over the consta-
BILE took Richard prisoner, and brought
him before the Mayor.
"Well, what have you brought the sol
dier here for I" says the Mayor.
For playing cards in church"
"Well soldier, what have you to say
for yourselfY'
Much sir, l hope.'
VERY good If not, / will punish you
more than ever man was punished.
- have BEEN" said the soldier, "about
six weeks on the march. have no Bi
BILE or common prayer book; l have
nothing but pack of cards, and | hope
to satisfy your worship of the purity Of
my intentions"
Then spreading the cards before the
Mayor, he began with the ace.
"Whcn see the ace, 1t reminds me
that there is but one God.
when l see the deuce, it reminds me
Of Father aud Son.
"When | see the three, it reminds me
of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
"When see the four it reminds me Of
the four evangelists that preached-Mat-
thew, Mark, Luke and John.
"When see the five it reminds me
Of the FIVE wise virgins that trimmed the
lamps There were ten, but Ave were
wise aud five were foolish, and were shut
out.
When ! see the six il reminds me
that in six hays the Lord made heaven
and earth.
"When see the seven it reminds me
that hn the seventh day God rested from
the great work he had made aud hallow-
ed 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.
i When l see the nine. it reminds me
Of the nine lepers that were clensed 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 han
ded 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 | see the queen, 1t reminds me
Of the Queen Of Sheba who visited Solo
mon, for she was as wise a woman as he
was a man. She brought with her fifty
boys and fifty girls all dressed in boys
apparel, for King Solomon to tell which
were boys and which were girls King
Solomon sent for water for them to wash
the girls washed TO the elbows and the
boys to the wrists, 50 he told by that -
"Well," said the Mayor. "you have
given description of all the cards in the
pack except one"
What is that?
'The knave,' said the Mayor.
! will give your honor description
of that, too, if you will not be angry
Il will not said the Mayor, il you
do not term me to be the knave.'
We'll said the soldier. " the greatest
knave l know of is the constable tina,
brought me here
Il don't know said the Mayor, 'i if he
is the greatest knavc, but do know he
is the greatest fool
When l count how many spots in a
pack of cards, find 365--as many as
there are days in the year
When | count the number OF cards
in pack l find there are ffty-two--the
number of weeks in a year; and find
four suits--the number of weeks in q
month
| find twelve picture cards in a pack
representing the number of months in a
year; and on counting the number OF
tricks l find thirteen, the number Of weeks
in a quarter.
So you see, sir, pack of cards serve
for bible, almanac, ank common prsye er
book