THE PACK OF CARDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 581, 18 November 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PACK OF CARDS.

A noblemah-in London, who kept, a great number of servants, reposed' considerable confidence in one of them, which excited a jealousy in the others, .w,ho in order to prejudice their master'agauJtsMihri; accused him of being a great game%tefi' /; ... Jack was called u panel'cfos-ely interrogated;: but '-.e denied the fact, at .-the same time declaring, he never.'played a'card in his life. To be more fujly convinced .the gentleman ordered him to be searched," when behold a pack of cards, was found in' his pocket.Highly incensed at Jack's "Want of veracity,, the nobleman demanded i-n,'U, rage, jvhow./lie, dared to persist in such an untruth. 'My Lord,' replied he, 'l'certainly did .not know the'meaning ; .ofia,card; the bundle in my pocket is my almanac. J -.;. :

'Your almanac, indeed.; then I desire that you will prove it!.' ..-- '■■

'Well sii-, I will begin.- ,Th*;re ai;e four 'Suits in the pack—that intimates the. four quarters in the year; as there are thirteen cards in each suit, - so there are thirl een weeks in each • quarter,; are also the same number of lunations';'the twelve sign's of the Zodiac, through which-the tsnn steers his course in the year; there are fifty-two cards in the pack, that, directly answers for the number of weeks' in a "year; examine them more minutely au'dfyou will find three hundred and sixty-five* -spots, as there are days in the year ;•■ thisimirltiply by twenty-■ four and sixty and. you. haye the .exact numbers of hours and .minutes, in. a year. Thus, sir, I hope I have convinced you it is my almanack ; and, Jiv'your lordshipV'permission,'l will prove it to be'-my prayer book, also., I look upon the.four suits.as.the four prevailing religions—Christianity, Judaism, Mahomedanisru, and .'Paganism; the twelve court cards, remind "one" of the twelve . patriarchs from whom' sprang the twelve;: ', tribes -of Israel, ...the..;iwekyei.vappstleSjv the-, .twelve articles of-Ghristijtii faith. The King' reminds.me of. the. to his Majesty. .The Queen of ttaj same- to liermajesty. The. ten brings to my rrc'dleclion the ten-cities' iti'the>-plainof Sodom- arid Gomorrah destroyed, by--fire and-brimstone, from heaven, the. ten plagues_.ef.Egypt-; the ten commandments, the.ten tribes:cut off for their vice. . The nine reminds me of the nine muses f the nine orders'among, men.- The eight reminds me of the eight beatitudes, the eight persons savedin Noah's Ark ; the eight persons mentioned'iu Scripture' to be released from death to life. The seven reminds me of the seven-administering spirits that staud before the. throne of God; the seven s»ats wherewith tha Book of Life is seated, the seven liberal arts and scieuces given by God for the instruetion of man ; the seven wonders of the world. The six reminds me »f the six"-petitions contained in the Lord's Prayer. The live reminds me of the se;.ißßS given by-g-od tp. man—-hearing, seeing,, feeling, smelling. ' The four puts me in mind of'the four evangelists, the four seasons of' the .year,'"■ the three reminds me of the*TriniVy; the three hours our Saviour was on-the Cross ;■.- the .three days he lay interred.',:L£he.two'.remiuds me of the two Testament's';' the two contrary principles man —virtue : and vice; Tlio Ac-: 'reriiiuitß'. ti'iu-of;the only- true God to- -..adore,., wjpijijtr) and■ rs'ei've ; ■ • oae truth- to-practice. r andt.one good .master to serve.aud obey,'-' . ~ 'So far is-very vyelL'.saidy the nobleman ; ' but I believe you have omitted tihecard—the knave:' ' •--■- .••■•.*: -~ '• .'-v

' True-'rii j lor d— tk&khave. if&nmds m'e ofyoiir lordship's'informer;'; ' : r'..': .;.-.-,-. •-:•■ ■ -..., The nobleman became more Jack than before, freely forgave him, rafted Tiiis wages and discfiafgiu^the informer.