"THE CURSE OF SCOTLAND."

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1482, 3 January 1882, Page 4

" THE CURSE OF SCOTLAND."

A friend askod mo a few days since if I could toll him why the nine of diamonds (tho playing-cards) is called ' the Curse of .Scotland.' I remember that I hud heard faoinethinjj of the same subject before ; bnt I was not aware the saying was so common in Scotland ns he assured me it was. I could not answer his question, but I determined that I would look it up when I got homo. AnJ. I did. I found more than one explanation of the cirouaiHtauco : but after a candid computing of notes. I made up my miud th.it the following afforded the best solutions :—ln: — In the distracted htate of the country dm ing the reign of Mary, a man named G-corge Campbell attempted to Hteal the crown out of Edinburgh C.istle. He did not buccoed in gottiujr away with the crown itself, but managed to abstract nine valuable diamonds, and to get off with them out of the countiy. To replace the^e a heavy tax was laid upon the people, which, being found burdensome and oppressive, was by them termed the Curbe ot Scotland ; and until quite recently in ceitain districts of Scotlaud the card itselt was called ' George Campbell.' Another explanation relates to the mashacie of Glencoe. The order for this cruel deed was signed by the eldest son of the Earl of Stair, who was at that timo Secretary of State for Scotlaud. The coat of awns of this family beaia nine diamonds on itrf shield ; and the indignant people, nob daring to ctigmatise the Lord of Stair as the Curse of Scotland, applied the term to hi-> shield. Still another f-olutiou— and equally yood relates to the battle of Culloden, tho result of which extinguished the hopes of the Stnarts, and was at the time legarded as a national curse. The Duke' of Cumberland, who was known to be very fond of cards, and who always carried a pack in his pocket, when he hdd made his victoiy of Culloden complete, took a card from his pocket and wiote thereupon a despatch announcing his victory, and that card proved to be the nine of diamonds. — S.C., in the New York Ledger.