OLD TIMES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3442, 12 March 1932, Page 7

OLD TIMES

AN INGENIOUS SOLDIER. PLAYING CARDS IN CHURCH. A private soldier, by name Richard Lee, was once taken * before the magistrates of Glasgow for playing cards during divine service. A sergeant led the soldier to an English Church, and when the parson had read the prayers he announced the text. Those who had Bibles took them out, but Lee had neither Bible nor Prayer Book, so, pulling out a pack of cards, he spread them before him. The sergeant saw him, and said: “Lee, put up the cards. This is no place for them.” “Never mind that,” replied the private. When the service was over a constable took Lee in charge, and brought him before the magistrates next day. “Well,” asked one of the magistrates, “what have you brought this soldier for?” “For playing cards in church,” the constable replied. “Well, soldier, what have you to say for yourself?” questioned the magr istrate. “Sir, I have been about six weeks on the march,” returned Lee; “I have neither Bible no*- Prayer Book. I have nothing but, a pack of cards, and I hope to satisfy your worship of the purity of my intentions.” Then spreading the cards before the magistrates, he began with the Ace, and said: “When I see the Ace, it reminds me that there is only one God; when I see the Deuce it reminds me of the Father and Son; when I see the Three, it re-

minds me of Father, Son and Holy Ghost; when I see the Four, it reminds me of the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; when I see the Five, it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps; there were ten, but five were foolish and were shut out; when I see the Six, it reminds me that in six days God made Heaven and Earth; when I see the Seven, it reminds me that God rested on the seventh day; when I see the Eight, it reminds me of the eight righteous persons that were saved in the Ark when God destroyed the world, namely, Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives; when I see the Nine it reminds me of the nine lepers that were cleansed by our Saviour; there were ten, but nine never returned thanks; when I see the Ten, it reminds me of the Commandments which God gave to Moses on the tab* lets of stone; when I see the King it reminds me of the King of Heaven, God Almighty; when I see the Queen, it reminds me of the Qtieen of Sheba, who visited Solomon.” “Well,” said the magistrate, “you have described every one in the pack, except one.” “What is that?” “The Knave.” “Oh, your honour must know that card represents the first and greatest, the father of all knaves —Satan. When I count the number of cards in a pack I find fifty-two, the number of weeks in a year; the four suits of cards represent the four quarters of the year; and the thirteen cards in each suit stand for the number of weeks in each quarter; so, you see, your honour, that a pack of cards serves me for a Bible, an almanac, and a Prayer Book.” The soldier was presented with a Bible, and acquitted • The foregoing is extracted from a newspaper dated 1864.