The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-02-27
AN OLD ARMY STORY.
Hidden Theology Save Mans Life
In Battle.


The following story appearing in
the Grinnell Herald is copied by re
quest:
The sergeant of the company said:
Richard, put up the cards; this is no
place for them.
Never mind that, said Richard.
When the service was over the con-
stable took Richard prisoner and
brought him before the major.
'Wells' said the major, what have
you brought the soldier here for?''
For playing cards in church,
We'll. soldier, what have you to say
for yourself?'
Much, sir, 4 hope"
Very good; if not, will punish
you more than ever men were pun.
ished.e'
II have BEEN" SAID the soldier,
about six weeks on the march;
have neither bible nor common prayer
book; l have nothing but a pack OF
cards, and hope to satisfy your wor.
ship of the purity of my intentions.
Then spreading the cards before
the major, he began with the ace:
when l see the ace it reminds me
there is but one God. When see the
deuce it reminds me of the Father
aud Son. When see the trey it re
minds me of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost. +
when see the four it reminds me
of the four evangelists that preached
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
When see the five it reminds me OF
the five wise virgins who trimmed
their lamps. There were 10, but ave
were wise and five were foolish, and
were shut out. When / see the six il
reminds me that in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth. When see
the seventh reminds me that on the
seventh day God rested from the great
work he had made and hallowed it.
When see the eight it reminds me OF
the eight righteous persons who were
saved when God destroyed the world
viz: Noah and his wife, his three sons
and their wives. When see the nine
it reminds me of the nine lepers who
were cleansed by our Savior There
were nine out of ten who never re,
turned thanks. When | see the ten IL
reminds me of the ten commandments
which God handed down to Moses on
the tables of stone. When | see the
king 1t reminds me of the great King
of heaven, which is Almighty God.
When see the queen it reminds
me of the queen of Sheba who visited
Solomon, for she was as wise WON.
an as he was man. She brought
with her so boys and so girls, all
dressed in boys apparel, for King Sol
onion to tell which were boys and
which were girls. iAing solomon sent
forcwater for them to wash The girls
washed to the elbows and the boys to
the wrists; so King Solomon told by
that"
Well" said the major, you have
given description of all the cards in
the pack except one
What is that?"
THE knave," said the major.
Il will give you description of that
too, If you will not be angry" --
Il will not" said the major iii
you do not term me to be the knave.
IL, We'll" said the soldier, 1.-The great
ibst knave that l know of is the con.
Ystable who brought me here"
II do not know" said the major,
"if he is the greatest knave, but J
know he is the greatest fool" =
Then the solditat said: When !
count how many !, 'ots in pack of
cards, | find 365-as many days as
there are in year. When | count
the number of cards in pack, lind
there are Spite number of weeks in
a year, and | find four SUITS, the mum.
Der of weeks in a month. / find there
are IL picture cards in pack, repre-
senting the number of months in a
year, and on counting the tricks | find
13-- the number of weeks in a quar-
ter So, you see, sir, pack of cards
serves for a bible, almanac and COM
mon prayer-bOOk,"