Vaughn Monroe Deck Of Cards
NARRATIVE SPOKEN BY; VAUGHN MONROE
IN THE BACKGROUND A STUDIO ORCHESTRA AND HARMONIZING
CHORUS.
'DURING THE SOUTH VIETNAM CAMPAIGN, A GROUP OF
SOLDIERS RETURNED TO SAIGON, AFTER MANY WEEKS OF
HEAVY JUNGLE FIGHTING.
THE NEXT DAY BEING SUNDAY, SEVERAL OF THE BOYS ATTENDED
CHURCH SERVICES. AFTER THE CHAPLAIN READ THE PRAYER,
THE TEXT WAS TAKEN UP. THOSE OF THE BOYS WHO HAD PRAYER
BOOKS TOOK THEM OUT. BUT ONE BOY HAD ONLY A DECK OF
CARDS AND HE SPREAD THEM OUT. THE SERGEANT IN CHARGE
SAW THE CARDS AND SAID, 'SOLDIER, PUT THOSE CARDS
AWAY!'
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 DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF, SON?'
'MUCH, SIR', THE SOLDIER REPLIED.
'YOU SEE SIR, I HAVE BEEN IN THE JUNGLE FOR SIX WEEKS.
I HAVE NEITHER A BIBLE NOR A PRAYER BOOK. BUT I HOPE TO
SATISFY YOU, SIR, WITH THE PURITY OF MY INTENTIONS,
YOU SEE SIR, WHEN I LOOK AT THE ACE, IT REMINDS ME
THERE'S BUT ONE GOD.
AND WHEN I SEE THE DEUCE, IT REMINDS ME THAT THE BIBLE
IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, THE OLD AND THE NEW
TESTAMENTS.
AND WHEN I SEE THE TREY, I THINK OF THE FATHER, THE
SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST.
AND WHEN I SEE THE FOUR, I THINK OF THE FOUR
EVANGELISTS WHO PREACHED THE GOSPEL; MATTHEW, MARK,
LUKE, AND JOHN.
AND WHEN I SEE THE FIVE, IT REMINDS ME OF THE FIVE WISE
VIRGINS WHO TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS. THERE WERE TEN OF
THEM. FIVE WERE WISE AND WERE SAVED, FIVE OF THEM 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.
AND WHEN I SEE THE EIGHT, I SEE THE EIGHT RIGHTEOUS
PERSONS GOD SAVED WHEN HE DESTROYED THE EARTH; NOAH,
HIS WIFE, THEIR SONS AND THEIR WIVES.
AND WHEN I SEE THE NINE, I SEE THE LEPERS OUR SAVIOR
CLEANSED, AND NINE OUT OF THE TEN DIDN'T EVEN THANK
HIM.
WHEN I SEE THE TEN, I THINK OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS GOD
HANDED TO MOSES ON A TABLE OF STONE.
AND WHEN I SEE THE KING, IT REMINDS ME AGAIN, 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 IS THE DEVIL.
AND WHEN I COUNT THE NUMBER OF SPOTS ON A DECK OF
CARDS, I FIND 365, THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN A YEAR. THERE
ARE 52 CARDS, THE NUMBER OF WEEKS IN A YEAR. THERE ARE
THIRTEEN TRICKS, THE NUMBER OF WEEKS IN A QUARTER.
THERE ARE FOUR SUITS, THE NUMBER OF WEEKS IN A MONTH.
THERE ARE TWELVE PICTURE CARDS, THE NUMBER OF MONTHS IN
A YEAR.
SO YOU SEE SIR, MY DECK OF CARDS HAS SERVED ME AS A
BIBLE, AN ALMANAC, AND PRAYER BOOK.'
'AND FRIENDS THIS STORY IS TRUE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT
SOLDIER.''