, 1876-06-07
easseeAa HeeeAser,.,~
THE PERPETUAL ALMANAC,
OR GENTLEMAN SOLDIERS PRAYER BOoKs

DWELL, Sergeant, what do you want with
me r. " have brought a Soldier before your
honour for playing at cards in the Church.
" What, that Soldier T. Yes" "Well Sol
der, what have you to say for yourself -
"Much Sir, hope" "Well and good, but If
you have not, you shall be punished the worst
that ever man was.'' "Sir,' said the Soldier,
Il have been five weeks upon the march and
had but little to subsist on, and am without either
Bible, Aim mac, or Common prayer book, OK
anything but a pack Of Cards-l hope to
satisfy your honour with the purity Of my
Intention" Then the Soldier pulled out Of
his pocket the pack of cards, which he spread
before the Mayor; he then began with the ace.
d" Wnen | see the ace it puts me ia mind that
there is one God only when | see the 'duoe'
it puts me- in mind of the Father and the Son {;
when l see the tray 1t puts me in mind OF
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost wlen l see
TIE four it puts me in mind of the four
Evangelists, viz: Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John when | see the five it puts me in mind
of The five wise Virgins that trimmed their
lamps,-there were ten, but five were toOllsn'
who were shut out when | see the six 1t
puts me in mind that in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth when l see the
Seven it puts me in mind that on the seventh
uAS NUA lCSGCQ lUIl Oil giO WO4hS "AASN -
had created and made, wherefore the Lord
blessed the seventh day and hallowed 1t;
when I see the eight it puts me in mind of
the eight righteous persons that we're saved
when God drowned the World, viz Noah,
his wife, three Sons, and their wives when L
see the nine Is puts me in mind OF the nine
lepers that we're oleansed by our Saviour
there we're ten, but the ninth never returned
God thanks when | see the 'ten,' it puts ms
in mind of The ten Commandment that God
gave 10 Moses on Mount Sinai on the table OF
Stone" lie took the Knave and laid it aside.
" When [ see the queen it puts me in mind
OF the queen of Sheba who came from the
furtherm0st parts of the world to hear the
wisdom Of King Solomon, for she was as wise
a woman as he was a man, for she brought
fifty boys and fifty girls, all clothed In boys
apparel, to show before the King for him to
tell who were boys and who were girls, but ne
could not until he called for water for them to
wash themselves the girls washed up to their
elbows and the boys washed up to their wrist
so King Soloman told by that and when 1 see
the king it puts me in mind of the great
King of heaven and earth, who is Almighty
God, and his majesty King George, to pray for
him." "Well," said the Mayor, "yOu have
given me a very good description Of all the
cards, except one, which is lacking" Whlon
is that said the Soldier 1.-The Kuave" said
the Mayor. "Oh! I can give your honour
a description of that, If your honour won't be
angry" "No, I will not" said the Mayor.
"if you will not term me the Kuave."
"Well," said the Soldier, 1.-the greatest that l
know Of, is the Sergeant of the City that
brought me here" 81 don't know" said the
Mayor, "that he is the greatest Knave, butt am
sure he is the greatest fool" When l oounthow
many spots there are in a pack Of cards, L
find there are 500, there are so many days In
the year; when I court how many cards there
are in a pack, [ find there are SO, there are 80
many weeks in a year when I count how
many tricks there are in a pack of cards, I
fluid there are Is, there are so many months in
a year; you see, Sir, this pack OF cards is a
Bible, Almanac, Common prayer book and
a pack of cards to me-" Then the Mayor
called for a loaf of bread, a piece of cheese
and a pot of good beer, and gave the Soldier
a piece of money, bidding him to go about his
business, saying he was the c%leverest man hS
had ever seen.