in every
country whose people were intelligent enough to play with them. There is
evidence that the Egyptians played cards in the days of Joseph. Later, the
Hebrews brought cards into Palestine when they returned from the
Babylonian exile. The Chinese played cards at a period when western Europe
was a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts and prowling barbarians. In
India the pack contained ten suits, each being symbolic of an incarnation
of Vishnu.

Europe got its cards, apparently, from the Orient, in the days of the
Crusades--for your Crusader was a great gambler. In the European history
of the pack we find that the cards have frequently been used as symbols,
political or social. But no more remarkable card symbolism has ever been
evolved than that which is described in the following brief narrative:

A private soldier by the name of Richard Doe was taken
before a magistrate charged with playing cards during divine
service.

It appears that a sergeant commanded the soldiers at the
church, and when the parson had read the prayers, he took
the text.

Those who had Bibles took them out, but this soldier had
neither Bible nor Book of Common Prayer. Pulling out a pack
of cards, he spread them before him.

The sergeant of the company saw him, and said:

"Richard, put up the cards; this is no place for them."

"Never mind that," said Richard.

When the service was over, a constable took Richard before a
magistrate.

"Well," asked the magistrate, "what have you brought the
soldier here for?"

"For playing cards in church."

"Prisoner, what have you to say?"

"I have been," said the soldier, "about six weeks on the
march. I have neither Bible nor Book of Common Prayer. I
have nothing but a pack of cards, and I'll satisfy your
worship of the purity of my intentions."

And, spreading the cards before the magistrate, he began
with the ace:

"When I see the ace, it reminds me there is but one God.
When I see the deuce, it reminds me of Father and Son. When
I see the tray, it reminds me of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. When I see the four-spot, it reminds me of the four
evangelists--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

"When I meet the five, it reminds me of the five wise
virgins that trimmed their lamps--there were ten, but only
five were wise, while five were foolish and were shut out