Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-10
CARD PLAYING.
a Chttd as a StGLe-Game CA a Death Bed
L2TdtndtiO2l of q Priest fOy. H0-ar6

u C''tt@ as a StoA;e-G0H1e GA q Death-Bed-
I"TdtuotiO1l of a Priest for Hazard.
Many strange stories are told of card
playing. Hone, in his "Eyery day Book
gives an account Of child being PLAYED
Tor at Durham in 1876. The parent wa
gered 1t against the moderate stake of 4
shlllngs, and it was won by the opposite
SIDE. A quaint little book, published in
1886, and entitled 'The Amusement of
Clergymen," has good deal to say about
CARDS. The title of this work is somewhat,
misleading, as it alludes to some ''amuse-
ments" only to prove them unlawful, at least
Tor the ideal pastor. Not only are cards
hunting and theater-going prohibited, but
the generally considered innocent recrea-
hons OF fishing, chess and music are
equally lnterdicted. In fact, the ''amuse-
ments Denehting pious clergyman" re-
solve themselves into gardening for an
outdoor and shuttle-cock for an indoor
amusement; the worthy author strongly
commencing this childish game as one
that gives us good exercise, makes us
cheerful, does not empty our pockets and
requires little skill to learn. Respect the
man who invented shuttle-cock.'' As
might be expected, this writer is very Sc
we're on cards. He denies their utility
even as means of amusement for the
sick or aged, enforcing this opinion by the
anecdote of the old lady, who, having ''lost
the use of her speech and both of her
hands by a paralytic affection" was
advised to play whist for her amuse-
ment. A friend sorted and held
the cards before her, and the patient
nodded at the one she wished to play; but
4 hmm 4nlr-
nails were occasionally misunderstood,
which threw the old lady into such fits of
fury that she derived injury rather than
good from this prescription
Dean Ramsey, in his "reminiscences.
tells CHASTITY 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 the
game, her partner took her cards, and the
players finished the rubber before calling
for assistance.
According to Scottish superstition.
CLAIMS Castle lncloses band of yet more
inveterate gamesters-a certain wicked
earl and his associates, who, four centuries
ago, being demonstrated with by a pious
chaplain, ewOre that he ''Would continue
card playing to the end of the world.Y
Rhe legend states that the room in which
they sat Immediately sank under the
castle, and there the gamblers play still.
the rattle of the dice and the voice Of the
gamesters being audible on stormy nights.
The love of cards still exists in Russia.
An old number of All The Year Round
gives an amusing anecdote of Russian
priest who was so devoted to the 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,f intending to return
and finish the game after the service. I'm
luckily the cards fell out on the church
floor, to the extreme scandal of the congre-
CATION. The witty priest, however, was
fully equal to the occasion. At the con-
clusion of the service he beckoned up one
of the choristers and asked him the names
of several of the cards, which the boy knew
correctly. He then suddenly asked the lad
the name of the next saints day, which
the boy could not tell. 'See," cried the
priest, turning to the congregation, "you
teach your children the name of every
card in the pack and leave them ignorant
of their religion. Let this be the last
time am compelled to bring playing
cards into the church to shame you" and
picking up his hand he made an honor
able retreat