The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-05-14
A Pack Of Cards Was His Bible.
New York Press.

New ! DIRK Press.
At irregular intervals during the
past quarter OF a century there has
appeared in public prints the story
of soldier, who being caught pre-
sumably playing solitaire in church
with pack of cards. was arrested
on the charge of Decorating the Sab
bath. The offense was all the more
heinous as the alleged crime was COM
mitted within place OF worship.
The soldier however put up such an
able defense that the magistrate not
only discharged him, but reprimand-
ed the constable who made the arrest.
There are one or two minor detects
in the soldiers plea, which the magls-
trate either overlooked or failed to
notice, being impressed with the elo-
quence of the soldier. The story here
reprinted goes as follows:
'What have you to say for your
self" thundered the magistrate. :,
"Only this, your honor replied
the culprit. 81 have been on the
march for many weeks. Having no
prayer book, / used instead q pack
devotional instinct by suggestion.
When [ see the ace it reminds me
that there is but one God; the deuce
reminds me of the Father aud Son,
the tray reminds me of the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost; the four spot
reminds me OF the four evangellsts,
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
When l see the five it reminds me OF
the five wise virgins who trimmed
their lamps-there were ten, but five
were wise and five were foolish and
were shut out. The six reminds me
that in six days God made heaven
and earth; the seven reminded me
that on the seventh day He rested
from the great work He had created
and hallowed it. The eight reminds
me of the eight righteous persons
who were saved when God destroyed
the world-Noah, his wife. with three
sons and their wives. The nine re-
minds me of the nine lepers who were
cleansed by our Saviour-there were
| nine of ten who never returned
thanks. The ten reminds ME of the
Ten Commandments, which God
handed down to Moses on tables OF
stone. The king reminds me of the
King of heaven: the queen reminds
me OF the Queen Of Sheba, who Wis
tied Solomon for she was as wise a
woman as he was a man. She brought
with her so 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, so King Solomon knew by
that how to distinguish them. When
1 count the spots in pack l find
365, as many days as there are in a
year. The number of cards in a pack
fifty two-is the number Of weeks
in a year l find four suits the num-
Der of weeks in month There are
twelve picture cards representing the
months in year, and on counting
the tricks find thirteen the number
of weeks in a quarter So you see,
sir, pack of cards serves for a bible,
almanac and common PRAYER
book"
"Well," said the magistrate, "you
have given a good description of all
the cards but one"
"What is that?"
"The knave," said the magistrate.
WELL" said the soldier, 'sthe great
est knave | know is the constable
who brought me here"
81 do not know if he is the greatest
knave, but | know that he is the
biggest fool" said the magistrate,
as he told the soldier to go.
Valued Same as Gold.