Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-16
Stories of Card-Playing.

From the London Globe.
Many strange stories are told OF card
PLAYING. Hone, in his Everyday
Book" gives an account OF child being
PLAYED for at cards at Durham in l735.
The parent wagered it against the mod
est sum Of 4 shillings, and it was won
by the opposite side. A quaint little
book, published in 1896, and entitled
The ADJUSTMENTS Of Clergymen,"
has good deal to say about cards.
The title of the work is somewhat
misleading, as it alludes to most "amuse-
ments" only to prove them unlawful,
at least for the ideal pastor. Not only
are cards, hunting and theater-going
prohibited, but the generally-conslder-
ed innocent recreations OF fishing, chess
and music are equally interdicted. In
| fact. the ''amusements BETTING pious
clergyman" resolve themselves into
gardening for an outdoor and shuttle
cock for an indoor amusement, the
worthy author strongly commenting
this childish game as one that gives US
good exercise, makes US cheerful, does
not empty your pockets, and requires
little skill, to learn. Respect the man
who invented shuttlecock." AS might
be expected, this writer is very severe
on cards. He denies their utility, even
A the means OF amusement for the sick
and aged, enforcing his opinion by the
anecdote of an old lady, who, having
"lost the use of her speech and both OF
her hands by a paralytic affection"
was advised by her doctors to play
whist for her amusement. A friend
sorted and held the cards before her
and the patient nodded at the one she
wished PLAYED; but it unfortunately
happened that these signals were occa-
sionally misunderstood, which threw
the old lady into such fits OF fury that
she derived injury rather than good
from this prescription. Dean Ramsayl
in his "Reminiscences, tells ghasty,
story OF another old lady whose passion
for cards was such that she played them
even on her death-bed; and, expiring
before the conclusion of tthe game, her
partner took her cards, and the players
finished the rubber before calling for
assistance.
According to Scottish superstition
Glanils Castle incloses hand OF yet
more inveterate gamesters "a certain
wicked Earl and his associates, who,
four centuries ago, being demonstrated
with by pious chaplin, svOre that
they would continue card-playing to
the end of the world" The legend
states that the room in which they sat
Immediately sank under the castle, and
there the gamblers played still, the
rattle of the dice and the voices OF the
gamesters being audible on stormy
nights.
The love of cards still exists in Russia
An old number OF Al the Year Round
gives an amusing anecdote OF Russian
priest who was 80 devoted to this amuse-
ment that he played up TO the last
moment before commencing the church
services. On one occasion, having a
particularly good hand dealt him, he
thrust his cards into his pocket, intend.
ing to return and finish the game after
the service. Unluckily the cards fell
| out on the church floor, to the extreme
scandal of the congregation. The witty
! priest, however, was fully equal to the
occasion. At the conclusion of the SER
vice he beckoned up one of the choristers
and asked him the names OF several OF
the cards. which the boy new correctly.
He then suddenly asked the lad the
name Of the next saints day, which the
child could not tell. "See," cried the
priest, turning TO the congregation,
"you teach your children the names OF
every card in the pack and leave the.l
ignorant OF their religion. Let this be
the last time ! am compelled 10 bring
playing cards into the church to shame
you" and picking up his hand he made
| an honorable retreat.