Friends, this is Tex Ritter with a strange story about a soldier boy and
A deck of cards:
During a North African campaign
A bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike
And they arrived in a little town called
Cassino
The next morning being Sunday several of the boys went to church
A sergeant commanded the boys in church And after the chaplain had read the prayer The text was taken up next
Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out
But this one boy only had a deck of cards
And so he spread them out
The Sergeant saw the cards and said
"Soldier, put away those cards!"
After the services were over
The soldier was taken prisoner
And brought before the Provost Marshal
The Marshal said, "Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?"
"For playing cards in church, sir"
"And what have you to say for yourself, son?"
"Much, sir" replied the soldier
The Marshal said, "I hope so, for if not, I shall punish you more than
Any man was ever punished"
The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on a march for about six days, and I had neither Bible nor Prayer Book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions."
With that the boy started his story
"You see, Sir, when I look at the Ace it reminds me that there is but one God
The deuce reminds me that the Bible is divided into two parts; the Old and New Testaments
And when I see the très I think of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
When I see the four I think of the four evangelist who preached the Gospel
There was Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John And when I see the five it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps Ten of 'em; five who were wise and were saved; five were foolish and were shut out And when I see the six it
Reminds me that in six days God made this great heaven and earth
And when I see the seven it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from His
Great work
When I see the eight I think of the eight righeous persons God saved when he destroyed this earth
There was Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives
And when I see the nine I think of the lepers our Savior cleansed, and nine of the ten didn't even thank Him
When I see the ten I think of the Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses on a tablet of stone
When I see the King it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty
And when I see the queen I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is Queen of Heaven
And the jack, or knave, is the devil
And when I count the number of spots on a deck of cards I find three hundred sixty-five, the number of days in a year
Fifty-two cards, the number of weeks in a year
Four suits, the number of weeks in a month Twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year
Thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter
So you see, Sir, my pack of cards serve me as a Bible, almanac, and prayer book."
"Friends, I know this story is true, because I knew that soldier."