FORTUNES AND DREAMS

HOROSCOPE

FORTUNES AND
DREAMS

A PRACTICAL MANUAL OF FORTUNE
TELLING, DIVINATION AND THE
INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS,
SIGNS AND OMENS

BY

ASTRA CIELO

NEW YORK
GEORGE SULLY AND COMPANY

Copyright, 1917
BY SULLY AND KLEINTEICH

Printed in U. S. A.

CONTENTS

page
Introduction | vii
Astrology |  1

Historical Review—Astrological Readings—The Astrological Guide to

Fortune—Horoscope and Tables—Character as Told by Astrology—How to

Determine the Lucky and Unlucky Days of Any Month—Derivations of the

Names of the Months—Derivations of the German and English Days of the Week.

The Ancient Oracles | 30
  Napoleon’s Oraculum—Oraculum Table.
Fortune-Telling by Cards | 52

The Origin and History of Playing Cards—Suits and Symbols—Mystic

Meaning—The Charm and Power of Cards—What the Cards Signify—Meaning

of the Various Cards—Telling One’s Fortune with Twenty-one

Cards—Italian Method—The French System—English System—The Gypsy

Method—Creole Method—Card Oracles.

Fortune-Telling with Dice and Dominoes | 92
The Science of Palmistry | 119

Principal Lines of the Palm and Their Meaning—The Shape and Length

of the Phalanges—Form of the Hand—Character from the Shape of a Hand

and Fingers—The Mountains—A Reading of the Lines and Other Characteristics.  

The Science of Phrenology | 136
The Science of Physiognomy | 141

What Different Eyes Indicate—Reading Character by the Color of the

Eyes—Disposition by the Shape of the Nose—Reading Character by the

Form of the Lips—Reading Character by the Shape of the Ear.

Fortune-Telling by Grounds in a Teacup | 147
Dreams and Their Interpretation | 150

Do Dreams Foretell the Future?—How Dreams Should Be

Interpreted—A Dictionary of Dreams.

The Language of Flowers | 191
Popular Beliefs Among the Ancients as to the Influence of Precious Stones | 205
  The Language of Precious Stones. |
The Language of Postage Stamps | 211
The Meaning of Moles | 213
Weather Prophecies from an Old Almanac | 215
How to Tell One’s Age | 218
How to Be Beautiful | 220
Memory Rhymes | 222

INTRODUCTION

There is a Latin saying that “Fortune frustrates, single-handed, the plans of learned men.” There are moments in the lives of each of us when we do not seem to be masters of our actions, but are led by blind chance into paths which bring success or failure in spite of our own individual efforts. We stand in awe before a power which seems inimical to us, or rejoice over a series of coincidences that boost us into fame and fortune.

It is easy to understand, therefore, why men of all ages have had a restless striving to search out the Unknown and the Unknowable, and to endeavor to foretell the future and its mysterious dispensations. In all ages, men have endeavored in various ways to penetrate the mysteries of the future. They have consulted the stars, the oracles, deities of their own manufacture, cards of various devices, etc., in an effort to solve the problems about them.

There is a vein of superstition in every human being, and some of the world’s greatest geniuses, statesmen, scientists and warriors have not been ashamed to seek information from prophets and seers, when the tangle of life seemed too difficult for them to unravel thru their own efforts. The pages of history as well as the Holy Bible are full of instances where the power of divination was invoked to settle important decisions.

This book has been compiled for the use of intelligent people who desire to know the various ways in which events have been prophesied by occultists the world over, and who wish to test their own faculties and consult the Book of Fate in their own behalf. The various methods and tables are offered to the reader at their own value, without any special claim for their accuracy or efficacy. Each inquirer must determine for himself how far he may trust the oracle that he has consulted. Some of the material is new and is not to be found in modern books of this nature. Most of the tables have been gleaned from very old authorities.

It must be understood that successful consultations depend in a great measure on the psychic operations in the mind of the inquirer, who must approach the subject with a desire to know the truth. There is an intuitive perception in all minds, which can be developed by practice. The inquirer should not be discouraged by lack of success at the start. It must be remembered that any attempt to force a favorable divination by cards or astrology is unfair and makes the whole operation void.

ASTROLOGY

Historical Review

Astrology, the science of the stars and their influence on the lives and destinies of human beings, is a very old and honorable subject. It was early developed in Egypt and flourished chiefly in Chaldea, whose star-gazers and prognosticators were so famous that the name “Chaldee” came to be used as having the same meaning as Astrologer, not only in the Bible but among ancient writers. In the East it still has its followers and is much practiced by the Arabs and Asiatics. Its vogue in Rome and Greece was great, but it was forbidden by the Emperor Augustus, only to be revived later. The Moors in Spain held it in great respect and made it popular among the nations of Europe.

Astrology continued to be popular until the sixteenth century. It was practiced by the European courts as late as the eighteenth century, even in England. It was considered a worthy science even by the great astronomer Kepler, and Lilly, another astronomer, was called before the House of Commons in the reign of Charles II to give his opinion of future events.

Astrology teaches us that the heavenly bodies influence not only the earth but all living creatures on the globe. Every child born is subject to the planet or star under which it came to life. When a child is born its mind is still a blank and its character unformed. The stars find a ready tablet on which to record their marks for good or evil, and the character, disposition, passions, gifts, talents, etc., which the child will show in later years are decided on thru the influence of the heavenly bodies. Thus, the planet Mercury gives wisdom and force of mind; Venus gives the power of loving; Mars, the desire to work and fight; etc.

The general method of procedure in discovering the characteristics or deciding the fate of a man is to draw a horoscope, representing the position of the stars and planets in the whole heaven or within one degree of the eastern horizon, at the time of the individual’s birth. If the horoscope is to decide the success of an undertaking the date of the same is taken as a starting-point. Significance is given to each of the heavenly bodies as they appear singly or in conjunction and the horoscope is interpreted according to these significations.

The great physician, Paracelsus, was enthusiastic in his teachings that the heavenly bodies had a great effect upon the bodies of men, especially upon their diseases, and many doctors until recent years consulted the stars in an endeavor to find the proper remedies for the suffering.

The Bible has many instances which show the esteem in which Astrology was held. In the very first part we read that God made the stars to serve as “signs, seasons and days.” We read that the “stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” This shows how the heavenly bodies were supposed to influence the deeds of men.

We all know that the tides are caused by the pulling of the moon, and that this planet would be a dreary waste were it not for the light and heat it gets from the sun. We have recently discovered that the sun’s rays also give us health, that they possess a great curative power and that the ultraviolet rays are of benefit in many diseases. It is but natural to suppose, therefore, that other planets and even distant stars influence this earth and its inhabitants. Many of the stars of which we see but dim specks are many thousands of times bigger than our sun and may exert a correspondingly great influence.

All celestial bodies probably do have some influence on our minds and our bodies. They move in their orbits just as each human being has his own circle or orbit in which he moves from birth to death. It seems rational to suppose that every individual is subject to the influence of some particular planet which was in the ascendant at the time of his or her birth, and that a knowledge of the planet may help decide the ultimate career and fortune of the child.

We may go further and claim that the planet of a child may affect the future of the parents and that there is a mysterious relation between the parents and their offspring. The orbits of the parents are often entirely changed by the coming of a child. It is not a rare occurrence to have the influence of the child completely overpower the lives of the parents. We all are acquainted with folks who date their good or bad fortune from the birth of a particular child. People who have been respected and prosperous seem suddenly hounded by misfortune after the birth of a son, and end in poverty. On the other hand, many a family can date its good fortune from the day a son or daughter was born to them.

Dame Fortune is certainly a fickle fairy who dispenses her good and bad gifts with an erratic hand, and no one can tell what fate may befall. “Read the answer in the stars,” is the only logical reply to the many puzzles that come up for solution.

Warnings and danger signals are shown to us by nature more often than we think. But we are so intent on our troubles or on making money that we fail to recognize them. Nature has resource to dreams, premonitions, signs and omens to tell us of our impending fate. We are often agitated without knowing why, have moods of depression and causeless fears. They are portents on the part of nature that we are often too ignorant to heed.

A study of Astrology may help us avoid many pitfalls. It must not be considered from a superstitious point of view, but as a possible fact in nature that may lead us to better things.

Astrological Readings

A system which will tell with exactitude what every person born under a particular star can accomplish, or what his particular bent or talent may be, is manifestly impossible. Every individual is subject to so many outside influences, is attracted or repelled by so many subtle, mental or psychic influences, that his astrological status is constantly undergoing some change. Just as every planet is subject to the force of gravity of every other heavenly body which pulls it out of its ordained course, so is every human mind swayed and turned from its original course. Only the expert in astrological lore can reconcile these various influences and give a correct reading of the future.

The following tables, however, will give the reader a fairly correct estimate of his character, traits, faults and talents.

The Astrological Guide to Fortune

First find the exact date of your birth, express the numbers in one line. For instance: Let us say you were born April 5, 1876. April is the fourth month of the year; you must therefore write the date 4.5.1876. Now add these numbers thus 4 + 5 + 1 + 8 + 7 + 6 = 31. Repeat the addition with the resulting number 3 + 1 = 4. You now have a sum resulting in a single digit. This digit is your “Key of Fortune,” which gives you access to your planetary future. Now you must find your planet by adding the number of your present month to this Key. If the present month happens to be July, add 7. 4 plus 7 equals 11. Repeating the addition 1 plus 1 equals 2. You must now look for No. 2 in the “Planetary Chart” on page 9. You will find that Jupiter is the custodian of your Key. You will find in the table on page 9, that the house of Jupiter is designated by the letter B. Next consult the table of Primal Questions on page 9 and select one of the 12 questions which you desire answered.

Let us suppose you selected question No. 1, “Does—— love me? ”Consult the Horoscope Chart on page 8 and you will find that question No. 1 is ruled by Aquarius. You will now turn to Table B, which was the letter corresponding to the house of Jupiter and look for Aquarius, which gives the answer “The person loves others besides you.”

This is but one of the ways in which these astrological tables can be used. It is always best to consult an expert in this science, in order to obtain scientific results. Those counting their birthdays according to the Hebrew or Russian calendars will find the answer equally correct. Another method of consulting the oracle is to add the letters in your first name, counting one for A, two for B, etc., and proceeding as in the case of the dates, until there is one digit.

Names have in all religious systems been considered of great influence in determining a person’s fate. The ancients were careful in selecting names for their children, believing that certain names could bring good or bad luck. Names were often changed in order to coerce Dame Fortune. Thus Abram had his name changed to Abraham; Jacob had his name changed to Israel. Among the orthodox Jews it is still customary to change the name of a very sick or an unlucky person.

Shakespeare may well ask, “What’s in a name?” According to Astrology, the name signifies very much.

Horoscope

(See Chart in Frontispiece.)

No. |  |
1  |   governed by   | Aquarius
2  | governed by | Pisces
3  | governed by | Aries
4  | governed by | Gemini
5  | governed by | Cancer
6  | governed by | Leo
7  | governed by | Virgo
8  | governed by | Libra
9  | governed by | Scorpio
10  | governed by | Sagittarius
11  | governed by | Capricorn
12  | governed by | Taurus

Primal Questions

1. |  Does —— love me?
2. |  Will —— return to me?
3. |  Is —— sincere in his dealings with me?
4. |  Will our marriage be a happy one?
5. |  Will I have luck in speculation?
6. |  Shall I make the journey I have in prospect?
7. |  Am I going to change my residence or place of business?
8. |  Will my domestic conditions improve?
9. |  What fortune awaits me in my business schemes?
10. |  Will my plans succeed?
11. |  Will my future be a happy one?
12. |  Will I get rid of my troubles?

Planetary Chart

No. |  Planet   |  Table 
1  |   Sun | A
2  |   Jupiter | B
3  |   Neptune | C
4  |   Saturn | D
5  |   Earth | E
6  |   Mercury | F
7  |   Venus | G
8  |   Mars | H
9  |   Moon | J

Table A.
SUN.

1.   | Aries. | Keep out of chance games.
2.   | Capricorn. | Do not make the trip now.
3.   | Scorpio. | Things are going to improve.
4.   | Leo. | A friend will help you.
5.   | Sagittarius.   | Do not move this season.
6.   | Cancer. | Beware of your enemies.
7.   | Virgo. | Don’t undertake it. It is dangerous.
8.   | Gemini. | A good friend.
9.   | Libra. | It is safe to engage in the business.
10.   | Taurus. | That person will return soon.
11.   | Pisces. | Your marriage will be happy.
12.   | Aquarius. | Do not count on his love.

Table B.
JUPITER.

1.   | Libra. | It makes no difference just now.
2.   | Cancer. | Change your occupation.
3.   | Aries. | Fortune awaits you in business.
4.   | Sagittarius.   |
5.   | Gemini. | He is sincere, but don’t marry him.
6.   | Taurus. | Will return soon.
7.   | Capricorn. | No, remain here.
8.   | Pisces. | Marriage will be happy.
9.   | Scorpio. | In spite of your faults.
10.   | Virgo. | Only with friends to help.
11.   | Aquarius. | The person loves others besides you.
12.   | Leo. | Not so soon as you expect.

Table C.
NEPTUNE.

1.   | Virgo. | Do not carry out your plan.
2.   | Scorpio. | Change your residence at once.
3.   | Libra. | Do not engage in business.
4.   | Cancer. | Economy will bring fortune.
5.   | Aries. | Do not speculate or gamble.
6.   | Capricorn. | It is advisable.
7.   | Gemini. | A true friend.
8.   | Aquarius. | He loves you more than you think.
9.   | Leo. | Beware of difficulties.
10.   | Pisces. | Marriage will be happy.
11.   | Sagittarius.   | You should move to another city.
12.   | Taurus. | Will be prevented by another.

Table D.
SATURN.

1.   | Sagittarius.   | Don’t move yet.
2.   | Pisces. | The present is auspicious for marriage.
3.   | Leo. | Sooner than you expect.
4.   | Taurus. | Will return soon.
5.   | Scorpio. | Disregard everybody’s advice.
6.   | Aries. | Your gains will overbalance losses.
7.   | Aquarius. | Don’t rely on others.
8.   | Libra. | Unquestionably.
9.   | Virgo. | With work, you will succeed.
10.   | Gemini. | He is fickle but faithful.
11.   | Capricorn. | Not at present.
12.   | Cancer. | Your fortune will be secure.

Table E.
EARTH.

1.   | Taurus. | May return and not for long.
2.   | Leo. | Consult a business friend.
3.   | Capricorn. | With a companion you may risk it.
4.   | Scorpio. | Yes, if you love each other.
5.   | Libra. | Stick at what you are doing now.
6.   | Pisces. | Fortune will come.
7.   | Cancer. | Happy, if you are on your guard.
8.   | Virgo. | Yes, if you go quickly and carefully.
9.   | Sagittarius.   | You may move anywhere at present.
10.   | Aquarius. | Loves you, but conceals it.
11.   | Gemini. | Quick-tempered, but faithful.
12.   | Aries. | You will never get fortune thru gambling.

Table F.
MERCURY.

1.   | Leo. | Beware of a return.
2.   | Taurus. | Is prevented from returning by family.
3.   | Gemini. | Most of the time.
4.   | Pisces. | Your fortune will come after marriage.
5.   | Capricorn. | You will be successful.
6.   | Sagittarius.   | Remain, till you get a better chance.
7.   | Aries. | Your losses will be great.
8.   | Cancer. | Not fortunate without thrift.
9.   | Aquarius. | He is true to you.
10.   | Scorpio. | Not now, but soon.
11.   | Virgo. | Proceed slowly and cautiously to success.
12.   | Libra. | You will find a fortune in business.

Table G.
MARS.

1.   | Pisces. | Depends upon the person you marry.
2.   | Aries. | You may, with care.
3.   | Cancer. | Children will make you happy.
4.   | Aquarius. | As you love, so will you be loved.
5.   | Virgo. | You will succeed.
6.   | Gemini. | Means well, but can’t keep promises.
7.   | Scorpio. | Put your shoulder to the wheel.
8.   | Sagittarius.   | You will do well anywhere.
9.   | Taurus. | You will hear from .... soon.
10.   | Libra. | Work will bring happiness.
11.   | Leo. | Yes, but not entirely.
12.   | Capricorn. | Another journey soon.

Table H.
VENUS.

1.   | Cancer. | You will be rich and happy.
2.   | Libra. | Begin business alone.
3.   | Aquarius. | His love is true.
4.   | Aries. | Not at the present time.
5.   | Leo. | It will bring good fortune in the end.
6.   | Virgo. | Take your time.
7.   | Pisces. | Marry only one in your own station.
8.   | Taurus. | Will return soon.
9.   | Gemini. | Very sincere.
10.   | Capricorn. | It is advisable.
11.   | Scorpio. | It will, if you beware of false friends.
12.   | Sagittarius.   | Stay near friends.

Table J.
MOON.

1.   | Gemini. | You can depend upon his sincerity.
2.   | Virgo. | Will succeed, if you work hard.
3.   | Sagittarius.   | Do not move out of neighborhood.
4.   | Libra. | Do not engage in business.
5.   | Cancer. | You will be rich, but not happy.
6.   | Aquarius. | His love is selfish.
7.   | Leo. | With effort, you will succeed.
8.   | Capricorn. | Yes, very soon.
9.   | Pisces. | Your fortune will come after marriage.
10.   | Aries. | Do not gamble.
11.   | Taurus. | Is prevented from returning.
12.   | Scorpio. | Children will improve things.

Character as Told by Astrology

JANUARY.—Those born in January are earnest, truthful people, usually not over-enthusiastic, but keen and possessing commercial and executive ability. They are slow to undertake anything, but once they are started they have grit and endurance. They are idealists and have a deeply religious nature. They are tolerant of others and charitable. Their love of society often makes them leaders in social and benevolent organizations. They are fond of great enterprises, in which they are usually successful. If they speculate, they win, altho they should be doubly cautious. They make good parents and excellent neighbors. Are inclined to neuralgia and rheumatism, which can be averted by proper care and diet.

FEBRUARY.—Those born in this month are calm, judicious and even-tempered. They are good talkers and slow to show anger. In their business, they are faithful and earnest. What they begin is usually well planned and carried to a successful issue. They are fond of home life and indulgent to wife and children. They are inclined to be susceptible to cold and should beware of enervating diseases. Women born in February, especially the second half, frequently have psychic powers. Men make good lawyers or doctors and often rise to great prominence. Are liable to catarrhal and pulmonary troubles, but often live very long.

MARCH.—People born in March are usually sensitive and critical. They are fond of domesticity and keep much to themselves. They often have great ability, are inventive and have a keen analytical mind. Many mathematicians are born in this month. They command psychic power and become good musicians. As a rule they are trustworthy as employees, and the women usually are fond of the mysterious. They are inclined to mental illness and often troubled with headaches and rheumatism. They should beware of all speculation and gambling. Headaches and nervous troubles may assail them in old age.

APRIL.—This month produces people who are capable and successful. They take unusual interest in scientific questions, are inventive, argumentative and become good politicians, lawyers or preachers. Are usually religiously inclined and sensitive. Have a strong will and great executive powers. Many architects, electricians and scientists are born in April. In their home life they are happy and easily satisfied; apt to be dominated by their opposite partner, but never relinquish their opinion if the other is in the wrong. A little speculation is safe, but should be approached cautiously. Usually live to a good old age, but should guard against gout and diabetes.

MAY.—Men born in this month, especially the latter half, are omnivorous readers and good talkers. They have artistic and musical tastes, but are not always successful as business men, as they lack the endurance and grit necessary to overcome obstacles. Will do better working for others than for themselves. They should never speculate or take unusual risks. In their home they are idolized and love their own devotedly. Have few friends but are attached to them. They are religious, sensitive, poetic and faithful. Many poets and composers are born in this month. They are liable to bronchitis and lung trouble.

JUNE.—People born in June are pleasure-loving, fond of dress and luxury, easy-going and hate to make much effort. They reason thru intuition and are easily elated and just as easily depressed. They are often disappointed thru difficulty in coming to a decision. They do not calculate but are guided by likes and dislikes. They frequently gain thru speculation, but more often lose. They are eager for the society of great people and rise to heights of fame thru proper help and influence. Women make good as religious teachers. Men go into politics and other professions. They should beware of excesses in eating or drinking in order to avoid intestinal diseases.

JULY.—Men born in July are possessed of great will-power, are often domineering and achieve big positions in business or politics. They often have unusual business ability and are leaders in forming big combinations. They are inventive and ingenious. They love dress, sports and ostentation. Their natures are keen, critical, forceful. They are not always just in their estimate of others, and while they give freely, are not always charitable. Their home life is often happy, but more often subject to scandal. They speculate successfully. Are often victims of catarrhal and pulmonary diseases.

AUGUST.—Those born in August are quick, impulsive, kind-hearted. They are optimistic but easily depressed by music, art and literature. They are capable of big achievements. In old age their enthusiasm is apt to wane and their success diminishes. They talk well, are fond of society, cultivate a pure home life, are religious, charitable, tender-hearted. They are capable in positions requiring fidelity and confidence. They have mechanical ability and a great deal of initiative. Are apt to dream much and should profit by their dreams. They are apt to suffer from nervous disorders.

SEPTEMBER.—Those born in this month are proud, ambitious and inclined to be showy. They have a positive nature often accompanied by literary ability. Their ideals run into money-making, and in this they are usually successful. They have a well-developed taste for fine clothes and beautiful homes. They are often jealous and suspicious, but make good husbands and wives and strict parents. They are often difficult to approach, as they hold themselves aloof from all but the highest society, and are frequently snobbish. They have a taste for literature and science. They are usually successful in speculating. Are inclined to accidents and diseases of the stomach and kidneys.

OCTOBER.—October brings forth people of a religious and patriotic nature, fond of church, poetry and literature. They are devoted to their homes, make good neighbors, are kind, charitable and peaceful. Being sensitive, they are easily offended and are shy of strangers. Many of them become famous as artists, musicians, authors, actors or professional men. They are not so successful in commercial life, as they are sensitive to rebuffs and disappointments. They are optimistic and are happy as a rule. Often gifted with telepathic powers. Headaches and nervousness often afflict their mature years.

NOVEMBER.—People born in this month are fond of travel and delight in nature. Their home life is happy, altho they are prone to jealousy. They are cool and brave in the face of danger, but easily depressed thru disappointments. Their temperaments are nervous. They are often stubborn and quick to take offense. As a rule they are faithful to their employers, firm in their allegiance and just to all. They are not usually religious, but inclined to free-thought. They should never speculate, but stick to a legitimate business. Often troubled with diseases of the digestive organs.

DECEMBER.—Those born in the Christmas month are often proud and stubborn. They like flattery and have a high opinion of their own importance. In business they show ability, carry out their decisions quickly and make good executives. They are fearless, but not always diplomatic or truthful. When once they form an attachment it is for life. They are devoted lovers of the home and true friends. If aroused, they may become deadly foes. In personal appearance they are neat, and aspire to the highest society. They often fill positions of trust and are leaders in great undertakings. They are bold speculators. They are liable to diseases from high living, such as gout, rheumatism or apoplexy.

How to Determine the Lucky and Unlucky Days of Any Month.

(This method is taken from an ancient treatise on Astrology.)

Ascertain from any almanac the day on which a full moon occurs, and count the number of days from that to the end of the month: you then multiply the number of days in the month by the number ascertained as above, and the total will give you the lucky days (subject to a further test hereafter explained). If the total happens to be, say, 516, the lucky days of that month would be the 5th and 16th, and if it should be 399—as neither of these figures can be paired—the lucky days from that total are the 3d and 9th, and the 9th would be considered doubly lucky, if no tests worked to the contrary.

The unlucky days are determined in precisely the same manner, by multiplying the number of days in the month by the number which have passed previous to a full moon.

After working out your list of lucky days in the manner above described, you must then test them, in order to be sure that there are no opposing influences. You can do this by calculating the unlucky days. Should you find that any day of the month which was designated as lucky came also in the list of unlucky days the latter preponderates and you must strike it from the lucky list.

This plan of demonstrating lucky and unlucky days is very ancient, and has been tested to such an extent that it is considered accurate by most astrologers. In olden times, before the mass of the people understood much about figures, the professional fortune-tellers demanded a large fee for computing the lucky days of any month, which they accomplished in the manner above described.

Lucky marriage days for girls were cast in the same manner, except that the age of the girl was used as the multiplicator, or multiplier, instead of the number of days in the month. The result was determined similarly, and also by a test of the unlucky days. Thus if a girl is eighteen years old, and thinks of marrying in October, she takes up an almanac and ascertains the day of the full moon in that month. If it occurs on the 24th, and there are thirty-one days in the month this leaves seven for the multiplier. She multiplies this by her age, eighteen, and the result is 126, which shows that the lucky days for her marriage in that month are the 12th and 6th, unless they are destroyed by another test, which is determined as follows. There are twenty-three days before the 24th, and she must multiply twenty-three by eighteen, which process gives 414, and shows that the 4th and 14th are the only unlucky days for her marriage. And as they do not conflict with the lucky days, the 6th and 12th may be considered as genuine lucky days for that month, reckoning the moon to be full on the 24th. In determining her age, she should reckon any period over half a year as a full and completed year.

Unlucky Days for Males

January 3, 4.

February 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20.

March 5, 6, 12, 13.

May 12, 13, 20, 21, 26, 27.

June 1, 2, 9, 10, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24.

July 3, 4, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18.

October 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 31.

November 1, 3.

Almost all persons (being of male sex) who are born on the days included in the foregoing table will—in a greater or less degree—suffer, not only by pecuniary embarrassments and loss of property, but will also experience great distress and anxiety troubles about their children, daughters forming unhappiness in their family affairs, grave disaffection toward each other among those who are married, trouble about their children, daughter forming unfortunate attachments, and a variety of untoward events of other descriptions. The influences of these days are calculated to excite in the minds of persons born thereon an extraordinary passion for speculation, for change in their affairs, for the initiation of new undertakings, but all of them will tend nearly to one point—loss of property and pecuniary embarrassments. If such persons embark their capital on credit in new concerns or engagements, they will be likely to receive interruptions to the progress of their undertakings. Those who enter into engagements intended to be permanent—whether purchases, leases, partnerships or, in short, any other speculation of a description which cannot readily be transferred or disposed of—will dearly repent their bargains.

They will find their affairs from time to time much interrupted and agitated, and will experience many disappointments in money matters, trouble through bills, and have need of all their activity and address to prop their declining credit; indeed, almost all engagements and affairs that are entered into by persons born on any of these days will receive some sort of check or obstruction. The greater number of such persons will also be subject to sickness.

List of Unlucky Days for Females.

January 5, 6, 13, 14, 20, 21.

February 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 22, 23.

March 1, 2, 8, 9, 16, 17, 28, 29.

April 24, 25.

May 1, 2, 9, 17, 22, 29, 30.

June 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19.

July 3, 4.

September 9, 16.

October 20, 27.

November 9, 10, 21, 29, 30.

December 6, 14, 21.

The old author from whom these particulars are derived concludes with the following counsel: “We advise all females born on these days to be extremely cautious of placing their affections too hastily, for they will be subject to disappointment and vexations in these respects. It will be better for them, in such matters, to be guided by the advice of their friends, rather than by their own feelings; they will be less fortunate in placing their affections than in any other action of their lives, as many of their marriages will terminate in separations, divorces, etc. Their courtships will end in elopements, seductions and other misfortunes. These statements are drawn from the best astrological sources, and are given as a warning, that the persons concerned may avoid certain perplexing labyrinths of destiny, from which nothing but care and attention can save them.”

The Derivations of the Names of the Months

January—The Roman Janus presided over the beginning of everything; hence the first month of the year was called after him.

February—The Roman festival was held on the 15th day of this month, in honor of Lupercus, the god of fertility.

March—Named from the Roman god of war, Mars.

April—Latin Aprilis, probably derived from aperire, to open; because spring generally begins, and the buds open, in this month.

May—Latin Maius, probably derived from Maia, a feminine divinity worshiped at Rome on the first day of this month.

June—Juno, a Roman divinity worshiped as the Queen of Heaven.

July—Julius—Julius Cæsar was born in this month.

August—Named by the Emperor Augustus Cæsar, B.C. 30, after himself, as he regarded it as a fortunate month, being that in which he had gained several victories.

September (Septem, or 7)—September was the seventh month in the old Roman calendar.

October (Octo, or 8)—Eighth month of the old Roman year.

November (Novem, or 9)—November was the ninth month in the old Roman year.

December (Decem, or 10)—December was the tenth month of the early Roman year. About the 21st of this month the sun enters the Tropic of Capricorn, and forms the winter solstice.

Derivations of the German and English Days of the Week

Sunday, (Saxon) Sunnandaeg, day of the sun.

Monday, (German) Montag, day of the moon.

Tuesday, (Anglo-Saxon) Tiwesdaeg, from Tiw, the god of war.

Wednesday, (Anglo-Saxon) Wodnesdaeg, from Odin, the god of storms.

Thursday, (Danish) Thor, the god of thunder.

Friday, (Saxon) Frigedaeg, day of Freya, goddess of marriage.

Saturday, the day of Saturn, the god of time.

The names of the seven days of the week in the languages derived from the Latin originated with the Roman astronomers. They gave them the names of the sun, moon, and five planets, viz.: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.

THE ANCIENT ORACLES

The telling of fortunes and the predicting of the future in ancient times was the work of the Oracles. In the ancient religions the Oracle was believed to be a revelation made by some god or divinity in reply to the questions of men. The word “oracle” was applied both to the answer and to the sacred place where the answer was given. The responses were made either by priests and priestesses or by signs and portents.

At the Oracle of Dodona the responses were given either by the movements of leaves, the noise of brazen vessels, or the murmurings of the waters of a fountain. Usually springs or grottos of which the waters were known to have delirious effects were selected for the sites of the oracles. At Dydima the vapor of the water affected both the priestess and person who consulted her. At Delphi the priestess, who was called the “Pythia,” delivered her utterances from a tripod placed over a chasm, from which intoxicating vapors arose. In some of the oracles, incense and artificial fumigations were used.

The answers of the oracles were famous for their obscurity and lack of meaning. They were often susceptible of two or more meanings. When King Crœsus asked of the oracle whether he should make war against Alexander, the reply was: “If you make war you destroy a great kingdom.” Crœsus began the war thinking that he would destroy Alexander, but it was his own kingdom that he destroyed.

The responses of the Pythia were not considered authoritative till they had been submitted and approved by the presiding priest. Delphi was the most famous oracle and became the center of all the Greek oracles. Even the Romans believed in its power.

With the coming of Christianity, the oracles lost much of their influence. Eusebius affirms that Christ put an end to the reign of Satan on earth and thereafter the oracles became silent.

In Greece there were altogether twenty-two oracles to Apollo, which were consulted for various purposes. One was used exclusively for the interpretation of dreams, another for the foretelling of battles, still another was consulted by those who went into the Olympian games to find out whether they would be victorious. At Patræ sick persons came to inquire whether they would get well. At Nysa the priests would take patients and induce a cataleptic sleep, during which the sick man prescribed his own remedy.

It is easy to see why many of the utterances of the oracles came true. They appealed to the superstition of the primitive people, who took the replies as coming from their gods, and tried to live up to them. The will to see the prophecy fulfilled was often sufficient to make it come true.

Napoleon’s Oraculum

This well-known method of telling fortunes is exceedingly ancient, and was a favorite with Napoleon;—hence its name. The usual method was to mark down four rows of dots at random on a sheet of paper and then count them. If the first row had an uneven number of dots, one star was put in the first place, if an even number, two stars were put down, and so for each of the four rows. The resulting figure gave the key by which the chart was to be consulted. It often happened, however, that the questioner consciously or unconsciously regulated the number of dots to suit his purpose.

A more modern and strictly impartial way is the following: Take any book. Hold it tightly shut and stick a card at random between two of its pages. Open the book at those pages, note the first four words on the upper line of the left-hand page. Count the letters in these four words. If the first word has an even number place two dots in the first space, if odd, place only one dot. Then take the second word and place one or two dots in the same way, and so for the other two words. You will thus get a symbol that may look as follows:

  or     or    .

These are called the Astral “Keys.” There are 16 possible constructions or keys. Now ask your question. Turn to the Cabalistic Chart on page 35. Decide on which of the 16 questions you want to ask. Note the number opposite that question. Run your finger along the top of the table till you find the Astral Key which you have just formed. At the junction of this column with the number line, you will find a mystic letter which tells you which of the oraculum tables to consult. For example: You want to ask the question, “Shall I recover my property?” This you find is No. 6 on the chart; the symbol is    .   Find this symbol, run your finger down the column till it meets with the line of No. 6, and it gives you the mystic letter A. Turn to the oraculum table marked A and opposite the same symbol you will find the reply, “You will not recover your property.”

Instead of the book and card plan, four dice may be used in the same manner. The points indicating the even or uneven numbers of dots in the symbol.

Do not ask a question more than once in any one day. Always begin the search by reciting the formula:

“Oraculum, Oraculum, Tell true fortune, or be dumb.”

The following are unlucky days, on which none of the questions should be asked, or any adventure undertaken:

January 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 12, 20; February 1, 17, 18; March 14, 16; April 10, 17, 18; May 7, 8; June 17; July 17, 21; August 20, 21; September 10, 18; October 6; November 6, 10; December 6, 11, 15.

ORACULUM TABLE

Oraculum Table.

 1.  Shall I obtain my wish?

 2.  Success in my undertakings?

 3.  Shall I gain or lose my cause?

 4.  Shall I live in foreign parts?

 5.  Will the stranger return?

 6.  Shall I recover my property?

 7.  Will my friend be true?

 8.  Shall I have to travel?

 9.  Does the person love me?

10.  Will the marriage be happy?

11.  What sort of a wife or husband?

12.  Will I have a son or daughter?

13.  Will the patient recover?

14.  Shall I speculate?

15.  Will I be lucky?

16.  What does my dream signify?

The Answers

A.
|  What you desire you will shortly obtain.
|  Trouble and sorrow will come to you.
|  Be cautious in what you do today, or you will lose.
|  Do not speculate.
|  Your life will be spared.
|  You will have a daughter, but a thankless one.
|  Your mate will be virtuous and good-hearted.
|  You will make enemies if you marry this person.
|  Decline this Love, for it will not be constant.
|  Don’t travel; it will not be to your advantage.
|  A true and sincere friendship will continue.
|  You will not recover your property.
|  Yes, the stranger will soon return.
|  Do not remove from where you are at present.
|  The Lord will help you if your cause is good.
|  You will be lucky.
B.
|  Luck will come to you and will be coveted by others.
|  Do not follow your desire for the present.
|  A favor or kindness will come from some person.
|  Beware of enemies who would defraud you.
|  Only by the advice of an expert.
|  The patient should be prepared for the worst.
|  A son who will be a blessing.
|  You will secure a rich partner.
|  You will have prosperity thru this marriage.
|  This love comes from an upright and sincere heart.
|  God will protect you on your way.
|  Beware of false and deceitful acquaintances.
|  You will certainly recover your property.
|  Unforeseen trouble prevents his return at present.
|  Be prepared for a change.
|  Be wise and careful or you will lose.
C.
|  With the blessing of God you will be lucky.
|  Unless you take expert advice you will be unlucky.
|  If they are not extravagant your desires will be granted.
|  Peace and plenty will come to you and friends.
|  You may meet with trouble unless you are prepared.
|  You will lose if you speculate.
|  Health and prosperity will result.
|  A daughter that will bring a fortune.
|  The person is in middling circumstances but happy.
|  Decline this marriage or you may regret it.
|  Refuse further intercourse.
|  Better stay at home and help your folks.
|  A true and sincere friendship is at your command.
|  That which you have lost is lost forever.
|  Sickness prevents him from seeing you.
|  Stay where you now are and you will be content.
D.
|  You will obtain a fortune in another country.
|  You will certainly gain if you have courage.
|  God will change your misfortune into success and happiness.
|  You may meet poverty and distress unless you change your ways.
|  You will have many impediments in the accomplishment of your pursuits.
|  Abandon all evil inclinations.
|  Speculate—but cautiously.
|  The patient’s illness will be lingering, but he will recover.
|  A dutiful and handsome son will bless your union.
|  Modest in circumstances but honest.
|  Marriage will add to your prosperity.
|  The person you love does not speak well of you.
|  Your journey will be pleasant if guided by prudence.
|  His heart is false. Beware!
|  You may gain your property if you are cautious.
|  Do not expect to see the stranger again. It is better so.
E.
|  The stranger will not return to you.
|  Pray to God and strive modestly. He will help you.
|  You will gain what you seek by industry.
|  Remain here among your family and you will do well.
|  You will obtain your wishes soon.
|  You have enemies who will endeavor to ruin you.
|  An enemy is endeavoring to bring misfortune to you.
|  Never speculate.
|  The patient will soon recover. There is danger of a relapse.
|  A daughter who will be honored and marry rich.
|  Your partner will be fond of pleasure.
|  Marriage may bring you to poverty, therefore be cautious.
|  Their love is false to you and will harm you.
|  Don’t travel for the present. It is dangerous.
|  This person deserves to be respected.
|  You will never recover the property you have lost. Be reconciled.
F.
|  Employ a detective and you will recover your property.
|  The stranger will never return.
|  You will be successful in foreign countries.
|  A great fortune will be yours. Wait patiently.
|  Your indecision is a great hindrance to your success.
|  Wait till next month. Your wishes are in vain at present.
|  There is great danger and sorrow before you. Be courageous.
|  Today is unlucky. Take no risks.
|  Leave speculation to others.
|  The patient’s recovery is assured.
|  A fine boy will bring luck and joy.
|  A worthy person and a fine fortune is to be yours.
|  Do not let your intentions destroy your peace of mind.
|  His love is true and constant. Guard it well.
|  You will not have cause to repent it. Travel.
|  You can trust this friend and never have cause for sorrow.
G.
|  This friend will be faithful and true.
|  Bear your loss with courage.
|  He will return unexpectedly.
|  If you stay at home.
|  You will meet failure in your pursuits unless you economize.
|  Heaven will bless you thru your friends.
|  Not at the present time.
|  You will get ahead of all enemies.
|  It will be difficult for you to escape bad luck.
|  If you speculate you will lose.
|  The patient will recover after a week.
|  A daughter and a son, both lucky.
|  You will get an honest associate and prosper.
|  This marriage may bring sorrow. Decline it.
|  Do not yield to this love.
|  You may be recalled by an unexpected event.
H.
|  Go on your travels and see the world.
|  Your so-called friend hates you. Beware of him.
|  Your hopes to recover your property will soon be realized.
|  An unforeseen affair prevents the stranger’s return.
|  Your fortune will come in another land.
|  You will do well to refuse.
|  You will not succeed. Try something else.
|  You will soon realize your wishes.
|  Your fortune will change for the better soon.
|  Your luck will soon improve. Have courage.
|  A good time to speculate.
|  The patient will soon be better.
|  A healthy son will bless you.
|  You will be married in a short time to a worthy man.
|  Do not marry this person if you value your happiness.
|  This love will continue until death.
I.
|  Love is true, but will cause great misery.
|  It will be foolish for you to travel at present.
|  Your friend will be sincere and true.
|  You will recover the stolen property soon.
|  The traveler will return within a week.
|  You will be more prosperous in foreign lands.
|  Place your trust in God. He will give you happiness.
|  Your future will shortly be changed for the better.
|  You will succeed if you work hard.
|  The misfortune which threatens will be prevented.
|  Beware of false friends who seek to harm you.
|  Speculate in moderation.
|  The patient will gain health and strength again.
|  She will have a daughter who will be a credit to her.
|  You will marry a person for whom you will have little love.
|  The marriage will come off according to your expectations.
K.
|  You will be comfortable and happy after many trials.
|  You will have a sincere love from an upright heart.
|  You will prosper in your journey and return safely.
|  You can rely on the friendship of this person.
|  Your property is lost forever.
|  The traveler will be absent for some time.
|  You will have luck and happiness abroad.
|  Yes, success for the present is in sight.
|  You may succeed in your undertaking if you work hard.
|  You will do well to change your intentions.
|  There are mean persons who would harm you.
|  Your circumstances will shortly mend. Be patient.
|  Speculation is serious.
|  The patient cannot live long.
|  She will have a tall, handsome son.
|  It will not be difficult for you to get a good partner.
L.
|  You will get a successful partner.
|  Good luck will attend this marriage.
|  His love is changeable.
|  You will be lucky in your travels.
|  Love is true and sacred. You may rely on it.
|  You will lose your property.
|  The stranger will return with a fortune.
|  You will have success at home.
|  Your gain will not be worth while.
|  Be cautious or you will meet with trouble.
|  You will succeed according to your aspirations.
|  You will get money soon.
|  You will do well in spite of business.
|  Speculation spells loss.
|  The patient will recover in a month.
|  She will have a tall, handsome daughter.
M.
|  She will have a son who will gain wealth and honor.
|  A partner with much money.
|  The marriage will be lucky and prosperous.
|  Party wishes to be yours only.
|  A long journey will prove to your advantage.
|  Do not place trust in the person.
|  You will find your property at home.
|  The traveler’s return is doubtful.
|  You will succeed in France but not in Germany.
|  You will get no gain.
|  You may get more luck than you expect.
|  Whatever your desires, you will speedily be gratified.
|  Will be asked to a wedding soon.
|  You will have no occasion to complain of ill-luck.
|  Buy stocks, but not on margin.
|  The patient’s recovery is slow.
N.
|  The patient will recover, but will not live long.
|  She will have a fair daughter.
|  You will marry into a very rich family.
|  By marriage you will gain much wealth.
|  Await the time and you will not be disappointed.
|  Stay at home.
|  This person is a sincere well-wisher.
|  You will not recover the lost goods.
|  When abroad keep from gambling.
|  You will soon have what you little expect.
|  In this venture you will have great success.
|  Be sensible and rejoice ever at that which is given you.
|  Sorrow will depart and joy will return.
|  Your luck will soon be at hand.
|  Be cautious.
|  The stranger will return in a year.
O.
|  Don’t speculate.
|  The patient’s recovery is assured.
|  She will have a son who will become famous.
|  You will get a sensible partner.
|  Delay not your marriage; you will have happiness.
|  Nobody loves you better.
|  You may go ahead with confidence.
|  A secret enemy is trying to deceive you.
|  You will recover the stolen goods.
|  The stranger will not return again.
|  A woman will greatly increase your fortune.
|  You will be cheated out of your earnings.
|  You will be happy in the end.
|  Fortune shuns you at present, but will come in time.
|  You will soon hear agreeable news.
|  There are troubles lurking about you.
P.
|  Every day will bring you increased happiness.
|  Beware of gambling.
|  The patient will recover soon and live long.
|  She will have a son and a daughter.
|  Your partner will be rich and lucky.
|  Your marriage will bring you much happiness.
|  He or she loves you devotedly.
|  Stay at home; you will not prosper otherwise.
|  This friend will bring you good fortune.
|  You will not get back your goods.
|  He is ill and cannot come to you.
|  Remain at home and depend upon your own industry.
|  Prosperity is ordained to you. Be patient.
|  Work, and don’t depend too much on luck.
|  Your wish will be granted to you soon.
|  Be very careful lest any accident befall you.
Q.
|  Joy and happiness between friends is your lot.
|  This day is lucky. Use it.
|  He will yet earn a fortune, although he is now poor.
|  Recovery is doubtful.
|  She will have a son who will be a genius.
|  A rich partner with a bad temper will be yours.
|  You insure your happiness by wedding.
|  He has great love for you, but wishes to conceal it.
|  Go on your journey without fear. It will be lucky.
|  He is inconsistent and deceitful.
|  You will recover your property in a week.
|  The stranger may return unexpectedly.
|  You will dwell abroad in comfort.
|  You will surely prosper if you are modest.
|  You will soon enjoy plenty.
|  Be contented with your present fortune.

FORTUNE-TELLING BY CARDS

The Origin and History of Playing Cards.

The history of playing cards extends back five hundred years, and various stories and theories have been mooted as to how and by whom they were first introduced into Europe. Many Eastern nations—notably those of India, China, Chaldea and Egypt—possessed cards for divination and playing purposes which differed both in design and use from those known in Europe at an early date. It seems from ancient manuscripts that the wise men of the East regarded cards with great veneration and ascribed to them mysterious powers. They considered them mediums of revelation from the celestial powers.

Many authorities hold that playing cards were invented by Europeans. It is certain that they were known in Italy as early as 1379, and that the Moors and Saracens introduced them into Spain at an earlier date. The first cards were called “Nabis,” and the Hebrew word “Nabi” means to prophesy. This gives weight to the theory that the original intention of cards was for purposes of divination.

The earliest cards of which we have any definite knowledge were called “Tarots,” which are supposed to have been the invention of a Jewish astrologer and cabalist. Various explanations are given as to the name. The science and divination by means of these cards were supposed to be found in the Egyptian “Book of Thoth,” which Moses learned in the Egyptian temples and of which he guarded the secret jealously. Outside of a few packs in some of the museums, there are no tarot cards to be found. The pictures on them represented priests, popes, jugglers, emperors, devils and other characters. Later on numerals were added to the symbolic cards so that games could be played with them. At the beginning of the fifteenth century, Venice had games of cards composed of 78 cards, 22 containing symbols and 56 numerals. Later the size of the pack was reduced to 52 cards.

Suits and Symbols

There have always been four suits in use, but the symbols used had varied in different countries. Originally they were cups, money, swords and clubs. These are still retained in Italian and Spanish cards. Old German cards have acorns, leaves, hearts and bells. The French cards used spades and clubs, hearts and diamonds. The word “spade” comes from the Italian word meaning a sword. The club sign was adopted from the three-leaf clover. Many of the packs used last century were very costly and artistic. They were painted by hand to represent historic characters.

Mystic Meaning

To many people a pack of cards comes next in importance to the Bible. To others they are supposed to be the devil’s own handbooks of destruction. They have exercised an irresistible fascination over the minds of men and women of all ages. A great interest attaches to the many possible combinations to be made from the cards in a pack. It has been pointed out that—

The fifty-two cards represent the 52 weeks in the year.

Thirteen cards in each suit represent the 13 lunar months, and the 13 weeks in each quarter.

The four suits represent the four seasons of the year.

The twelve court cards represent the 12 signs of the Zodiac.

Number of pips on all the plain cards | = | 220
Number of pips on the court cards | = | 12
Counting each of the court cards as 10 | = | 120
Number of cards in each suit |  |   13
  Total equals the number of days in the year   |   365

The Charm and Power of Cards

We have nothing to do in this book with cards used for gambling purposes, but as instruments of Cartomancy we find them full of charm and interest. Every person has a certain amount of superstition in his nature and desires to take a look into the dim and mysterious future. No one need be ashamed of confessing a certain amount of interest in the unseen and occult. Strange coincidences are happening all the time, and there are many inexplicable occurrences that meet us at every turn. Educated men and women are taking an interest in the occult to a greater extent than ever before, altho in the past the great statesmen and famous women of France, even the great Napoleon himself, were believers in the power of cards to foretell the future. Divination by cards is of great antiquity and is still as popular as ever. Formerly it was connected with astrologers’ incantation and religious practices. Now, however, it is indulged in principally as a means of amusement. Of course no one need be warned against the danger of taking a pack of cards as a guide in matters of importance requiring judgment and discretion.

What the Cards Signify

There are several systems of telling fortunes by cards. In each the meaning of the cards and the mode of laying them out differ. The meaning of a card is modified when the card is reversed. As our modern packs are practically the same, looking at them from either end, it is well to mark the cards so that you can tell which is the top and which is the bottom. This could be done before starting to use the pack.

Meaning of the Various Cards.

Hearts are especially connected with the work of Cupid and Hymen. The suit has also close reference to affairs of the home and to both the domestic and social sides of life.

Diamonds are representative of financial matters, small and great, with a generally favorable signification.

Clubs stand for prosperity, a happy home life with intelligent pleasures and successful undertakings.

Spades forebode evil. They speak of sickness, death, monetary losses and anxieties, separation from friends and dear ones. They are also representative of love, appealing exclusively to the senses.

Meaning of the Hearts.

Ace.—A love letter, good news; (reversed) a removal or a visit from a friend.

King.—Fair man of generous disposition; (reversed) a disappointing person.

Queen.—Fair, good-natured woman; (reversed) she has had an unhappy love affair.

Knave.—A young bachelor devoted to enjoyment; (reversed) a military lover with a grievance.

Ten.—Antidote to bad cards, happiness and success; (reversed) passing worries.

Nine.—The wish card, good luck; (reversed) short sorrow.

Eight.—Thoughts of marriage, affections of a fair person; (reversed) unresponsiveness.

Seven.—Calm, content; (reversed) boredom, satiety.

Meaning of the Diamonds.

Ace.—A letter, an offer of marriage; (reversed) evil tidings.

King.—A very fair or white-haired man; a soldier by profession, and of a deceitful turn of mind; (reversed) a treacherous schemer.

Queen.—A fair woman, given to gossip and wanting in refinement; (reversed) a rather spiteful flirt.

Knave.—Subordinate official, who is untrustworthy; (reversed) a mischief-maker.

Ten.—Traveling or a removal; (reversed) ill luck will attend the step.

Nine.—Vexation, hindrances; (reversed) domestic wrangling, or disagreement between lovers.

Eight.—Love passages; (reversed) blighted affections.

Seven.—Unkindly chaff, cynicism; (reversed) stupid and unfounded slander.

Meaning of the Clubs.

Ace.—Good luck, letters or papers relating to money, pleasant tidings; (reversed) short-lived happiness, a tiresome correspondence.

King.—A dark man, warm-hearted and true as a friend, straight in his dealings; (reversed) good intentions frustrated.

Queen.—A dark woman, loving but hasty, and bearing no malice; (reversed) harassed by jealousy.

Knave.—A ready-witted young man, clever at his work and ardent in his love; (reversed) irresponsible and fickle.

Ten.—Prosperity and luxury; (reversed) a sea voyage.

Nine.—An unlooked-for inheritance, money acquired under a will; (reversed) a small, friendly gift.

Eight.—Love of a dark man or woman which, if accepted and reciprocated, will bring joy and well-being; (reversed) an unworthy affection calculated to cause trouble.

Seven.—Trifling financial matters; (reversed) money troubles.

Meaning of the Spades.

Ace.—Emotional enjoyment; (reversed) news of a death, sorrow.

King.—A widower, an unscrupulous lawyer, impossible as a friend, and dangerous as an enemy; (reversed) the desire to work evil without the power.

Queen.—Widow, a very dark woman; (reversed) an intriguing, spiteful woman.

Knave.—Legal or medical student, wanting in refinement of mind and manners; (reversed) a treacherous character, fond of underhand measures.

Ten.—Grief, loss of freedom; (reversed) passing trouble or illness.

Nine.—A bad omen, news of failure or death; (reversed) loss of one near and dear by death.

Eight.—Coming illness; (reversed) an engagement canceled or a rejected proposal, dissipation.

Seven.—Everyday worries, or a resolve taken; (reversed) silly stratagems in love-making.

Combinations of Court Cards.

Four Aces.—When these fall together they imply danger, financial loss, separation from friends, love troubles. The evil is mitigated in proportion to the number of them that are reversed.

Three Aces.—Passing troubles relieved by good news, faithlessness of a lover. If reversed, they mean foolish excess.

Two Aces.—These mean union: if Hearts and Clubs, it will be for good; if Diamonds and Spades, for evil, probably the outcome of jealousy. If reversed, the object of the union will fail.

Four Kings.—Honors, preferment, good appointments. If reversed, the good things will be of less value, but will arrive earlier.

Three Kings.—Serious matters will be taken in hand with the best result, unless any of the three cards be reversed, when it will be doubtful.

Two Kings.—Co-operation in business, upright conduct, and prudent enterprises to be crowned with success. Each one reversed represents an obstacle. Both reversed spell failure.

Four Queens.—A social gathering which may be spoilt by one or more being reversed.

Three Queens.—Friendly visits. If reversed, scandal, gossip and possibly bodily danger.

Two Queens.—Interchanged, secrets betrayed, a meeting between friends. When both are reversed, there will be suffering for the inquirer resulting from his own acts. Only one reversed, means rivalry.

Four Knaves.—Jolly conviviality. Any of them reversed lessens the evil.

Three Knaves.—Worries and vexations from acquaintances, slander calling the inquirer’s honor in question. If reversed, it foretells a passage-at-arms with a social inferior.

Two Knaves.—Loss of goods. If both are reversed, the trouble is imminent; if one only, it is near.

Combinations of Plain Cards.

Four Tens.—Good fortune, success. The more there are reversed, the greater number of obstacles in the way.

Three Tens.—Ruin brought about by lawsuits. When reversed, the evil is decreased.

Two Tens.—Unexpected luck, which may be connected with a change of occupation. If one be reversed, it will come soon; if both are reversed, it is distant.

Four Nines.—Unexpected events. The number that are reversed stand for the time to elapse.

Three Nines.—Health, wealth and happiness. If reversed, it means financial difficulties caused by imprudence.

Two Nines.—Prosperity and contentment accompanied by business matters. If reversed, small worries.

Four Eights.—Attending a journey or the taking up of a new position. If reversed, undisturbed stability.

Three Eights.—Thoughts of love and marriage, new family ties. If reversed, flirtation and foolishness.

Two Eights.—Pleasures and passing love fancies. If reversed, disappointments.

Four Sevens.—Schemes and contention and opposition. If reversed, failure of same.

Three Sevens.—Loss of friends, ill-health, remorse. If reversed, slight ailments or unpleasant reaction.

Two Sevens.—Mutual love and marriage. If reversed, faithlessness or regret.

General Information.

When a number of court cards fall together it is a sign of hospitality, festive social intercourse, and gaiety of all kinds.

Married people who seek to read the cards must represent their own life partner by the king or queen of the suit they have chosen for themselves, regardless of anything else. For example, a very dark man, the King of Spades, must consider his wife represented by the Queen of Spades.

Bachelors and spinsters may choose cards to personate their lovers and friends.

A court card placed between two cards of the same grade—for instance, two nines, two sevens, etc.—shows that the one represented by that card is threatened.

Should a military man consult the cards he must always be represented by the King of Diamonds.

It is always essential to cut cards with the left hand, there being a long-established idea that it is more intimately connected with the heart than the right. A round table is generally preferred by those who are in the habit of practising cartomancy. It is a matter of opinion as to whether the cards speak with the same clearness and accuracy when consulted by the inquirer without a fortune-teller. The services of an expert are generally supposed to be of great advantage, even when people have mastered the rudiments of cartomancy themselves.

Telling One’s Fortune with Twenty-one Cards

The Italian Method.

Thirty-two cards are actually required for this method, altho only 21 of them are used. After shuffling the cards and cutting with the left hand, the fortune-teller counts off the first 11 cards and lays them aside. From the 21 which are left he takes the top card and lays it apart, then he lays out the other 20 on the table before him. One card must represent the inquirer, either a knave or a queen, according to the sex. If this card is not among the 20 cards on the table the pack must be dealt over. The meaning of the cards must then be considered; if any set of 2, 3 or more of a kind occur their meaning should be read also, as it may modify the general interpretation of the rest. The 20 cards should be read from left to right continuously to let each card continue the meaning of the one before. The cards must then be put together again and shuffled and cut as before. The top card is again laid aside and the others divided into 3 packs, of which 2 contain 7 cards each and the last only 6 cards. The inquirer chooses one of the packs, which is next turned with the face up and one after the other the cards are to be read according to their significance. This operation must be repeated 3 times.

The following will give an example of how these cards are to be manipulated:

Let us take the Knave of Clubs as representing the inquirer, and the 21 cards selected are the following in their regular order: King of Spades, Queen of Hearts (reversed), Ace of Hearts, Knave of Clubs, Ace of Spades (reversed), Ace of Clubs, Knave of Hearts, King of Hearts, Queen of Spades (reversed), Nine of Hearts, Knave of Diamonds, Ten of Spades, Ace of Diamonds (reversed), King of Diamonds, Seven of Diamonds, Eight of Diamonds, Eight of Spades (reversed), Seven of Clubs (reversed), Nine of Clubs (reversed), Nine of Diamonds. The Surprise placed apart.

On examining this list carefully we find there are 4 Aces, which indicate danger and financial loss. The fact that one of them is reversed shows that the trouble is somewhat lightened.

There are 3 Kings, which indicate that important matters will be undertaken and carried thru successfully by the inquirer.

There are 2 Queens, both reversed, which show that the young man may suffer thru his own faults.

There are 3 Knaves, which mean more worries and vexations thru which the inquirer’s honor may be at stake.

Three Nines, however, are indicative of happiness and wealth, altho there will be difficulties to overcome.

The 2 Eights indicate some love interest and flirtation.

And the 2 Sevens speak of mutual love and marriage, altho one being reversed adds an element of regret.

We will now follow the cards as they lie before us from left to right:

The King of Spades is an unscrupulous man who is a dangerous enemy and will cause trouble.

The Queen of Hearts, reversed, speaks of a woman who, while good-natured, has had an unlucky love affair and on whom the inquirer has set his heart.

The Ace of Hearts indicates that a love letter containing good news will be sent to her by the inquirer.

The Knave of Clubs, a clever young fellow, is mixed up in the affair, but some grief may affect his health as indicated by the Ace of Spades, while the Ace of Clubs, coming immediately after, shows that this sorrow may have something to do with money matters.

The 3 court cards which follow are indicative of a good time in which the inquirer will have to deal with the Knave of Hearts, who is a young bachelor devoted to enjoyments, the King of Hearts a man of generous disposition, and the Queen of Spades, reversed, a dark, intriguing woman.

The Nine of Hearts shows that the inquirer will have good luck and pleasure, but the Knave of Diamonds, following immediately after, shows that an untrustworthy friend is trying to bring him to trouble.

The Ten of Spades means considerable worry and is followed by the Ace of Diamonds, reversed, which also indicates bad tidings in which the King of Diamonds, an old soldier with a deceitful turn of mind and who has a grievance against the inquirer, will have recourse to scandal and slander, as indicated by the Seven of Diamonds.

Next comes the Eight of Diamonds, which shows that the inquirer will indulge in love-making, but he is in for considerable worry as his offer of marriage will be rejected.

The Seven of Clubs tells him that money matters will also cause worry until the Nine of Clubs, reversed, indicates that a gift of money will relieve the situation somewhat. However, there will still be vexatious hindrances, as indicated by the Nine of Diamonds.

The “Surprise” may now be turned up, and contains, let us say, the King of Clubs—a warm-hearted, true friend, straight in his dealings, thru whom happiness and prosperity may come to the inquirer.

The Significance of the Three Packs.

As before stated, after having read these cards as a continuous message, the cards must be again shuffled and cut into three packs. The inquirer is asked to choose one of the packs. We will take it for granted that he takes the middle pack, containing 7 cards. Let us say, for example, that this pack contains the following cards: Knave of Diamonds, Seven of Diamonds, Ace of Clubs, Queen of Spades (reversed), Ace of Spades, Ace of Diamonds, Eight of Diamonds. Reading these cards, we notice three Aces, which indicate a lot of trouble—possibly a faithless lover—to be followed by good news. The Knave of Diamonds, an untrustworthy friend mixed up in a scandal which is shown by the Seven of Diamonds, and is brought about by a letter relating to money, as shown by the Ace of Clubs. A widow with an intriguing mind, shown by the Queen of Spades, has something to do in this trouble. The Ace of Spades foretells enjoyment—probably an offer of marriage or a letter, as indicated by the Ace of Diamonds. The Eight of Diamonds foretells a happy marriage after all these troubles.

The inquirer now selects another pack, which is to be read in the same manner, and finally the third pack is to be similarly interpreted.

The French System.

Thirty-two cards are required, rejecting all under the Sevens. They must be shuffled and cut as usual and divided into two packs of 16 each. The inquirer chooses one of the packs, and the first card is laid aside for the “Surprise.” The remaining 15 cards are turned face upward and laid on the table from left to right. A certain card must be selected to represent the inquirer. And this must be in the pack he selects. If not, the division must be gone over again until this card is found in the selected pack.

Method of Reading.

If there are any 2, 3 or 4 of a kind their explanation must first be given. Next start from the card representing the inquirer and count in groups of 7 from right to left. Next, pair the end cards together and read their meaning. After this shuffle the 15 cards again and divide them into three packs of 5 cards each. The top card of each is first removed and placed with the other which has been set apart as the “Surprise.” This will leave three packs of 4 cards each. Inquirer then chooses one of the packs, and the 4 cards are laid out on the table from left to right and their meaning is read. The left-hand pack is “for the house,” the right-hand pack “for those who do not expect,” and the remaining pack is “for the surprise.”

Let us suppose, for example, that the inquirer, being a woman, is represented by the Queen of Clubs. She chooses the middle of the three packs, which contains the Knave of Clubs, Eight of Diamonds (reversed), Eight of Hearts, Queen of Clubs. These will be read as follows: “A clever young man is ardent in his love and is flirting with the inquirer. He has thoughts of marriage in which the inquirer plays a very important part. And the prospects are favorable.”

The next pack, which is “for the house,” may have the following cards: Knave of Spades, Ace of Spades, Knave of Hearts, King of Spades. They are read as follows: There are 3 Spades, which indicate disappointment. Two Knaves coming together indicate loss of goods and other trouble. The Knave of Spades indicates a legal gentleman of not very refined character who is employed by his master, an unscrupulous lawyer, as shown by the King of Spades, and who is an enemy of the inquirer. A young bachelor devoted to pleasure, however, will help the inquirer out of difficulty. The next pack, which is for “those who do not expect,” is, we will say, composed of the Queen of Hearts, Ten of Spades, Ace of Clubs, Nine of Clubs. These indicate that a fair-haired lady, who has had considerable grief, will bring letters relating to money to the inquirer, possibly an unlooked-for inheritance which will change the career of the inquirer. In the case of a merchant, it may mean new customers.

Finally comes the pack “The Surprise,” in which we will find The Ace of Hearts, Queen of Spades, Nine of Diamonds, Ten of Hearts. These are read as follows: “A love letter with the best of news will be received. A dark-haired lady will throw hindrances and trouble into the path of the inquirer, in spite of which happiness and success will be the final outcome.”

An English System of Telling the Past, Present and Future.

We will present an easy and generally accepted method of telling fortunes by means of cards. Thirty-two cards are required, which are shuffled and cut in the usual way. After being cut, the top card of the lower pack and the bottom card of the upper pack are laid aside and form the “Surprise,” then the packs are placed one upon the other. This leaves 30 cards, which are dealt into three equal parts; the pack at the left representing the past, the one in the middle the present, and the one to the right the future.

The man or woman wishing to know what Fortune has in store is called the “Inquirer”; he is represented by a card (supposing him to be a man) which we will say is the Knave of Hearts. Let us now suppose that the ten cards representing the past are as follows:

Ace of Clubs   (reversed)

King of Spades

Knave of Diamonds

King of Clubs

Nine of Hearts

Ten of Spades.

Seven of Spades   (reversed)

Eight of Spades    (reversed)

Seven of Clubs.

Nine of Clubs.

If we refer to the meaning of the cards as already given, we will find the following as to the man’s past:

The Ace of Clubs shows that happiness has been of short duration.

The King of Spades denotes that an unscrupulous friend has been at work.

The Knave of Diamonds shows that this man has been a mischief-maker.

The King of Clubs indicates that a warm heart and true friend have been of considerable assistance.

The Nine of Hearts shows that this man has brought good luck.

The Ten of Spades indicates that there has been considerable grief and some loss of freedom due to circumstances over which the inquirer had no control.

The Seven of Spades (reversed) shows that silly love-making has cast its influence over the inquirer.

The Eight of Spades (reversed) shows, however, that the engagement has been canceled or rejected.

The Seven of Clubs indicates that trifling financial matters have at times made life sorrowful.

The Nine of Clubs indicates that this financial condition will be solved by an unlooked-for inheritance.

The next pack being in the center represents the present, and we find, perhaps, that the cards run as follows:

Ace of Diamonds

Ten of Diamonds

Knave of Hearts  (reversed)

King of Hearts    (reversed)

Seven of Diamonds

Nine of Spades

Eight of Hearts

Queen of Hearts

Seven of Hearts

Queen of Diamonds  (reversed).

The reading of the cards will be as follows:

The Ace of Diamonds denotes the coming of an offer of marriage or a letter.

The Ten of Diamonds, following immediately after, indicates that the letter is about a voyage or a removal.

This is followed by the Knave of Hearts, and indicates that it is a question of a young bachelor who is devoted to enjoyment.

Being followed by the King of Hearts (reversed), it indicates that his dealings with the inquirer will be very disappointing.

The Seven of Diamonds, which follows, explains that the inquirer will come in for considerable unkindly chaff.

The Nine of Spades (reversed) foretells a loss of one that is near and dear, thru death.

The Eight of Hearts, which follows, tells that the inquirer is harboring an affection for a fair lady. She is revealed to us in the Queen of Hearts as a good-natured, lovable woman who, according to the Seven of Hearts, is quietly and contentedly awaiting developments.

The Queen of Diamonds (reversed) tells him to beware of a woman who is a spiteful flirt and apt to make trouble.

The third pack represents the future, and we have the following cards:

Queen of Clubs

King of Diamonds

Eight of Diamonds

Ten of Clubs

Nine of Diamonds

Eight of Clubs

Ace of Diamonds  (reversed)

Ace of Hearts    (reversed)

Knave of Spades  (reversed)

Queen of Spades  (reversed)

The Queen of Clubs indicates a dark-haired woman, rather loving but apt to cause trouble.

The King of Diamonds is an old man who is also inclined to make mischief.

The Eight of Diamonds shows that there have been some love passages between the inquirer and the lady which may develop into a romance, which, according to the Ten of Clubs, promises to be prosperous.

The Nine of Diamonds, however, shows that all will not be smooth sailing, for, according to the Eighth of Clubs, a dark-haired man is also paying attention to this woman and may make headway in his attentions.

According to the Ace of Diamonds (reversed) the inquirer must be prepared for evil tidings.

The Ace of Hearts (reversed) foretells a visit from a friend, which the Knave of Spades (reversed) shows is a medical student, not of the most refined character.

The Queen of Spades (reversed) shows that an unscrupulous and spiteful woman is weaving her spell around the inquirer, and he had better beware.

Again examining the cards of the future, we find two Queens, one reversed, which means rivalry between the women influencing this fortune. There are also two Eights, which indicate intrigue and opposition.

This is but a brief summary of the way in which this method is worked. A great deal depends, of course, upon the cleverness of the fortune-teller in interpreting the cards according to the disposition of the inquirer.

The Gypsy Method.

A very simple method, especially when there are many fortunes to be told, which is often used by the Romany folks, is the following. In this method the meanings are somewhat different from those given in previous chapters. These new meanings may better suit the characteristics of the inquirer, and in connection with the readings already given they add many facts of importance.

Thirty-two cards are taken, the numbers under 7 being thrown out. The cards are shuffled and cut into three packs by the inquirer, each pack being turned face up. The center pack is taken first, then the one to the right, finally the one to the left, and placed upon each other in this position. The fortune-teller holds this newly arranged pack in his left hand and takes off 3 cards facing upwards, selecting the highest card of any suit that may appear. He retains this one and lays the others aside for the next deal. Continue doing this until the pack is finished. Then shuffle all the discarded cards together, until you have 21 cards or more on the table. If 3 cards of any suit appear, or 3 cards of the same value, they must all be taken.

A card must now be selected to represent the inquirer. If she be fair of complexion she selects Diamonds; if medium fair, Hearts; if of brown hair, she selects Clubs; and if very dark, Spades. A man selects the King and a woman the Queen. This representative card is shuffled with the others and taken out when it is the highest of its suit. Should there be 21 or more cards selected before it appears, then it must be taken from the remainder and placed last of all.

The cards are read from left to right, and are placed in horseshoe shape as they are drawn out. Picture cards represent people, and the number of spots relates to money or events. Diamonds concern themselves with money and interest; Hearts, with love affairs and affection; Clubs, with business events; and Spades, with the more serious affairs of life.

The following gives the significance of each card:

Hearts
King | A fair man
Queen    | A woman of similar complexion
Knave | An honest friend
Ten | A wedding
Nine | A wish
Eight | Love
Seven | Friendship
Ace | Home.
Diamonds
King | A fair man
Queen    | A fair woman
Knave | A companion
Ten | A wealthy marriage
Nine | Rise in social position
Eight | Success thru speculation
Seven | A good income
Ace | A present.
Clubs
King | A man of medium complexion
Queen    | A woman
Knave | A successful friend
Ten | A trip by water
Nine | Successful business
Eight | Social pleasure
Seven | A business affair
Ace | A letter or legal document.
Spades
King | A dark man
Queen    | A dark woman (or widow)
Knave | Thoughts of personal matters
Ten | A journey by land
Nine | Sorrow or sickness
Eight | A loss of money or friends
Seven | A quarrel.

Three Kings coming together indicate a new friend; a Knave and 2 Kings, meeting an old friend; 3 Knaves, business at law; 3 Queens, a quarrel with a woman; 3 Tens, a lucky deal. If the Ten of Hearts, Ten of Clubs and Ten of Diamonds come together, it means that a wealthy marriage will follow a journey across the sea. Three Nines indicate good news; 3 Eights, a removal; 3 Sevens, unsatisfactory news; 3 Aces, very good luck. An Ace of Clubs and of Diamonds together, a letter which will bring an offer of marriage. The Ace and Nine of Hearts indicate that a desire will be realized at home; the Ace and Nine of Spades foretell death and sorrow in your family; the King, Queen and Ten of any suit mean that you will hear of a marriage soon.

Reading the Cards

Let us now take a typical example of this method. Let the inquirer be represented by the Queen of Hearts. Shuffle and divide the pack into 3, giving the King, Knave and Seven of Hearts, indicating that the inquirer has a male friend of medium complexion and good intentions. Lay these 3 cards in order beginning with the left hand. The fortune-teller now proceeds to draw off 3 cards, making his selection as above explained. Having finished the pack, he repeats the process twice more. We will suppose that in these deals the following cards have been selected:

King, Knave, Seven of Hearts, Ace of Clubs, King of Spades, Queen of Clubs, Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Spades, King of Clubs, Knave of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts, Knave of Spades, King of Diamonds, Knave of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Ace of Diamonds, Ten of Hearts, Eight of Clubs, Seven of Spades, Ace of Spades, Ten of Clubs, Ten of Spades and Ten of Diamonds.

Beginning from the Queen of Hearts, as the starting-point, we proceed to count 7 to the left. The seventh card being the Queen of Spades, the seventh from this is the King of Hearts, and again counting to the seventh we get the Ten of Hearts.

This is to be read as follows:

The inquirer has many good friends, but the Queen of Spades represents a woman who will interpose difficulties to her marriage, but without effect. The next card is the Knave of Diamonds followed by the Seven of Hearts and the Seven of Spades; which combination represents news coming soon, but which may not be advantageous to the inquirer. The Knave of Spades is followed by the King and Ten of Clubs, which denotes that a dark man is separated from the inquirer, but thinks of her and hopes to be with her soon.

The Creole Method

You will no doubt remember the fascinating story of how Josephine, the wife of Napoleon I. and Empress of France, had her fortune told when still a girl. She was a Creole—that is a native of the West Indies and of French descent. Tradition tells us that she went to an old colored witch, who laid out the cards according to the Creole system and from them prophesied, “You will be greater than a queen.” Josephine at first had faith in this prediction, but after waiting for a king to propose to her, she married a French soldier named Beauharnais, by whom she had two children. He died during the early part of the French Revolution. Napoleon, who at that time was a poor lieutenant, deeply in debt and without prospects, proposed to her. He did not seem likely to carry out the prophecy and raise her to be more than queen; so she refused him. At last she was won over by his persistency and married him. In the course of years she became Empress of France.

Just what the Creole method of divination was had been forgotten for many years. The following system, however, has recently been declared by an old gypsy of Martinique to be the exact method used by the fortune-teller of Josephine. It will not be found in any other book. It will be interesting principally because it differs materially from all the methods given in other books on cartomancy.

Begin by shuffling all the 52 cards thoroughly. The inquirer then cuts them and takes the pack in his left hand, first holding it on his forehead and saying, “Que le cerveau parle!” which means, “Let the Brain speak,”—then holding it over the heart, saying, “Que le cœur décide!” or in English, “Let the Heart decide.” The operator then takes the cards and spreads them fanwise before her on the table, with the backs up. The inquirer then draws out at random the mystic number of 9 cards, arranging them as follows, face up:

HOROSCOPE

The first card is called the “Key Card,” for it decides the interpretation to be put on the rest. If it is a Heart, it foretells the height of success; if a Diamond, it foretells wealth; if a Spade, it brings misfortune; if a Club, it denotes hard work. The next two cards decide the time in which the fortune will be determined. The low spots indicate a short space, the higher spots, a longer space of time. The court cards indicate a remote fortune, but a happy one. The next three cards indicate the rank or station to which Fortune will elevate the inquirer. If court cards, the Fates will be kind; if ordinary or low cards, the inquirer will have to be content with mediocrity. The Ace means disgrace or, at best, a very low station.

The next two cards denote the course of married life. If court cards, the marital relations will be happy; if low cards, there will be trouble and friction, The Ace means unhappiness at home. The last card is devoted to health. A court card means the best of health; the lower, more or less serious illness, according to the degree indicated by their spots. The Ace means an early death. The cards that were drawn by Josephine were (so we are informed):

King of Hearts

Ten of Diamonds    Nine of Diamonds

Queen of Hearts    Queen of Diamonds    Queen of Clubs

King of Diamonds    King of Clubs

Ten of Hearts

It will be seen that every card denotes the height of fortune—a combination that is rarely met with. After reading the mystic nine, the remaining cards are again shuffled and the inquirer draws out thirteen cards at random from the pack. These are arranged in the form of a cross as shown in the diagram.

HOROSCOPE

Put the first card in the center and the remaining cards to left, right, top and bottom as indicated by the numbers. The reading of the cards is as follows:

Hearts denote love; Diamonds, wealth; Clubs, hard work; and Spades, misfortune.

Of the court cards, Kings are lucky for women inquirers and Queens for men. Knaves are lucky if red and unlucky if black.

The Ace is always a sign of coming evil.

The odd numbers are lucky for men and unlucky for women, and the even numbers are the reverse. A 2-spot means a gift; a 3-spot, a letter; a 4-spot, news; a 5-spot, an accident; a 6-spot, a change; a 7-spot, friendship; an 8-spot, assistance; a 9-spot, home conditions; a 10-spot, business conditions.

Let us suppose the cards just laid out in a cross are the following:

| Knave of Hearts |
| Ten of Clubs |
| Ace of Spades |
Three of Diamonds   |  | King of Spades
Eight of Hearts | Four of Hearts | Queen of Spades
Ten of Hearts |  | Four of Hearts
| Seven of Diamonds   |
| Knave of Spades |
| Two of Clubs |

This we would read as follows, the inquirer being a lady:

The Knave of Hearts denotes luck in love; probably a suitor if the inquirer be unmarried, or a loving husband if the inquirer be married.

The Ten of Clubs indicates that business conditions will soon improve, for an even number is lucky for ladies. The Ace of Spades shows a very dark and pressing trouble that threatens. Three of Diamonds shows that money will be lost by a foolish transaction. Eight of Hearts shows that fortunate assistance will be at hand. Ten of Hearts means that through friendship the business conditions will have greatly improved.

The King of Spades means that a dark man will have a disagreeable effect upon the inquirer, and the Queen of Spades, the man’s wife, will be instrumental in making things unpleasant. Be careful not to get into their bad graces.

The Four of Hearts indicates welcome news from a dear friend. The Seven of Diamonds shows that this friendship will bring gain of money as well. Knave of Spades means, “Beware of a treacherous man who is disposed to do you harm!” The Two of Clubs means an unexpected gift from a business man, or possibly a gain through hard luck. Other interpretations may be put on these cards according to the temperament of the fortune-teller.

A modification of this method is to draw 21 cards instead of 13. Arrange 12 of these in the form of a semicircle, and the other 9 in the form of a triangle within the circle. To discover the past, read the circle first from left to right. Then to predict the future, read the triangle beginning at the left-hand angle, going up to the apex, down on the right-hand side, and across the base.

Card Oracles.

Answering questions by means of cards is a popular pastime. If the inquirer wishes to know—

“When will my wedding be?”

she draws four cards and lays them face up on the table. The spots must be counted to get the number of weeks. A Queen or King means a speedy marriage with prosperity. A Knave means a delay. An Ace signifies trouble and bids the inquirer consider well before taking the important step.

“Will my lover be true to me?”

Lay the top 15 cards on the table face up. If the Ten, Nine or Eight of Hearts is among them, the chances are favorable. If the Ace of Spades is among them, the omen is bad. If the King of Hearts turns up, you can trust him for life.

“Have I cause for jealousy?”

Count off the top 9 cards. If the Ace of any suit is among them, beware, for there is someone he loves better than you.

“Shall we ever part?”

Lay out 4 cards from the top in the form of a cross. Count the spots. If odd, then you will never part; if even, be prepared for a short parting in the future. If an Ace is among them, the parting will be a long one.

“Is it advisable for me to change my residence?”

Lay 9 cards in a circle face up. If the middle card is a picture card, remain where you are. If a small card, the number of spots indicate in how many months you should move. If an Ace, it indicates the need of great care.

“What fortune is there in store for me?”

Take off 3 cards and lay them face up. If red cards, they foretell a good fortune; if black, trouble. If a King or Queen appears, it means that influential friends will help. If a Knave, beware of an enemy. If an Ace, you will have a struggle to achieve success.

HEARTS In days of youth, life’s golden spring, When throbs of love begin; Then hearts are trumps, and fate will bring A hand that’s sure to win.

DIAMONDS In summer time of joyous life, When gifts of wealth expand; Then diamonds are trumps, and the happy wife Finds them a winning hand.

CLUBS In the autumn days of life’s decline, When friends are choice but few; Then clubs are trumps, and club-life fine Holds winning hands for you.

SPADES When winter comes with hoary age, Then spades are trumps, my boy. The Sextons spade will close life’s page, With its sorrow and its joy.

Fortune-telling with Dice and Dominoes

A very ancient and fascinating way of telling one’s fortune is by means of two dice, and the following tables make the game easy and interesting. We have confined ourselves to twenty questions, comprising those which would most naturally occur to inquirers desiring to know the future.

Two dice are used. The inquirer first selects the question to be answered, and calling this question aloud, takes the dice either in his palms or in a cup, and throws them on the table. The number of spots of the upper surface of the dice are noted, the corresponding table of answers is consulted, and the answer corresponds in number to the question asked.

If, for example, a lady has chosen the question 5, “How many beaux shall I have?” and the dice fall with numbers 2 and 3 facing upward, the answer would be, “Perhaps one, possibly none.” The same plan is adopted with dominoes, except that all stones containing blanks must first be thrown out. The dominoes are laid with the backs upward, mixed thoroughly, and one at a time selected, and turned over. The number of spots indicate which table of answers is to be consulted.

Questions.

1.  | Does he ever think of me?
2.  | Will someone soon pay me attention?
3.  | What must I do to please him?
4.  | Shall I do what is asked of me?
5.  | How many beaux shall I have?
6.  | What kind of a man will my husband be?
7.  | May I trust him?
8.  | Does he love me?
9.  | Shall I get married soon?
10. | Shall I have many adventures?
11. | Shall I be wealthy?
12. | Will my secret be discovered?
13. | What do people think of me?
14. | Shall I see him soon?
15. | Shall I receive a letter soon?
16. | Shall I receive a present soon?
17. | Shall I take a journey soon?
18. | Will my condition be improved?
19. | Will my wish be fulfilled?
20. | Will it prove a blessing?

Answers.

1. | He has too much to think about for such thoughts.
2. | If you would treat a certain gentleman with a little more regard,
|   he would appreciate it.
3. | Do not receive the attention of others.
4. | Say what your heart dictates.
5. | One, a stout and very unpoetical fellow.
6. | Very tall, dark complexioned, quarrelsome, of a jealous disposition;
|   rough, but with the best intentions.
7. | Find out what people say about him. It is rumored that there is
|   much falsehood in him.
8. | With his heart and soul.
9. | In five months or more.
10. | No, very few, indeed.
11. | You will have money, but you must bear in mind that money does not
|   always make one rich, nor give happiness, and sometimes is
|   the source of bitter woe.
12. | If you tell it to nobody; otherwise not.
13. | A genius in every respect, but for that reason you are thought
|   to have a great many faults.
14. | At an unexpected time.
15. | Yes, for it will make you very happy.
16. | Not very soon.
17. | Yes, the journey of which you are thinking at present.
18. | Not in the way you would like it.
19. | Yes, sooner than expected.
20. | Yes, altho at first you will not be aware of it.
1. | Very often; as often as circumstances permit.
2. | Wrinkles will be visible on you before that happens.
3. | Do not be so terribly affected. Show him by your manners
|   that you have a heart and are honest and sensible.
4. | Be careful, for you might be laughed at.
5. | One, a very good and amiable young man.
6. | Amiable, cheerful, a little romantic, somewhat poetical,
|   good-hearted, but weak.
7. | Look in his open, honest countenance and you will know.
8. | Simply with ordinary brotherly affection, nothing more.
9. | Four years from now.
10. | Your life will be rather wearisome.
11. | If you are painstaking and very economical.
12. | There is one person who knows it, but will never disclose it.
13. | A mere fashionable puppet, heartless and soulless.
14. | Yes, rather soon.
15. | Yes, bringing sad news.
16. | Be patient for some time.
17. | Not quite as soon as desired.
18. | Very soon, and in an unforeseen way.
19. | Yes, but not completely, and not quite as desired.
20. | If it is taken as Fortune means it.
1. | You know exactly what he does.
2. | Yes, but only to make a fool out of you.
3. | Do not use too much sugar in your coffee, or he will
|   think you extravagant.
4. | Yes, do it, if it can be done without blushing.
5. | Three, and not one good for much.
6. | A little conceited, vain fellow with rather a heavy mustache.
7. | Be prudent.
8. | Yes, but you share his heart with other admirers.
9. | No matter how hard you try, it will not be sooner than four years.
10. | Many, but not interesting ones.
11. | You will have more than a competence; but you will lose heavily
|   if you or your husband play at cards with money.
12. | You will disclose it.
13. | Quick at repartee, but not really witty.
14. | Not so soon, you will have to wait a while.
15. | Yes, quite a long one.
16. | Very soon, and which will give you much pleasure.
17. | Yes, but it will cost you many tears.
18. | Soon, by an unexpected occurrence.
19. | It will, more fully than expected.
20. | It will cost you many tears at first, but will end happily.
1. | He is thinking of you now, very lovingly and seriously.
2. | Yes, many, and three at the same time.
3. | Dress your hair neatly, do not wink, sit up erect and be
|   very cordial to everybody.
4. | What will a particular person say about it, if you do?
5. | Two, a foolish old fellow, and a wild young man.
6. | A man of strong character, energetic and haughty,
|   with wit and humor.
7. | He deserves much confidence.
8. | He is merely a true friend to you; no more.
9. | Yes, very soon.
10. | Very many interesting ones.
11. | If you do not speculate.
12. | If you keep it a secret; but you gossip too much.
13. | Very peculiar, by some. There is one person who understands you.
14. | Not until you are both gray.
15. | Not soon, but then it will be a very tender conclusion.
16. | No one thinks of giving you anything, just now.
17. | Yes, and it will give you much pleasure.
18. | Soon, and in such a way that seemed to you impossible.
19. | Yes, but very far from the present.
20. | If you are thoughtful, cheerful, and try to be an optimist.
1. | He does think of you, for which ye will be sorry some day.
2. | No, not for a long time.
3. | Do not be sentimental, but show common sense in whatever you say and do.
4. | Yes, for he will ask nothing of which you may fear.
5. | Three very fine and intelligent gentlemen.
6. | A very big-built gentleman, and very conceited.
7. | Hear what your best and dearest friends have to say about it.
8. | No. He loves another.
9. | When you love a particular person more than you do now.
10. | Yes, but you will tire of them.
11. | You will have money, and if you use it to good advantage it will last,
|   otherwise not.
12. | Yes, it will.
13. | Haughty, conceited and discreet.
14. | Yes, but not very soon.
15. | Yes, from a broken heart.
16. | Yes, but do not accept it.
17. | An important thing will happen which will prevent it,
|   it will bring joy to you.
18. | Yes, but a long time from now.
19. | Your wish will be fulfilled if you take care as to how you act.
20. | Yes, if you are cautious.
1. | He thinks of you very often.
2. | Yes, but it will not bring you happiness.
3. | Always be happy and pleasant; never be angry.
4. | Your mother’s advice is best.
5. | None.
6. | A young, handsome man who loves you very much.
7. | Take the advice of an older female friend.
8. | His was love at first sight, and lasting.
9. | You will soon fall in love, perhaps on your next journey.
10. | A few interesting ones, and you will be protected against the unpleasant ones.
11. | Yes, but not very.
12. | Everybody seems to be unconcerned about it.
13. | People think well of you.
14. | He is thinking of coming to you soon.
15. | Yes, you will soon receive an interesting one.
16. | A little pleasing present, not so soon.
17. | You will not take advantage of an opportunity.
18. | Yes, and to your advantage.
19. | It is up to yourself.
20. | Yes, and it will make you very happy.
1. | He thinks of you, but not very seriously.
2. | You will have many charming ones.
3. | Try to have your skin tanned, by means of the sun.
4. | To a certain extent.
5. | Twenty-five, if you take advantage of all offers.
6. | Ugly, lame, and very thin and tall.
7. | Yes, by all means.
8. | He loves you, but conceals it because he does not think it is reciprocated.   
9. | Within two years.
10. | No, very few.
11. | You will be wealthy as you wish.
12. | Guard yourself and others, for there has been a leak.
13. | Good at heart, but conceited and not very sensible.
14. | Perhaps thru some coincidence, for he has sworn never to call.
15. | You will receive rather a mysterious one.
16. | Yes, a very small and dear one.
17. | Some sad interference will prevent it for some time.
18. | Yes, but not as you wish it.
19. | Enemies will prevent it.
20. | Pleasure at first, but later will cause tears.
1. | He is thinking tenderly of you at this moment.
2. | A fellow of a very stout appearance.
3. | Pay very much attention to him, sit at his left side and eat nothing that
|   contains onions.
4. | No, let him coax for a while.
5. | Perhaps one, possibly none.
6. | Beloved of all, favorite in society and among ladies, and a darling of yours above all.
7. | Yes, by all means, for he never deceived you.
8. | Yes, but it is very painful to him.
9. | In two years or more.
10. | Quite some.
11. | Be satisfied with what you have.
12. | Some know it already.
13. | Original and witty.
14. | In a month and two days.
15. | Yes, this week.
16. | Yes, but you will be sorry that you ever got it.
17. | Yes, and with a gentleman.
18. | Yes, and it will bring joy to you.
19. | Something will interfere and delay its fulfillment.
20. | If you overcome all anxieties on its account, it will.
1. | Very little, but still it is more than you think of him.
2. | Yes, a romantic, sentimental, foolish fellow.
3. | You must learn table etiquette.
4. | It would bring joy to you, but sorrow to more than one.
5. | One, and he will be a burden to you.
6. | A weak-minded drunkard and gambler.
7. | Yes, but be watchful.
8. | He loves you as much as you allow him to, which is not very much.
9. | In four or five years.
10. | They will be mischievous ones, and cause trouble.
11. | Yes, very; in ten years.
12. | Be cautious, and it will not.
13. | At times foolish, but prudent and quite humorous and witty.
14. | Next spring, when the snow melts.
15. | The one wished for is on its way.
16. | Yes, and you will rejoice over it.
17. | No, but perhaps a year from now.
18. | Yes, as you wish it.
19. | It will, but not so soon.
20. | It will prove as you interpret it.
1. | He very seldom thinks of anything or anybody.
2. | Tomorrow a person will fall in love with you.
3. | Try to be as witty as possible.
4. | Take your father’s advice.
5. | Three worthy gentlemen, within a month.
6. | Handsome and well situated in the business world.
7. | Trust him as far as you feel it is safe.
8. | He would love you if he knew it would be mutual.
9. | In three years.
10. | Some at intervals of years.
11. | You will have plenty if economical.
12. | No, but would be to your advantage to have it discovered.   
13. | Humorous and interesting.
14. | At the next meeting of a large crowd.
15. | Do not expect one very soon, for he is very angry.
16. | Yes, and from one you love dearly.
17. | Not soon, but then it will bring much pleasure to you.
18. | According to how you act. Be cautious.
19. | Yes, but to your disadvantage.
20. | If it happens naturally, it will bring joy.
1. | Very little.
2. | Yes, from a soldier.
3. | Please him in every respect.
4. | It would do no harm if you would.
5. | One, and he will give himself entirely up to you.
6. | A fellow who will be a burden to you.
7. | He is fond of flirting, but is true to you.
8. | He loves you only.
9. | In four or five years.
10. | Only while out of your home town.
11. | If you are economical.
12. | It may, but a long time from now.
13. | Clear understanding, but a very poor listener.
14. | Today perhaps.
15. | No, unless it is an answer to yours.
16. | Yes, but from one you don’t admire.
17. | There will be no particular opportunity, but perhaps you will.
18. | Yes, but not so soon.
19. | Yes, but it will bring sorrow to someone.
20. | No, unfortunately not.
1. | He is constantly thinking of you.
2. | Not in two or three years yet.
3. | Be patient, and allow him to have his own way.
4. | If you do, you may regret it.
5. | One, but an unworthy one.
6. | Very uninteresting and tiresome.
7. | You would hurt his feelings, if you did not.
8. | Very much, and very dearly.
9. | In five years.
10. | Only when you attend crowds of people.
11. | Conveniently so.
12. | Not so soon. Be cautious.
13. | Just so. You have many admirers.
14. | Be independent and wait for him to come, before going to him.
15. | No, not a present.
16. | Yes, but not a very large one.
17. | As you desire; it will be up to yourself.
18. | Not that it will make much of a difference.
19. | Yes, and it will bring many friends to you.
20. | Yes, in disguise.
1. | Yes, very pleasing thoughts.
2. | Yes, very many and at the present time.
3. | When you see him again, place a flower in his buttonhole.
4. | Do it unintentionally.
5. | Four at the same time.
6. | Disfigured and very ugly, but you will not notice it.
7. | Do not trust him, unless you feel sure that he can be trusted.
8. | He cannot live without you.
9. | In six or seven years.
10. | Many at unexpected times.
11. | For a very short time only.
12. | Yes, but not so soon.
13. | All think you very witty and humorous, but conceited.
14. | He will not come; laboring under a wrong impression.
15. | Yes, a very interesting one.
16. | No, not for a long while.
17. | A very short one.
18. | When you most heartily wish for it.
19. | Yes, but that will bring you an enemy which will sadden the joy.
20. | A blessing to all.
1. | He thinks as often of you as you of him.
2. | Tomorrow evening about 8 o’clock.
3. | Answer, but do it gracefully.
4. | No, you must not do it.
5. | Only one.
6. | Pleasant and handsome.
7. | No. He is a scoundrel.
8. | He feels that he cannot help himself.
9. | In a week or more.
10. | Your life will be very peaceful.
11. | You will always have plenty.
12. | It would be very good to be discovered.
13. | Not witty, and interesting only at times.
14. | Yes, very soon.
15. | Tomorrow perhaps.
16. | Not so soon as you desire.
17. | Very soon, a long one.
18. | Yes, to your happiness.
19. | It will not.
20. | Yes, to the best happiness.
1. | He does not.
2. | Unfortunately for you, much too soon.
3. | He hates to see you dressed with a low-necked dress and bare arms.
4. | Yes, without any fear.
5. | Two; one squints, and the other is bald.
6. | Tall and round. He is patient and fond of sweet things.
7. | You have had enough proofs that he has the best heart in the world.
8. | He is yours in heart and soul.
9. | In three years.
10. | Your life will be like a foaming torrent.
11. | As wealthy as you are at present.
12. | No, but is advisable to disclose it quickly.
13. | Neither very discreet nor very witty, very interesting to one.
14. | Before the autumn wind blows over the meadow.
15. | Yes, but not the wished-for one.
16. | Yes, a bouquet of flowers.
17. | You will soon see cities which you never expected to visit.
18. | When you wish for it to change.
19. | If that is really your wish.
20. | No. That is an impossibility at present.
1. | He thinks of you in sleep and in dreams.
2. | You are constantly surrounded by admirers.
3. | Treat him with frankness and candor, but don’t act coquettishly.
4. | Whatever you do, do it prudently.
5. | One, and a very jealous one who will constantly watch you.
6. | Loving and tender; he will claim daily a score of kisses.
7. | Always; you need not mistrust him so very much.
8. | Does not his pale countenance betray his deep sorrow?
9. | Yes, in six weeks or more.
10. | Yes, thrilling adventures.
11. | Quite rich.
12. | It will unless you guard yourself cautiously.
13. | A good creature.
14. | No. You are separated forever.
15. | Yes, one is now on its way.
16. | Yes, but not from the one you expect.
17. | A short, sentimental one.
18. | Yes, but it will not be of much advantage to you.
19. | If you do your best to promote it.
20. | It will bring both joy and sorrow.
1. | Your eyes are a pair of stars which, once seen, can never be forgotten.
2. | Yes, but be prudent, for he is a sad rogue.
3. | Show more kindness to human beings, and less toward cats.
4. | It would be unjust to refuse.
5. | One; a fat little fellow.
6. | Very ugly, but in your eyes the very handsomest.
7. | Yes, with your full heart.
8. | Do you not see his cheeks redden when he looks at you?
9. | Never, or not till late in life.
10. | Too many, especially love adventures.
11. | Your wealth will exceed your knowledge of what to do with it.
12. | It is discovered at the present time.
13. | A mischievous little vixen.
14. | Very soon, sooner than you expect.
15. | The one you want you will never receive.
16. | Very soon, a very sweet one.
17. | Yes, the one you are looking forward to with pleasure.
18. | It will depend upon yourself only.
19. | Yes, certainly.
20. | It will bring joy and happiness to you.
1. | He would like to, but is afraid.
2. | When you cease your coquettish ways.
3. | Upon your next meeting, give him your hand and say,
|   “I am exceedingly happy to call you my friend.”
4. | You cannot well do anything else.
5. | One, and he will bring much joy into your life.
6. | Very tall, brown-complexioned, noble, manly and amiable young man
|   who wears spectacles.
7. | You may believe him and not the world’s tittle-tattle.
8. | The next time you hand him a glass of water, and if in taking it
|   he tries to touch your hand, he loves you.
9. | In a year and six months.
10. | Very many with rogues and robbers.
11. | Rich in love and all amiable virtues, but not rich in money.
12. | You think it to be a secret, but it never has been one.
13. | Very capricious.
14. | If you write that he should come, otherwise not.
15. | Very soon, and a very tender one.
16. | Yes, a living present, with a kiss.
17. | Yes, but not the one you are now thinking of.
18. | Not very soon.
19. | Yes, but not so soon as you would like it.
20. | As long as you keep your heart pure and true.
1. | He tries not to, for when he does it is very painful.
2. | A rich old, lame gentleman, with a mustache.
3. | Do not conceal your love; prove it by sending him a gift.
4. | It will bring about important consequences, depending upon yourself
|   whether it will be advantageous or not.
5. | It is best that you have none.
6. | A very handsome man, a genius, and your love is mutual.
7. | Trust him and him only.
8. | In the same way as you love him.
9. | When the first snow falls.
10. | You are subject to many.
11. | Your present conditions will continue.
12. | Yes, by an enemy who will betray it.
13. | Very artless, nothing else.
14. | At the beginning of autumn.
15. | In a month or so, the longed-for one.
16. | Someone is thinking at present to make you one, but whether he will
|   or not is unknown.
17. | Yes, to England.
18. | Yes, soon.
19. | To a very small extent.
20. | It will bring much happiness to you.
1. | No, perhaps later.
2. | One is paying attention to you at the present time.
3. | He thinks you faultless.
4. | If you think it will give you pleasure and joy.
5. | One, the one you love.
6. | A witty fellow, full of mischief and fun.
7. | Take care in trusting him.
8. | He does, but conceals it.
9. | This year or next.
10. | A very interesting one, but not so soon.
11. | Yes, but be very economical.
12. | Yes, next week all will be known.
13. | Very silly at times, but you are pardoned by all.
14. | You have driven him away, he will never return.
15. | This week; a very interesting one.
16. | Perhaps this week, but surely this month.
17. | Yes, to some other foreign country.
18. | To some extent, and will bring much joy.
19. | It is up to your behavior.
20. | It will bring many happy hours.
1. | Yes, but with sorrow.
2. | Yes, it will start by the presentation of a flower.
3. | Whatever you do will not please him. He is a faultfinder.
4. | If you do, you will be laughed at by the one of whom you are asked to do it.
5. | One, an unexpected one.
6. | A worthless fellow who will bring you sorrow, yet a dear fellow.
7. | Don’t place too much confidence in him.
8. | He loves you very much and would be happy to gain your hand.
9. | Next spring.
10. | Not very soon, but you will in time.
11. | If you make up your mind to be.
12. | Yes, when least expected.
13. | Very foolish at times, yet witty at other times.
14. | Tomorrow perhaps.
15. | Yes, sooner than you expect.
16. | Yes, a ring.
17. | A pleasant trip eastward.
18. | Not the way that you would wish it.
19. | If you desire it truthfully.
20. | At present it is doubtful.

THE SCIENCE OF PALMISTRY [A]

If we regard either hand closely, we notice that the surface of the fingers and palms consists of elevations, depressions and lines. The ancients gave these different formations separate names to which they attached certain meanings.

For the purpose of divination the science of palmistry is of great importance, because it is these selfsame lines and elevations in the palm which betray the character and disposition of its possessor. The old notion that they also disclose his future has been discarded by modern authorities.

The lines on the palm remain unchangeable and irremovable. This has been often proved in the cases where through accident the palm happened to become disfigured; even where the entire skin came off, it was observed that these delicately indented lines which seemed to be only in the superficial layer of the skin were in reality indelibly stamped into the tissues of the hand, and the new skin bore them in the same manner.

The Line of Life and the Line of Fate are the only ones to undergo any change, and they are also the lines which, though unable to hint the future, clearly show the earliest past and the direction which the possessor should pursue. But despite some pretensions to the effect, it is impossible to tell whether the objects sought for will be reached. When it is desired to do that the other lines which are unchangeable must be called to assistance. For instance, if the Line of Character is strong and well defined, the palmist assumes that the object will be accomplished, and vice versa. As may be seen, this method is one of probabilities rather than positive truths.

The chief value of palm-reading consists in the helpful suggestions which it offers to the conscientious psychic in his efforts to unravel the future of his client.

[A] The significance of the lines and mountains of the hands are compiled from several old and authentic treatises on Palmistry.

Principal Lines of the Palm and Their Meaning

1. The Line of Life, which begins over the ball of the palm, may with equal reason be called the line of the heart, because it furnishes the skillful palmist with information concerning the heart as well as concerning long life. If this line is long, firm, continuous, it indicates continued good health and a strong heart. It shows cheerfulness and old age. If the line is discontinued, cut transversely with short lines, interrupted with small indentions, spots and warts, and in addition has a pale color, it signifies poor health and heart trouble. If the line is weak and thin at the beginning, but grows stronger toward the end, it means that its possessor is not healthy in his youth, but will acquire robust health as he grows older. If the line begins firmly and then tapers off toward the end, just the opposite meaning is to be deduced.

PALMISTRY LINES.

If the Line of Life issues a branch opposite the index finger and pointing to it, it presages honor and riches for the possessor.

2. The Line of Fate or Fortune, so called because its peculiar formation holds the secret of the possessor’s fortune, which secret may be disclosed only by the skillful palmist—runs from the wrist toward the fingers. If the line begins at the ball of the palm, it signifies success in love and a rich marriage. But if it begins toward the end of the hand, it signifies success in one’s journeys and in foreign countries. Should the line reach the first joint of the middle finger, it signifies good results, but at the same time it also betrays greed and selfishness.

If little twigs issue from the main line they indicate riches and legacies, according to the number of the twigs; while departing branches, on the other hand, show poverty and sometimes imprisonment.

A skillful palmist does not have to see the actual hand in order to give a correct reading. An impression of the palm on a sheet of smoked paper, which is afterward covered with oil in order to retain the impression, shows him the main line with sufficient distinctness to enable him to give a correct reading.

The Shape and Length of the Phalanges

represent certain qualities and features of character, as presented in the following:

Jupiter, the first finger.—If the first phalanx is longer than the second, it indicates ability to control others, direct and maintain order; if the second phalanx is long and well developed, it indicates leadership; if short and thin, intellectual weakness; if the third phalanx is long, it indicates love of power in material things.

Saturn, second finger.—If the first phalanx is longer than the second, it indicates ability for mastering scientific subjects; if the second phalanx is long, it indicates great interest in subjects requiring deep study; if the third phalanx is long, it indicates a love of metaphysics and money.

Sun, third finger.—If the first phalanx is longer than the second, it indicates love of the arts; if the second phalanx is long, it indicates success and love of riches; if the third phalanx is thick, it indicates an inherited talent for the arts.

Mercury, fourth finger.—If the first phalanx is longer than the second, it indicates a taste for and love of research; if the second phalanx is long and well developed, it indicates industrious habits; if the third phalanx is long and fat, it indicates a desire for the comforts of life.

The following points, upon which the science of Palmistry is based explain its mysteries, and will be found very interesting, amusing and instructive.

Form of the Hand

Hands are classed in seven types:

1. The Elementary or Bilious Hand, indicating brutal instinct instead of reason as the governing power of the character.

2. The Square or Jupiter Hand, indicating a practical, stubborn, methodical and conventional character; one apt to be suspicious of strangers and radical in views.

3. The Spatulate or Nervous Hand, so named because of its imagined resemblance to a spatula. It is broad at the base of the fingers, and indicates great energy and push to discover; also courage and fearlessness.

4. The Philosophic or Venus Hand has a long, thin, muscular palm, with long fingers; indicates a student of nature and searcher after truth.

5. The Mercury or Artistic Hand indicates quick temper, impulsiveness; a character that is light-hearted, gay and charitable, today; and tomorrow, sad, tearful and uncharitable.

6. The Lunar or Idealistic Hand indicates an extremely sensitive nature.

7. The Harmonic or Solar Hand indicates a character of great versatility, brilliant in conversation, and an adept in diplomacy.

Character from the Shape of a Hand and Fingers

The shape of the fingers is frequently a correct indication of the character of the individual, and taken in connection with the lines of the palm they serve as a forecast of the person’s life in the past and future.

A hand with pointed fingers (see Fig. 1) is rare and is usually the accompaniment of a delicate, sensitive palm and is the hand that is most often found among dreamers, poets, idealists, artists and philosophers. It is an indication that soul rules over matter and indicates a high-grade personality.

Conical fingers (as in Fig. 2), with a well-formed thumb, indicate that the person is quick in action and is ruled by impulse rather than by calculation. They are the sign of a clever, nervous, energetic character.

HAND SHAPE

Square fingers (such as are shown in Fig. 3) indicate perseverance, regularity and a love of order. They are generally found with a thorough business man, a progressive, law-abiding citizen with a talent for conception and execution. Their owner is usually methodical, punctual and neat.

Spatulate fingers (as shown in Fig. 4) derive their name from the fact that the “spatula” is a knife-shaped instrument used by druggists, where the tip is slightly wider than the stem. Fingers of this kind show action, energy, self-confidence. They are often found in men who labor with their hands, and seldom with the idle rich.

Knotted fingers (as in Fig. 5) are an indication of toil, energy and resourcefulness. The person is usually more imitative than original, but is able to turn any situation to some practical advantage.

The refined woman’s hand (see Fig. 6) has the fingers neither spatulate nor square, but usually of the tapering type, tho not often pronounced, except in the idle women. Possessors of such hands love beautiful things, crave excitement, act on impulse, but make good wives and loving mothers.

The criminal’s fingers (see Fig. 7) are usually short and ill-formed. The fingers are wide at the base and rounded at the nails, which are apt to be thick and coarse. The palm is soft from lack of manual work. The thumb is short but flexible.

In the workman’s hand (see Fig. 8) the palm is hard and thick; not necessarily from toil but by nature. The thumb is short and slightly turned back. The fingers are usually coarse and thick. This hand indicates improvidence, lack of forethought, and primitive passions. It is also the hand of the savage and the illiterate.

The Mountains

are joints or elevations on the palm.

Mount Venus, if prominent, indicates a person of strong passions, great energy in business, and admiration of physical beauty in the opposite sex; it also indicates love of children, home and wife or husband. When not well developed, there is a lack of love for home, children, wife or husband; and in a man it indicates egotism and laziness; in a woman, hysteria.

Mount Jupiter, if prominent, indicates a person who is generous, loves power and is brilliant in conversation; if a woman, she desires to shine and be a social leader. When not well developed, it indicates lack of self-esteem, slovenliness and indifference to personal appearance.

Mount Saturn, if prominent, indicates a serious-minded person, religiously inclined, slow to reach a conclusion, very prudent, free in the expression of opinions, but inclined to be pessimistic.

Mount Apollo, if prominent, indicates ability as an artist, generosity, courageness and a poetical nature; apt to be a spendthrift. When not well developed, it indicates cautiousness and prudence.

Mount Mercury, if prominent, indicates keen perceptions, cleverness in conversation, a talent for the sciences, industry and deceitfulness. If not well developed, it indicates a phlegmatic, stupid disposition.

Mount Luna, if prominent, indicates a dreamy, changeable, capricious, enthusiastic and inventive nature. When not well developed, it indicates constancy, love of home and ability to imitate others.

Mount Mars, if prominent, indicates self-respect, coolness and control of self under trying circumstances, courageousness, venturesomeness and confidence in one’s ability for anything undertaken. When not well developed, it indicates the opposite of these characteristics.

A Reading of the Lines and Other Characteristics

The Fate Line

commences at Rascettes and if it extends straight to Mount Saturn, uninterrupted, and alike in both hands, good luck and success are realized without personal exertion. If not in one hand and interrupted in the other, success will be experienced only by great effort. If well defined at the wrist, the early life is bright and promising; if broken in the center, misery, for middle life is indicated. If this line touches Mounts Luna and Venus it indicates a good disposition and wealth; if inclined toward any mount, it implies success in that line for which the mount stands. If it is made up of disconnected links, it indicates serious physical and moral struggles. Should it end at the Heart Line, the life has been ruined by unrequited love. If it runs through a square, the life has been in danger and saved. Should it merge into the Heart Line and continue to Mount Jupiter, it denotes distinction and power secured through love.

The Girdle of Venus

is a curved line extending from Mount Jupiter to Mercury, encircling Saturn and Apollo. It appears on few hands, but it indicates superior intellect, a sensitive and capricious nature; if it extends to the base of Jupiter it denotes divorce; ending in Mercury, implies great energy; should it be cut by parallel lines in a man, it indicates a hard drinker and gambler.

The Lines of Reputation

commence in the middle of the hand, at the Head Line. Mount Luna or Mount Mars indicate financial success from intellectual pursuits after years of struggling with adversity. If from the Heart Line, real love of occupation and success; if from the Head Line, success from selfishness. An island on this line denotes loss of character, a star on it near Apollo implies that success will be permanent, and a square, brilliant success. The absence of this line implies a struggle for recognition of one’s abilities.

The Line of Intuition

beginning at the base of Mount Mercury extends around Mars and Luna; it is frequently found in the Venus, Mercury and Lunar types of hands; when deeply dented with a triangle on Mount Saturn, it denotes clairvoyant power; if it forms a triangle with the Fate Line, or the Life Line, a voyage will be taken.

The Health Line

commences at center of the Rascettes, takes an oblique course from the Fate Line, ending toward Mount Mercury. If straight and well defined, there is little liability to constitutional diseases; when it does not extend to the Head Line, steady mental labor cannot be performed; when it is broad and deep on Mount Mercury, diminishing as it enters the Life Line, death from heart disease is indicated; small lines cutting it denote sickness from biliousness. When joined to the Heart Line, health and business are neglected for love; if made up of short lines, there is suffering from stomach trouble or catarrh; if it is checked by islands there is a constitutional tendency to lung disease.

The Marriage Lines

extend straight across Mount Mercury; if short, affairs of the heart without marriage are denoted. When near the Heart Line, early marriage is indicated; if it turns directly to the Heart Line, marriage will occur between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one; if close to the top of the mount, marriage will not take place before the thirty-fifth year; if it curves upward it indicates a single life; when pronged and running toward the center or to Mount Mars, divorce will occur. If the end of this line droops, the subject will outlive wife or husband; if broken, divorce is implied; if it ends in a cross, the wife or husband will die from an accident. A branch from this line upward implies a high position attained by marriage. A black spot on this line means widowhood.

Children’s Lines

are small and upright, extending from the end of the Marriage Line. If broad and well defined, males, if fine and narrow, females are indicated. A line of this order that is deep and well defined denotes prominence for that child.

Small Lines

have a signification depending upon their position and number. A single line on Jupiter signifies success; on Saturn, happiness; on Apollo, fame and talent.

Ascending small lines are favorable, while descending lines are unfavorable signs.

Several small lines on Mars indicate warfare constantly.

Cross lines, failure.

Lines on the Hand

If not well defined, indicate poor health.

Deep red lines indicate good, robust health.

Yellow lines indicate excessive biliousness.

Dark-colored lines indicate a melancholy and reserved disposition. The Life Line extends from the outer base of Mount Jupiter, entirely around the base of Mount Venus. If chained under Jupiter, it indicates bad health in early life. Hair-lines extending from it imply a weakness, and if cut by small lines from Mount Venus, misplaced affections and domestic broils. If arising from Mount Jupiter, an ambition to be wealthy and learned. If it is joined by the Line of the Head at its beginning, prudence and wisdom are indicated. If it joins Heart and Head lines at its commencement, a great catastrophe will be experienced by the person so marked. A square on it denotes success. All lines that follow it give it strength. Lines that cut the Life Line extending through the Heart Line denote interference in a love affair. If it is crossed by small lines, illness is indicated. Short and badly drawn lines, unequal in size, imply bad blood and a tendency to fevers.

The Heart Line

if it extends across the hand at the base of the finger mounts, and is deep and well defined, indicates purity and devotion; if well defined from Mount Jupiter only, a jealous and tyrannical disposition is indicated; if it begins at Mount Saturn and is without branches, it is a fatal sign; if short and well defined in the Harmonic type of hand it indicates intense affection when it is reciprocated; if short on the Mercury type of hand, it implies deep interest in intellectual pursuits; if short and deep in the Elementary type of hand, it implies the disposition to satisfy desire by brutal force, instead of by love.

The Head Line

is parallel to the Heart Line and forms the second branch of letter M, generally very plain in most hands; if long and deep it indicates ability to care for one’s self; if hair-lines are attached to it, mental worry; if it divides toward Mount Mercury, love affairs will be first, and business secondary; if well defined its whole length, it implies a well-balanced brain; a line from it extending into a star on Mount Jupiter, great versatility, pride and love for knowledge are indicated; if it extend to Mount Luna, interest in occult studies is implied; separated from the Life Line, indicates agressiveness; if it is broken, death is indicated from an injury to the head.

The Rascettes

are lines across the wrist where the palm joins it.

It is claimed they indicate length of life; if straight it is a good sign. One Rascette indicates thirty years of life; two lines, sixty; three lines, ninety.

THE SCIENCE OF PHRENOLOGY

In 1796 a German physician by the name of Franz Gall first announced what he considered a wonderful discovery and named Phrenology. It was first introduced into the United States by Dr. Charles Caldwell of Kentucky, who studied under Gall and who lectured and wrote on the subject. It made very little headway, however, until Dr. Spurzheim began to lecture on the new science in Boston, since which time the number of its adherents has been growing steadily, although there are many scientific minds who still doubt its teachings.

It is a system of the philosophy of the human mind founded on the structure of the brain, and embraces a theory of psychology and organology. It pretends to be able to tell the characteristics of a person thru signs and bumps. It assumes a corresponding value between the convolutions of the brain and the character or temperament of the individual.

The idea was not original with Dr. Gall. In the thirteenth century Albertus Magnus divided the cranium into three regions controlling Faculties, Judgment and Imagination. In 1562 Luigi Dolce divided the brain into nine regions controlling as many mental powers. Gall first noticed that all his fellow schoolboys who were noted for their knowledge of languages and memory of words had prominent eyes. Following this as a clew, he arrived at the functions and locations of twenty-seven organs of mental faculties which he named according to their action. Spurzheim found still others, and Drs. Fowler and Wells, the best known American phrenologists, increased the number of such divisions to thirty-five. They divided them into four principal groups:

1. Domestic group; including love, patriotism, fondness for home, attachment to friends, etc.

2. Selfish group; including combativeness, destructiveness, appetite, fondness of inflicting pain, etc.

3. Moral group; including sense of right, integrity, justice, veneration, benevolence, etc.

4. Self-perfecting group; including constructiveness, sense of the beautiful, imitation, wit, etc.

Besides these there are two minor groups of Intellectual Faculties:—

A. Perceptive Group; including individuality, perception of color, weight, arrangement, etc.

B. Reflective Group; including dependence, efficiency, power of analysis, sympathy, etc.

Many physicians have tried to prove the accuracy of this theory. Thousands of skulls of human beings as well as of animals have been examined and their cranial bumps studied. It is believed that each convolution of the brain is a separate organ and that the great centers of motion are in the front part of the brain. Many books have been written on the subject.

PHRENOLOGY

To tell the character of a person by Phrenology requires the services of a trained expert, and the few indications we can give here can only serve to call the reader’s attention to the subject in a general way. The foregoing chart is generally used by phrenologists. The numbers specify the location of each organ, and the following is a description of the same.

These organs are on the head in the shape of protuberances or bumps, and can be felt with the fingers. In many cases there is nothing to indicate their existence, in other cases they are well developed.

Propensities.
 1. Amativeness. |  2. Philoprogenitiveness. |  3. Concentrativeness.
 4. Adhesiveness. |  5. Combativeness. |  6. Destructiveness.
6a. Alimentiveness. |  7. Secretiveness. |  8. Acquisitiveness.
 9. Constructiveness.  |  |
Lower Sentiments.
10. Self-esteem. | 11. Love of Approbation.  | 12. Cautiousness.
Superior Sentiments.
13. Benevolence. | 14. Veneration. | 15. Conscientiousness.
16. Firmness. | 17. Hope. | 18. Wonder.
19. Ideality. | 20. Wit. | 21. Imitation.
Perceptive Faculties.
22. Individuality. | 23. Form. | 24. Size.
25. Weight. | 26. Color. | 27. Locality.
28. Number. | 29. Order. | 30. Eventuality.
31. Time. | 32. Tune. | 33. Language.
Reflective Faculties.
34. Comparison. | 35. Causality. |

The judgment of the phrenologist is determined by the size of the brain in general and by the size of the organs that have been formulated, and these are estimated by certain arbitrary rules that render the boundaries of the regions indefinite.

A study of the cuts and comparison of the sizes of different heads and their shape will prove very entertaining with most any group of persons intellectually inclined, and it will be found that persons that are naturally good readers by instinct of human nature, with its help, can make remarkable readings in the delineation of character.

THE SCIENCE OF PHYSIOGNOMY

Physiognomy is the science of reading character thru the features and the facial characteristics. Many persons have a peculiar effect upon us. We feel antipathetic toward them in spite of their friendliness. Others awaken our sympathy at once. This has been ascribed to an “Aura” or electric emanation that affects our own psychic being. It is easy for the practiced eye to read a person’s peculiar traits by a close examination of his face. This can be corroborated by a study of his habits and the way he dresses. While no definite rules can be laid down for all, the following indications will be found fairly correct and may be taken as a guide.

What Different Eyes Indicate

The long, almond-shaped eye with thick eyelids covering nearly half of the pupil, when taken in connection with the full brow, is indicative of genius, and is often found in artists, literary and scientific men. It is the eye of talent, or impressibility. The large, open, transparent eye, of whatever color, is indicative of elegance, of taste, of refinement, of wit, of intelligence. Weakly marked eyebrows indicate a feeble constitution and a tendency to melancholia. Deep-sunken eyes are selfish, while eyes in which the whole iris shows indicate erraticism, if not lunacy. Round eyes are indicative of innocence, strongly protuberant eyes of weakness of both mind and body. Eyes small and close together typify cunning, while those far apart and open indicate frankness. The normal distance between the eyes is the width of one eye; a distance greater or less than this intensifies the character supposed to be symbolized. Sharp angles, turning down at the corners of the eyes, are seen in persons of acute judgment and penetration. Well-opened, steady eyes belong to the sincere; wide, staring eyes to the impertinent. Gray eyes are supposed to be the strongest, blue the weakest, while large eyes are most subject to the defect known as near-sightedness.

Reading Character by the Color of the Eyes

Blue (dark).—Humorous and original. A maker of fun. Good-hearted and kind. Enjoys the company of the opposite sex. Moderate in all things.

Blue (light).—Vacillating character. Talented. Jealous to a degree. No great vitality. Controls his nature. Easily discouraged.

Gray (light).—Easy-going disposition. Moody at times. Reserved on short acquaintance. Often cold and shrewd.

Gray (dark).—Very determined. Quick-tempered, but easily reconciled. Practical. Head rules heart always. Affectionate toward opposite sex.

Brown (light).—Fickle. No great depth of feeling. Makes friends easily. Mischief-lover.

Brown (dark).—Usually talented. Loves to travel. Independent in action. A bright conversationalist.

Green.—Jealous and pessimistic. Does not share happiness with others. Shrewd in business.

Black.—Compelling power to control others. Strong passions. Keen sense of humor. Intuitions usually right. Favorite with opposite sex.

Hazel.—Loving and easily led. Believes in a good time and at best when in company. Good-tempered.

Disposition by the Shape of the Nose

Long, Thin, Abrupt Nose.—Shrewd, cold and distant. Will win success. No sentiment, but practical and thrifty.

Upturned, Pug Nose.—Easy-going, jolly and light-hearted. Doesn’t worry. A person who never thinks deeply, but enjoys life.

Thin, Hooked Nose.—Lover of money. Forward and progressive. Shrewd thinker. Very obstinate at times.

A Long, Lumpy Nose.—Disagreeable, bold and daring. Adventurous nature. Great courage but little taste.

Thick, Hooked Nose.—Talented. Fine feelings. Original and inventive. Loves money. Emotional.

Grecian Nose with Hump.—Commanding and proud. A true friend. Quick-witted and intellectual.

Medium, Slightly Aquiline Nose.—Affectionate. Easily hurt. Determined when aroused. Gentle-mannered and musically inclined.

A Lumpy, Venous Nose.—Addicted to drink and apt to have other bad habits. Careless in dress, spends freely.

Reading Character by the Form of the Lips

Thick, Sensuous Lips.—Lover of art and music. Affectionate. Truthful and intellectual. The lips of a talented person. Able to think and express self well; falls in love easily.

Thin, Compressed Lips.—Strong character. Cool-headed under trying circumstances. Practical in all things. Quick-tempered. Shrewd in business.

Downward, Pouting Lips.—Sound intellect. Determined. Can command others. Devoted to a few. Courageous when necessary. Often pessimistic.

Full, Upward-turned Lips.—Gay. Good company. Optimistic. Sentimental to degree but of good judgment. Jealous at times. Lovable.

Thin Open Lips, Showing Teeth.—Weak character. Easily led. Moody when angered. One to take life easy. Sometimes dangerous.

Sneering Lips.—Often dangerous character. Unfriendly and not easily moved by pity. Often talented, but has few friends.

Cupid-Bow Lips.—Usually lovable nature. Fond of flattery and amusement. Sometimes talented.

Reading Character by the Shape of the Ear

A Shell-like, Normal Ear.—Sentimental at times and fond of the romantic. Tender-hearted, with affection for all. Enthusiastic. Fond of music.

A Long, Narrow Ear.—A deep thinker and philosopher. Cool-headed and practical under trying circumstances. Strong-willed. Shrewd in business deals.

A Short, Irregular Ear.—Accumulative of wealth. Work is recreation. Quick decision in all matters of business. Economical.

Long and Wide Ear.—Pleasant company. Extravagant. Very optimistic. One who will always get along in life and make money.

A Thick, Short Ear.—Fickle-hearted. Self-centered, with a jealous disposition. A poor listener, but a great talker. A pessimist.

Short, Irregular Ear.—Thoughtful. Inventive nature. Learns from what he sees and hears. Truthful. Trustful. Affectionate. Optimistic.

FORTUNE-TELLING BY GROUNDS IN A TEACUP

Pour your tea into a white cup and drain off the liquid, leaving the grounds in the cup. Shake them well so as to spread them over as much of the surface as possible. They will form groups of imaginary figures, and the fortune-teller must exercise ingenuity to discover in these figures resemblances to familiar things. To the inexpert eye there may be nothing but detached particles of tea, but to the chiromancer it will be easy to find familiar forms.

Long wavy lines are interpreted as meaning loss and trouble.

The more lines there are, the greater their influence.

Straight lines indicate long life and peace.

Circles indicate that money will soon be received, but if they are connected by straight lines, there will be a delay.

Squares and oblongs denote peace and happiness, while angular and distorted figures foretell annoyance and worry.

A large number of lines running parallel signify a happy old age.

A crown brings honor and success.

A cross is a bad sign and usually means the death of a dear one.

But if there are two or more crosses, it means an unexpected honor.

A ring denotes marriage, while if there is a letter of the alphabet inside of it or near by, it foretells the initial of a lucky spouse. If there are lines above or below the ring, it means a disappointment.

A clover leaf is a good sign and usually denotes good luck.

Figures of flowers denote long life and happiness. If at the extreme bottom of the cup, they mean a disappointment.

Figure of a tree near the top foretells disappointment. Several trees are a sure sign of misfortune. A tree near a circle denotes a visit to the country. An X is a good sign and means that your wishes will soon come true.

A mountain denotes a trip to be taken shortly.

A star denotes happiness, while the crescent of a moon means success.

Birds are a sign of good luck.

The figure of a fish denotes good news from a distance.

A snake is a sign of an enemy and tells you to beware.

A heart signifies joy and the receipt of money.

Any letter by itself denotes good news from a person whose initial letter that happens to be.

A long line signifies a journey.

A circle with a cross inside usually foretells the birth of a child and is a lucky sign.

An anchor means success in business. If near the top of the cup, it speaks of fidelity and love.

A crown and a cross near each other denote that you will inherit a large fortune.

People of poetical views will be able to find many more articles from which they can draw their own interpretation.

Telling fortunes by means of coffee grounds in a cup follows the same general rule, altho the figures are much less varied.

DREAMS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

Dreams are the thoughts or impressions that occupy our minds when we are asleep.

Every night, unless disease or strong excitement prevent, we are the subject of a phenomenon which if it only occurred once in a lifetime we would consider one of the greatest mysteries. We pass in an unconscious moment from the usual world of deed and action into another world, where we are unaware of what goes on around us; where we see, not with the eyes, where we hear things of which the ear gives no impression; in which we speak and are spoken to, altho no speech passes our lips or reaches our organs of hearing.

In that world we are excited to joy, to grief; we are moved to pity, we are stirred to anger; and yet these emotions are aroused by things that do not exist. Time seems to have lost its landmarks; distance offers no barriers; the dead return and the past comes once again to cheer or to grieve us.

We live in a land of Dreams. Many of the thoughts that pass thru our brains are forgotten before we awake. It often happens that people talk in their sleep, thus proving that they are dreaming, but on being awakened they deny that they dreamed, for their dreams have left no trace upon their memory.

The question whether we ever sleep without dreaming is as old as the days of the ancient Greek philosophers, and there are many able authorities on both sides of the question.

Locke, a great writer on mental phenomena, is of the opinion that dreaming is not always present during sleep; but many of the ancient as well as the modern writers contend that the mind is never at rest but continues uninterruptedly even in sleep, and that to cease to dream would be to cease to live.

Sir William Hamilton argues as follows: “When we dream, we are assuredly asleep, but the mind is not asleep, because it thinks. It is therefore manifest that mental processes may go on even tho the body is unconscious. To have no recollection of our dreams does not prove that we have not dreamed, altho the dream may have left no trace on our memories.”

Dreams, like our waking thoughts, are dependent on the laws of association. Altho the senses, are usually torpid in sleep, some of them continue to transmit to the mind imperfect sensations which they receive. Experiments have been tried to determine how far external impressions will cause dreams. A bottle of hot water applied to the feet of a sleeping man caused him to dream that he was on the crater of a volcano and that the hot earth was scorching his feet. Another man, having a blister applied to his head, dreamed that he was being scalped by Indians. A match suddenly lit may cause a man to dream of a terrible storm with lightning and thunder. Darwin relates the case of a man who was born deaf and dumb, and who never dreamed that he conversed with others except thru the sign language. So, also, a blind man never dreams of seeing vivid colors. Thus we see that our dreams are in many cases dependent upon our senses.

The condition of our digestion may also influence our dreams. If the digestive functions are properly performed, our dreams are apt to be pleasant, whereas every one knows the torturing dreams that may follow an indigestible supper of Welsh rabbit or lobster. In the same way the dreams that are caused by opium or other drugs or by intoxicating liquors are apt to be of a disagreeable nature.

The mind works with wonderful rapidity during sleep. A person who is suddenly awakened by a loud noise may dream of many things in the short second before he awakens. A long story may spin itself out in his brain,—adventure, robbery, war,—until he is awakened by what he believes is a shot. A certain writer was suddenly aroused from a sound sleep by a few drops of water sprinkled on his face. He dreamed of the events of an entire life in which sorrow and happiness were mingled, of a fight on the banks of a stream into which an enemy plunged him. We can dream more in a minute of time than we can enact in a day.

So, too, dreams are often characteristic of the peculiar life and thoughts of the dreamer. A miser will dream of saving money, a merchant of business deals, a musician of melody, etc. As a general thing our dreams are wanting in coherence. They do not seem true to life. They mix together things that are absurd and unconnected. We never dream of the past as a thing that is past, but as a reality. People that are long dead appear to us as living.

Do Dreams Foretell the Future?

It is a popular belief, and has been thru all ages, that dreams foretell for us what will happen. Many remarkable cases seem to prove this. All nations of antiquity believed in the divine nature of dreams. The Bible is full of allusions to dreams and most of the important events were revealed to men thru dreams.

Jacob dreamed that he saw a ladder which reached into the sky and that angels were ascending and descending. His whole life was shaped by this vision. His son, Joseph, was called “The Dreamer” by his brothers. We all know the fascinating story of his dreams, his interpretations of the visions of the butler and the baker and his reading of Pharaoh’s dream which eventually obtained for him the position of ruler over Egypt. The Books of the Prophets and of Daniel are based on dreams. So are many of the incidents of the New Testament.

Coming down to more modern times, we find that many intelligent men—writers, inventors, kings—believed in dreams.

Franklin believed that he obtained a clearer insight into political events thru his dreams and often acted upon the inspiration he received while asleep.

A celebrated doctor discovered a well-known remedy thru a dream. Tartini, a celebrated musician, is said to have composed his “Devil’s Sonata” under the inspiration of a dream in which the devil appeared to him and invited him to try his skill upon his favorite fiddle. When he awoke, the music was so firmly impressed upon his memory that he had no difficulty in writing it out on paper.

The poet Coleridge is said to have composed his poem “Kubla Khan” in a dream. He had taken an anodyne for some slight indisposition, and fell asleep in his chair. When he awoke he retained the impression of over two hundred lines of verse which had come to him in his slumber.

Cabanis, the philosopher, found in his sleep the conclusions of many problems that he was not able to solve while awake. Condorcet, the mathematician, found in his sleep the final steps in a calculation that baffled him while awake.

Napoleon was a great believer in dreams and was often guided by them in his campaigns.

Columbus, it is said, dreamed that a voice spoke to him saying, “God will give thee the keys of the gates of the Ocean,” and that it was this that kept up his courage.

In remote times the greatest of importance was attached to dreams. The ancients resorted to them in cases of difficulty or calamity. When pestilence spread among the Greeks before Troy, Homer represents Achilles as taking refuge in dreams, his reason being,—

“Dreams descend from Jove.”

Aristotle, Plato, Zeno, Pythagoras, Socrates, Xenophon and Sophocles have all expressed their belief in the divine or prophetic character of dreams.

A great number of historical instances are recorded in Greek and Latin classics of dreams that came true. The night before the assassination of Julius Cæsar, his wife Calpurnia dreamed that her husband fell bleeding across her knees. She tried to warn him, but he laughed at her fears. On the night that Attila died, the Emperor Marcian at Constantinople dreamed that he saw the bow of the conqueror broken asunder. Cicero relates a dream thru which a murderer was brought to justice.

Dreams were even allowed to influence legislation. During the Marsic War (90 B.C.) the Roman senate ordered the temple of Juno to be rebuilt, in consequence of a dream. There are many other examples in ancient history.

The old fathers of the Christian Church attached considerable importance to dreams. Tertullian thought they came from God as one of a series of prophecy, though he attributed many dreams to the influence of evil spirits. St. Augustine relates a dream thru which he was convinced of the immortality of the soul.

How Dreams Should be Interpreted

There are two kinds of dreams: those that are reproductions of one’s waking thoughts or actions, or the result of digestive disturbances; and those that proceed from some psychological condition which we cannot probe or understand. Many dreams are of so trivial a nature that it would be foolish to attribute any importance to them. Others seems to come from some outside inspiration and are prophetic. The ancient sages who were celebrated as interpreters of dreams had a maxim that the “Result of dreams often follows their interpretation.” They meant that if you believe that a dream means a certain thing, you will fashion your actions so that that thing will come true.

When the meaning of a dream is indefinite, many interpretations can be put on it and all of them be capable of coming true. If you are told that a dream means illness, you may take it so to heart that you will actually fall ill, or if you are philosophical, you will shape your diet or your deeds so that good health may result from the warning. If a man dreams that he will have financial disaster, he may become so unfitted thru fear that he will neglect his business and thus invite the ruin which he imagines the dream foretold. Or he may, if he is wise, take the opposite course and so shape his business methods that success will follow instead of ruin.

In the following tables we give the interpretations of common dreams as they are and have been given from time immemorial in most of the best known sources, with quite a number of original meanings as experience has shown them to us. Remember that the interpretation of dreams may vary with the peculiar conditions and circumstances surrounding the dreamer, and what would be true in the case of a sickly person might have the opposite meaning in the case of a robust man. “Man is master of his fate,” says a poet. The troubles that cause one person to take a pessimistic attitude and contemplate suicide serve to spur another on to new endeavors and new successes.

This book is not intended to foster superstition, but to offer a means of solving many of the mysterious occurrences in our lives and help you rise above your surroundings to a higher plane of usefulness.

A Dictionary of Dreams

As a rule dreams are very complex and it is difficult to single out any particular feature that stands forth and dominates the dream. But it frequently happens that one idea is so vivid that it is remembered to the exclusion of all the rest. When you have a dream of this kind refer at once to the following list, look up the dominant thought of your dream and the interpretation will be given. These meanings are not random guesses, but are compiled from a number of very old books which have come down to us from such seers, astrologers and psychologists as Cagliostro, Lenormand, Albertus Magnus and others. Of course the meaning of the dream may be considerably modified by what subconscious thoughts accompany the dream. Thus while pearls may represent tears, yet if they are accompanied by the idea of love the indication is favorable, and means a gift of affection.

Abandoned—Dreaming that you are deserted by your friends denotes their affection and love, but to dream that you have abandoned someone you love is a sign of disappointment.

Abbey—The ruins of an abbey mean good fortune; if seen by moonlight, wealth.

Abroad—Dreaming that you are in a strange land signifies success in your undertakings.

Absence—To be absent from home means a joyful reunion. To see people who are absent foretells speedy return.

Abundance—To dream of abundance shows a false security.

Account—A bank account signifies bankruptcy.

Acorns—Are a sign of loss of money or of love.

Almonds—If you dream of eating them it denotes an evil from which you will escape.

Alms—Giving alms denotes good fortune, receiving alms means loss of money.

Altar—Denotes a speedy marriage to the one you love. If already married, renewed prosperity.

Anchor—Denotes a successful enterprise.

Angel—To see an angel means a long voyage and success.

Angry—If you are angry, it portends an enemy.

Antelope—A speedy recovery from illness.

Ants—A colony of ants signifies industry leading to wealth. One ant means a disappointment.

Anvil—Seeing or hearing an anvil means happiness.

Ape—Means an enemy. If running from you, safety.

Apples—Signify gain. If you are eating them, disappointment; if on a tree, good news.

Apricots—If you dream of eating them, it means good news; if you see them on the tree or otherwise, a pleasant surprise.

Arbor—To be in an arbor means disappointment in love.

Argument—To hold an argument with anyone means that justice will be done.

Arm—To dream of breaking or injuring an arm signifies sudden fortune to a friend.

Army—To be marching with an army means “Beware of a false friend.” If encamped, it means speedy success.

Artichokes—Signify embarrassment or pain.

Artist—Means that your love suit will be successful.

Ashes—Signify embarrassment and loss.

Asparagus—To eat it, means success and health.

Ass—Signifies a quarrel or scandal.

Aunt—Portends wealth from an unexpected source.

Authority—Signifies better times.

Baby—To hold one means true love; to rock one, embarrassment.

Bagpipe—To hear or play a bagpipe signifies trouble.

Baker—To see or speak to a baker means plenty.

Baking—If you dream of baking pies or cakes, a visitor; if bread, a loss.

Ball—Dancing at a ball means harmony and pleasure. Playing ball signifies loss of money.

Balloon—To go up in a balloon means unexpected fortune. To see one means a message from home.

Bank—Depositing in a bank, beware of loss; drawing money out a bank, trouble at home.

Barber—Being shaved by a barber, a long journey.

Barley—To dream of barley in the field means health and fortune.

Barn—If full, a happy marriage; if empty, poverty.

Barracks—To see soldiers in a barracks means peace and prosperity.

Basin—An empty basin foretells a loss; a full basin, unexpected wealth.

Basket—A full basket means ease and prosperity. An empty one means new endeavor in order to achieve success.

Bathing—Signifies happiness; in a pond, it means misfortune; in a running brook, it means disappointment.

Bat—If flying, means a quarrel with a friend; if at rest, pleasure.

Battlefield—Signifies great honor.

Beans—If cooked, they signify a quarrel; if raw, danger.

Bear—Seeing a bear foretells  misfortune.

Bed—To see a strange bed means trouble; to sleep in a bed, good luck.

Beer—Signifies unfruitful endeavor.

Bees—To catch or watch them means success; to be stung by them, failure.

Beggar—To give alms means an unforeseen present; to be a beggar, unexpected health.

Bell—Hearing the marriage bell means happiness; a church bell, alarm or misfortune. A dinner bell means a feast or wedding.

Bench—To sit on a bench, “Beware of a rival.”

Bereavement—Losing a relative or friend signifies a visit.

Betrothal—Foretells pleasures that may be brief.

Bible—To see a Bible is a reproach for evil deeds. To read a Bible, luck.

Billiards—Means loss thru dissipation.

Birds—Seeing birds of any kind foretells trouble and annoyance. If singing, however, they bring tidings of new pleasure.

Biscuit—Eating a biscuit denotes rejoicing.

Bite—To bite anyone signifies trouble. To be bitten signifies treachery of a supposed friend.

Blackbird—Foretells scandal and deceit.

Blindness—To lead a blind person means success in love. To dream of being blind means you will receive valuable information.

Blood—To see blood signifies a faithful lover.

Blows—To give or receive blows means forgiveness for wrongs done.

Boat—To row in a canoe or boat signifies an inheritance of money.

Boil—To suffer from a boil means unforeseen difficulty.

Bonnet—To wear a new bonnet means rivalry.

Book—Reading a book signifies failure; to give a book means victory over an enemy.

Boots—To dream of new boots means success in business; of old boots, a quarrel.

Bottles—A full bottle signifies sickness; an empty one, melancholy.

Brandy—Signifies “Beware of trouble!”

Bread—To dream of eating bread denotes profit in business.

Briars—Signify disputes.

Bricks—Signify a happy marriage and prosperity.

Bridge—To pass one means success. To fall from one, loss of business. To walk over a bridge, good fortune. To walk under one, disappointment.

Brook—Domestic happiness and friendship.

Bugs—Signify an enemy who wishes to harm you.

Bull—Denotes unexpected gain.

Butcher—Foretells sorrow thru the loss of a friend.

Cabbage—Indicates long life and happiness.

Cage—To dream of a cage with bird means liberty; empty it means servitude.

Cakes—Denote prosperity.

Calf—Is a sign of assured success.

Camel—Seeing one means riches; riding on one, disappointment.

Candle—A lighted candle signifies unexpected favor. An unlighted one means “Beware of trouble!”

Candy—To make or eat candy signifies good luck.

Cane—Signifies dissipation and waste.

Captive—To dream that you are in prison is a sign of luck.

Cards—To play cards means a successful marriage.

Carpenter—Denotes a new turn among business affairs.

Cart—Indicates sickness; with a horse before it, disgrace.

Carving—To dream of carving meat means business prosperity.

Cat—A white cat means a gift; a black cat means deceit or quarrel.

Cave—To be in a cave denotes loss.

Cellar—To be in a dark cellar means sickness or absence from home.

Cemetery—To be in a cemetery foretells the death of a friend.

Chain—Foretells a union of people hitherto separated.

Cheese—Foretells success and a journey.

Cherries—To eat cherries denotes love. To gather them, faithfulness.

Chess—To play a game of chess foretells business troubles.

Chestnuts—Denote troubles at home.

Chicken—To cook a chicken means good news; to eat one, arrival of a friend.

Child—To dream of children in health denotes pleasure and fortune; if ill, the dream is a warning.

Church—Signifies good fortune and many friends.

Cider—To drink cider denotes a dispute.

City—To be in a strange city means a speedy marriage.

Clams—Denote closeness and parsimony.

Clock—Seeing or hearing a clock denotes marriage.

Coal—Seeing or burning coal signifies persecution.

Cobbler—To dream of one mending shoes means trouble in money matters.

Cock—A crowing cock denotes sudden trouble.

Coffee—Drinking coffee is a sign of heavy trouble.

Coffin—Denotes a speedy marriage.

Cooking—To dream that you are cooking indicates a wedding.

Corkscrew—Means vexation; if in a bottle, trouble.

Corn—Is significant of riches and abundance.

Corpse—To dream of a dead body denotes long life, also news from friends.

Cow—Is significant of prosperity and abundance.

Crab—To see a crab walking means that your endeavors will come to naught.

Cradle—Indicates an increase in the family.

Cricket—Is a sign of hospitality and a visit.

Crocodile—Indicates a catastrophe.

Cross—To see a cross is a sign of tranquillity.

Crow—Means humiliation and disgrace.

Crowd—You will receive good news.

Crutches—Indicate losses if you gamble.

Cucumber—Is a sign of serious illness.

Cypress—Foretells the death of a loved one.

Dancing—Indicates a handsome present of someone you love.

Debts—To dream of owing money means business safety.

Devil—To dream of the devil is a warning to turn over a new leaf.

Dice—To dream of dice indicates scandal and dishonor.

Dirt—Denotes sickness.

Dishes—Breaking dishes denotes a family quarrel.

Dispute—Among friends, indicates renewed friendship.

Ditch—To dream of seeing or falling into a ditch foretells bankruptcy.

Dog—To see a dog indicates faithfulness of a friend. To be bitten means treachery.

Door—An open door means opportunity; a closed door, adventure.

Dove—Means happiness at home.

Drawing—Indicates a rejection of marriage.

Drowning—To dream of drowning means good news from abroad; to rescue a drowning person is a sign of happiness.

Drum—To see or hear a drum indicates a trifling loss.

Drunk—To see a drunken person means bad news; to be drunk means disgrace.

Duck—Is a sign of profit and pleasure.

Duel—To fight a duel means dissension.

Dwarf—Signifies “Beware of foes!”

Eagle—Is a sign of worthy ambition.

Eating—To dream of eating means a happy marriage or a rich inheritance.

Eclipse—To see an eclipse means a loss in business.

Eels—Are sign of vexation.

Eggs—Eating eggs indicates a journey.

Elephant—To ride an elephant means that you will be called upon to do a service.

Elopement—Signifies a speedy marriage after trouble.

Embroidery—Signifies love and ambition.

Engaged—To dream of being engaged is a sign of a quarrel with someone you love.

Euchre—To play euchre signifies failure in business.

Eyes—To dream of eyes is a portent of bad luck.

Face—To dream of a smiling face indicates joy.

Failure—To dream of failure in business or in love means that you will soon be successful.

Falling—To dream of falling means a sudden improvement in your condition.

Fan—Is a sign of rivalry between women.

Farewell—To dream of parting is a sure sign of a lawsuit.

Farmer—To dream of a farmer denotes an increase in earnings.

Feast—To be seated at a feast means that there is trouble ahead.

Feathers—White feathers mean friendship; dark feathers, loss.

Field—To walk in a field means visitors.

Figs—To eat figs is a sign of interrupted pleasures.

Fingers—To dream of injured fingers denotes grief.

Fire—To see a house on fire is a sign of caution.

Beware of false friends. To kindle a fire denotes anger.

Fish—To catch fish means success in business; to eat fish means beware of deceitful friends.

Flag—To see a flag means coming trouble in business; to carry one, means unexpected honor.

Flame—To see a flame is a sign of good news.

Flea—Is a sign of triumph over one’s enemies.

Flood—To dream of a flood is a sign of misfortune.

Flowers—To dream of flowers is a sure sign of success in business or love.

Flute—To play or hear a flute means news of a birth.

Fly—To dream of flies is a warning that someone is jealous of us.

Fog—To be lost in a fog is a warning of coming trouble.

Fountain—To see a running fountain denotes health and abundance.

Fox—Signifies triumph over enemies.

Frog—Is a sign of vexation and annoyance.

Funeral—To see or attend a funeral is a sign of a birth or marriage.

Fur—To wear fur signifies long life and happiness.

Gallows—To see a gallows is a sign of dignity, honor and wealth.

Gambling—Is a warning against deception.

Garden—To walk in a garden denotes a bright future.

Garlic—Signifies deception by a woman.

Garter—To find a garter foretells a letter or a happy marriage.

Ghost—To dream of seeing a ghost means beware of sickness.

Gift—To receive a present denotes danger.

Gloves—To buy or wear gloves means a new-found friend.

Goat—To dream of a white goat means prosperity; of a black goat, sickness.

Gold—Dreaming of gold denotes profit and success. A bag of gold indicates a gain.

Grain—A field of ripe grain is a sign of prosperity.

Grapes—To see or eat grapes denotes enjoyment and plenty.

Grass—Indicates long life.

Grasshopper—Means loss of savings.

Grave—To look into an open grave means the loss of a friend. To sit near a grave is a sign of good luck.

Guitar—Means deception and treachery.

Hail—To dream that you are in a hailstorm denotes trouble and sadness.

Hair—To comb your hair is a sign of perplexity and anxiety.

Ham—To eat ham is a sign of happiness.

Hammock—To lie in a hammock indicates a speedy marriage.

Harp—To dream of a harp means the death of a dear one.

Harvest—Denotes wealth and abundance.

Heart—To dream of heart trouble indicates danger. The picture of a heart means true love.

Heaven—To dream that you or someone else is in heaven is a sign of peace and prosperity.

Hell—To dream of the infernal regions is a warning to reform.

Hen—A sign of profit.

Hermit—Denotes a treacherous friend.

Hill—Going up a hill means success; going down one, failure.

Hog—To dream of a hog is a lucky dream for speculators, but unlucky for lovers.

Hole—Falling into a hole is a sign of many obstacles.

Honey—Signifies success in business.

Horse—Seeing a white horse means unexpected fortune. A black horse means deceit. Riding a horse means reciprocated love.

Hotel—To stop at a hotel means success.

House—To be in a new or strange house is a sign of consolation.

Hunger—Is a sign of profitable employment.

Husband—For a wife to dream of her husband betokens a quarrel. If the dream is pleasant it may mean an agreeable surprise.

Ice—Denotes gratitude.

Imp—Is an occasion on which to exercise caution.

Infant—Happiness in the married state.

Ink—To upset an ink bottle is a sign of someone attempting to injure you.

Insanity—To dream of being insane is a sign that you are overworked.

Iron—To dream of a flatiron denotes that you will go thru a cruel experience.

Island—To be on an island in the ocean means luck; in a lake or river, loneliness.

Ivory—Is a sign of profitable enterprise.

Ivy—Denotes a happy termination of courtship and a fortunate marriage.

Jail—To be in jail or prison is a sign that you will have unexpected honor bestowed.

Jewels—To wear much jewelry indicates coming poverty; to see it on another foretells a lawsuit.

Joy—To experience great joy is a sign that you will have bad news.

Judge—Is a sign of coming punishment.

Jug—Indicates the acquaintance of a great man.

Key—A bunch of keys denotes treachery on the part of a supposed friend. A single key means loss.

Kill—To kill a person denotes a coming quarrel.

King—To see a king denotes satisfaction in business.

Kiss—To receive a kiss denotes that you will be betrayed. To kiss another means good news from a friend.

Kitchen—To be in a kitchen denotes the coming of visitors.

Kite—To see or fly a kite denotes failure in your plans.

Knife—Denotes inconstancy and dissension in your family.

Knitting—Is a sign of mischievous talk on the part of friends.

Knocks—Denote embarrassment and difficulties.

Ladder—To go up a ladder means success; to go down, humiliation.

Lake—A warning to be careful.

Lamb—This is a favorable sign to single people and indicates courtship.

Lame Person—To dream of seeing a cripple or lame person means business misfortune.

Lamp—To carry a lamp means trouble; to upset one, loss.

Lantern—To carry a lantern means a safe adventure.

Laughter—To laugh heartily in your sleep, “Beware of trouble!”

Lawyer—Dreaming of a lawyer denotes the marriage of a dear friend.

Leaves—Dry leaves are a sign of indisposition which will not last long.

Letter—To receive a letter usually means good news and prosperity.

Lettuce—Denotes poverty.

Lightning—Indicates a quarrel among lovers.

Lily—A sign of innocence and happiness.

Lion—To dream of a lion means unexpected honor.

Lizard—Seeing a lizard indicates coming trouble.

Lottery—To dream of winning money in a lottery means loss.

Lovers—To see two lovers spoon is an indication of domestic trouble.

Macaroni—Eating macaroni is a sign of abundance.

Manure—Indicates depravity.

Map—To see or consult a map indicates a journey.

Market—Going to market is a sign of a joyous event.

Mask—To wear a mask or see someone else wear one indicates hypocrisy.

Meat—To eat or cook meat is a sign of a big reception.

Melon—Signifies hope and success.

Milestone—Seeing a milestone indicates a successful venture.

Milk—Dreaming of milk means success in love affairs.

Mirror—To see yourself in the glass denotes wounded pride or sickness. To break one, misadventure.

Money—To find money means bad luck; to give it away or spend it indicates success.

Monkey—Means “Beware of getting into mischief!”

Moon—To see the full moon denotes fidelity and joy; to see a crescent means awakening affection. An eclipse of the moon means loss.

Mourning—To dream of wearing mourning indicates an invitation to a wedding.

Mud—To find yourself in mud means the coming of wealth.

Mule—Seeing or riding a mule is a sure sign of difficulty.

Murder—To witness a murder means that you will soon see an old friend; to dream of being murdered means caution.

Music—Hearing music in your sleep is a sign of luck.

Mustard—Eating mustard denotes pain and trouble.

Nails—Metal nails mean success; finger nails denote misadventures.

Nakedness—Threatened danger and poverty.

Necklace—Receiving one denotes jealousy and annoyance. If a girl wears a necklace she will soon wed.

Needles—Are a sign of disappointment in love.

Nest—Seeing a nest with eggs denotes a quarrel. A nest with birds in it, good luck.

Newspaper—Reading a paper means beware of gossip.

Nose—Dreaming of your own or someone’s nose denotes a new acquaintance.

Nurse—Dreaming of a nurse is a sign of long life.

Nuts—Eating nuts denotes a voyage.

Oars—Indicate a safe enterprise.

Oaths—A man using blasphemous words signifies trouble.

Offer of Marriage—Denotes happiness for at least a year.

Oil—To dream of oil is a sign of good harvest and prosperity.

Olives—Indicate honors and dignity.

Onions—To dream of eating them means aggravation and disgrace.

Opera—To dream of being at the opera denotes temporary pleasure.

Orange—To eat an orange is a sign of coming amusement.

Orange Blossoms—To see or wear orange blossoms foretells a wedding.

Orchard—To see or be in an orchard signifies a successful business deal.

Ostrich—To dream of an ostrich means failure thru vanity.

Owl—To dream of an owl means that important secrets will be revealed.

Oyster—To dream of opening an oyster denotes honor; eating one foretells a feast.

Pail—To carry a pail signifies a new acquaintance. If full it means gain.

Pain—To dream of suffering pain foretells a sickness and a speedy recovery.

Painter—Denotes that your business affairs will improve.

Palm Tree—Denotes honor and victory.

Paper—To dream of reading a newspaper means that happiness will be brief.

Parasol—To carry one denotes a voyage.

Parent—To dream of either father or mother means good news.

Parrot—To dream of a parrot foretells a robbery.

Pastry—To dream of eating pastry denotes annoyance; to bake pastry means improvement in your condition.

Pawnbroker—To go to a pawnbroker signifies a serious loss.

Peaches—To dream of eating peaches denotes pleasure and contentment.

Peacock—Foretells victory.

Peanuts—To eat peanuts signifies a lawsuit.

Pearls—To dream of receiving or wearing pearls signifies tears and distress.

Pears—Eating pears means long life and happiness.

Peas—To dream of peas means good fortune.

Pen—To dream of holding or writing with a pen means good tidings.

Pepper—To dream of pepper denotes affliction.

Pheasant—To kill a pheasant is a sign of good luck.

Piano—Playing on a piano denotes a speedy wedding. Buying one signifies money from an unexpected debt.

Pig—To dream of a pig is a sign of good luck.

Pigsty—Indicates financial gain.

Pigeon—Seeing a pigeon in flight means reconciliation; at rest denotes success.

Pillow—To dream of lying on a pillow indicates sickness.

Pills—Taking pills is a sure sign of trouble and famine.

Pine Tree—Dreaming of a lonely pine tree foretells danger.

Pins—To dream of pins is considered fortunate and means wealth.

Pirate—Foretells a fortunate adventure.

Pistol—To carry a pistol or revolver denotes a change in your prospects for the better.

Pitch—Signifies “Beware of evil companions!”

Pitchfork—Means you will be punished.

Policeman—Is a sure sign of impending trouble.

Postman—Indicates good news, from abroad.

Poverty—To dream that you are poor denotes an unexpected addition to your wealth.

Present—Dreaming of receiving gifts denotes a loss. To make a present means success.

Preserves—To make or eat preserves indicates loss of time and money.

Priest—To dream of a priest denotes reconciliation with an enemy.

Procession—To watch a parade or procession means success in love.

Pump—To pump water is a sign of a speedy marriage.

Purse—An empty purse denotes that you will soon receive a present; a full purse signifies a serious loss.

Quail—To see a quail denotes responsibilities in the family.

Quarrel—Means constancy and friendship.

Queen—To dream of a queen or princess is a sure sign of prosperity.

Quince—To dream of fresh or preserved quinces denotes a scandal.

Quoits—A warning not to gamble.

Rabbit—A running rabbit is a sign of disappointment.

Race—To witness a race denotes success in life.

Radish—To pick or eat a radish denotes a secret which you will shortly learn.

Railroad—A token that you will change your residence soon.

Rain—Is a sign of reconciliation with an enemy.

Rainbow—To see a rainbow denotes that better days are coming. It is a very good omen.

Rat—Beware of secret enemies.

Raven—To hear a raven croak portends misfortune.

Reading—To dream of reading a book is a sign that you are too lazy to succeed.

Revenge—Denotes a speedy repentance.

Ribbons—To dream of wearing ribbons is a sign of a visit from one you love.

Rice—To dream of eating or throwing rice denotes, the marriage of an intimate friend.

Ride—To ride with either men or women denotes coming trouble.

Ring—To receive one means a gain; to place one on the finger of another denotes marital trouble.

Rival—To dream of a rival is a sign that you will quarrel with the one you love best.

River—To see a river denotes a change in your condition; to fall into one means “Beware of your enemies!”

Robber—To be attacked by robbers is a sign of victory over a rival.

Rock—Sure sign of annoyance and loss.

Rose—This is always a sign of good luck. White roses signify constancy; red, an offer of marriage.

Rosebush—Denotes a constant lover.

Ruins—To explore a ruin denotes a pleasant surprise.

Sailor—To dream of a sailor means good tidings from other lands.

Salad—Means “Beware of embarrassment!”

Salt—To dream of using salt means a rapid recovery of a sick friend; to spill salt denotes disappointment.

Sausage—Is a sign of affliction or sickness.

Saw—Portends a satisfactory end in your affairs.

Scissors—Denotes that a friend will become an enemy.

Sea—To dream of the sea is a sign of a long journey.

Sermon—To hear a long sermon denotes mental trouble.

Servant—Dreaming of a servant means “Beware of being over-confident!”

Sewing—Means someone is plotting against you.

Sheep—Denotes gain in business.

Shell—A sea shell is a sign of success; a cannon shell, a sign of bad luck.

Ship—If at anchor a ship denotes happiness; if sailing, wishes fulfilled.

Shoes—Denote a speedy journey.

Shroud—To dream of a shroud is a very bad omen and often signifies death.

Sickness—To dream of being ill is always a bad sign.

Singing—To sing in your sleep denotes vexation when awake.

Skating—To dream of skating is a sign of success.

Skeleton—The vision of a skeleton usually signifies a change for the better.

Sleep—To dream that you are asleep indicates false security, and is a sign to be cautious.

Slip or Fall—Indicates a rise in position.

Slipper—Is significant of comfort and satisfaction.

Smoke—To smoke a cigar denotes extravagant expectations; to see smoke come out of a chimney denotes gain thru new efforts.

Snail—A crawling snail is a sign of coming dishonor.

Snake—Denotes treason, and is a caution to be careful whom you trust.

Sneezing—Is a sign of long life.

Snow—To see a falling snow signifies a visit from a lovely person.

Soap—Denotes pleasant revelations.

Soldier—To meet a soldier is a sign of a coming quarrel.

Spider—To see a spider spinning its web denotes success in business.

Spirit—To see a spirit in a dream is a caution to be more considerate of those around you.

Sponge—Is a sign of greed and avarice.

Spy—To dream of a spy means “Beware of idle rumors!”

Stable—To dream of a stable denotes a welcome.

Stars—To dream of a star means happiness; a shooting-star, gain of money.

Stocking—To put on or take off a stocking denotes a change in your fortune.

Stones—To dream of throwing stones denotes suffering.

Stork—Seeing a stork means loss thru robbery.

Storm—Being caught in a storm denotes coming vexation.

Stove—Sitting near a stove is an indication of comfort and wealth.

Strange Room—Coming into a strange room denotes the solving of a mystery.

Straw—Is an indication of coming poverty.

Strawberries—Are a sign of unexpected good fortune.

Sugar—Denotes want and suffering.

Sun—To dream of the sun is always lucky and portends a happy future.

Supper—To sit at supper means the news of a birth in the family.

Swan—Means that it will be long before you reach your desires.

Swastika—Is a sign of good luck.

Swimming—Is a sign of sure enjoyment.

Sword—To dream of wearing one is a sign of honor; to be wounded with one is a sign of misfortune.

Table—To sit at a table denotes abundance.

Tailor—Is a portent of unfaithfulness.

Tea—To drink tea means beware of confusion and trouble.

Tears—To shed tears foretells joy and sympathy.

Teeth—To dream of losing your teeth foretells the death of a friend or the loss of money.

Tent—To dream of being under a tent denotes a quarrel.

Theater—Being at a theater is a sign of coming sadness or loss.

Thimble—Denotes hard work to achieve success.

Thirst—To dream of being thirsty is a sign of affliction.

Thistle—To pluck a thistle foretells a dispute.

Thorn—Is a sign of loss of money.

Thunder—To dream of a thunderstorm denotes danger or death to a friend.

Tiger—To meet a tiger is a warning against an enemy.

Toads—Dreaming of a toad means you will be disgusted with something that will happen to you.

Torch—Denotes an invitation to a wedding.

Treasure—Finding a treasure or a heap of money indicates a disappointment.

Trees—Dreaming of trees denotes “Keep up your courage.”

Turkey—To dream of a turkey is a sign of plenty.

Turnips—Denote disappointment and annoyance.

Turtle—To see a turtle is a sign of luck.

Twins—The coming of twins denotes honors and wealth.

Umbrella—To borrow one denotes prosperity; to carry one in a storm, you will be beloved.

Uncle—To dream of an uncle denotes an advantageous marriage.

Unfaithful—Dreaming that your sweetheart is unfaithful is a sure sign of true love.

Uniform—To wear a uniform is a sign of coming honors.

Urn—If it contains flowers it means a speedy marriage of someone in your family. Empty, it means a loss.

Veil—To wear a white veil means a proposal of marriage; a black veil indicates death or separation.

Vermin—Denotes plenty and prosperity.

Village—Walking thru a village denotes a trip abroad.

Vine—A sign of prosperity and fruitfulness.

Vinegar—To dream of drinking vinegar signifies sickness.

Violet—Denotes fidelity on the part of your sweetheart and success in your undertaking.

Violin—Denotes sympathy and consolation.

Vise—To use a vise indicates wealth through industry.

Visitor—To dream of a visit foreshadows trouble; if others visit you, loneliness.

Voice—To dream of hearing a voice means that absent ones are thinking of you.

Voyage—Is a sign of a coming event that will alter your conditions.

Wagon—Denotes ease and pleasure.

Wall—Seeing a wall over which you cannot climb means prosperity after much effort.

War—To dream of war denotes peace and prosperity.

Washing—Washing your clothes denotes that a misunderstanding will soon pass away.

Wasps—Are a sign of annoyance and disappointment.

Watch—To dream of a watch means disappointment, and is a caution to use your time to better advantage.

Watchman—To see a watchman denotes a trifling loss.

Water—To dream of water in any shape is a sign of improvement in your condition.

Waves—To see waves at sea denotes that someone is trying to take advantage of you.

Wedding—To dream that you are at a wedding is often a sign of a funeral; if at your own wedding, it means a change of residence.

Well—To draw water from a well means success in your undertakings.

Wheat—Indicates a gain of much money.

Wheelbarrow—Is a sign of disability or infirmity. If broken it signifies loss.

Wife—If a man dreams that his wife is married to another it is a sign of a quarrel that may be serious.

Window—Looking out of a window is a sign of bad luck.

Wine—To dream of drinking wine means a disappointment; to become intoxicated means disgrace.

Wolf—To see a wolf is a sign of coming poverty. To be attacked by a wolf the defeat of your enemies.

Woman—To dream of a fair woman, beware of deceit; an ugly woman, beware of scandal.

Woods—To walk thru the woods is a sure sign of success.

Work—Dreaming of hard work denotes prosperity.

Worms—Seeing worms is a sign of coming ill health.

Writing—To dream of writing a letter indicates that someone is anxious to hear from you; writing a book, foretells fame.

Xmas—To dream of Christmas is a happy omen, and means success in love.

Yacht—To dream of being on a yacht denotes an important letter soon to be received.

Yeast—Is a sign of abundance.

Youth—An old person dreaming of being young means a reunion with an absent friend. A young girl dreaming of a youth can prepare for a speedy marriage.

Zebra—To see one means you will travel abroad; to ride on one, means “Beware of loss!”

Zephyr—To embroider or crochet with zephyr or wool denotes a meeting with a person who will love you.

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

Oh, flowers, you darlings of Nature, How lovely and sweet are you; But the first to give you a meaning Was a lover faithful and true. May you convey what I would impart To the maiden who’s captured my heart. —Goldsmith.

There is a sentiment about flowers which appeals to the heart of everyone. The lover conveys his message of love, the friend, his token of friendship thru a bouquet or box of blooming flowers. Every incident of our busy and eventful lives can be celebrated by the gift of flowers. Births, christenings, birthdays, graduations, confirmations, weddings, anniversaries and funerals:—all are appropriately observed by the sending of plants or blossoms. It is not strange, therefore, that among most nations a sentimental language has been created in which the flower speaks its part and repeats the message of the heart. While there is no fixed vocabulary, the following table gives the sentiments most frequently associated with flowers.

By combining flowers, various shades of sentiment can be expressed and whole messages conveyed.

For instance—

A camellia, rose and carnation would mean, “Your loveliness attracts me. Smile upon me, and cheer my poor heart.”

Moss rose and myrtle mean, “Your superior merit makes me love you.”

Lily-of-the-Valley and ferns mean, “You fascinate me and my happiness returns.”

Yellow rose and ivy mean, “My love increases, can I hope for matrimony?”

A rosebud divested of its thorns, but retaining its leaves, conveys the sentiment, “I fear no longer; I hope.” Stripped of leaves and thorns, it signifies, “There is nothing to hope or fear.”

A full-blown rose placed over two buds signifies “Secrecy.” “Yes,” is implied by touching the flower given to the lips. “No,” by pinching off a petal and casting it away. “I am,” is expressed by a laurel leaf, twined around the bouquet. “I have,” by an ivy leaf folded together. “I offer you,” by a leaf of Virginia creeper.

Flower | Sentiment
Acacia | Just love is what I feel.
Acacia Rose | Friendship without end.
Acanthus | Modesty is your nature.
Adonis | Sorrowful remembrances.
Agrimony | Thankfulness and love.
Almond | Hope for better days.
Aloe | Quarrel.
Althaea | Consumed by love.
Alyssum | Worth beyond beauty is yours.
Amaranth | Immortality; devotion.
Amaryllis | Splendid beauty is yours.
Ambrosia | Love returned brings joy.
Anemone | Expectation of desolation.
Anemone, Garden | Forsaken by one I love.
Angelica | Inspiration; ecstasy.
Apple | Temptation to tell all.
Apple Blossom | Preference for you.
Arbor Vitae | Unchanging friendship.
Arbutus | Clinging passion.
Arum | Ardor; aspiration.
Ash | Grandeur of affection.
Ash, Mountain | Prudence and care.
Aspen Tree | Lamentation for lost hope.
Aster | Thoughts of love of you.
Attricula | Avarice is bad.
Azalea | Happiness is mine.
Bachelor’s Button | Hope in love for you.
Balm | Sympathy; strength of soul.
Balm of Gilead | Healing my heart.
Balsam | Impatience at delay.
Basil | Hatred and disdain.
Bay Leaf | Change of heart.
Beech | Prosperity with you.
Bee Orchis | Error and pain.
Bell Flower | Gratitude to you.
Belladonna | Coquetry becomes you.
Birch Tree | Meekness is a virtue.
Bluebell | Fidelity to my love.
Box | Constancy; pity.
Bramble | Envy of those about you.
Broken Straw | Dissension is cruel.
Broom | Neatness a virtue.
Buckbean | Calm repose to my heart.
Bugloss | Falsehood.
Buttercup | Riches in your smile.
Calla Lily | Feminine beauty is yours.
Camellia | Loveliness of soul.
Candytuft | Indifference to all but you.
Canterbury Bell | Gratitude to you.
Cape Jessamine | Ecstasy in your presence.
Cardinal Flower | Distinction.
Carnation, yellow or white | Disdain and sorrow.
Carnation, red | My poor heart grieves.
Catchfly, white | A victim of your spells.
Cedar | I live for thee.
Cedar of Lebanon | Incorruptible memories.
Celandine | Future joys be yours.
Cherry Tree | Education of my heart.
China Aster | Variety desired.
China Pink | Aversion to love.
Chrysanthemum, rose | True love.
Chrysanthemum, white | Truth will out.
Chrysanthemum, yellow | Forever love and happiness.
Cinquefoil | Beloved girl.
Clematis | Artifice, coquetry.
Clover, 4-leaf | Good luck to all.
Clover, red | Industry helps.
Clover, white | Think of me always.
Coboea | Gossip is cruel.
Cockscomb | Affectation mars.
Coltsfoot | Justice follows.
Columbine | Folly to be loved.
Columbine, purple | Resolved to win.
Columbine, red | Anxious waiting.
Convolvulus Major | Dead hope.
Convolvulus Minor | Uncertainty and pain.
Corchorus | Impatience to see you.
Coreopsis | Love at first sight.
Corn | Wealth and joy.
Cornelian, Cherry Tree | Durability of love.
Cornilla | Success in wooing.
Cowslip | Pensiveness.
Cowslip, American | My divinity is here.
Crape Myrtle | Eloquence in pleading.
Cress, Indian | Resignation.
Crocus | Cheerfulness with you.
Crown, Imperial | Majesty of your glance.
Currants | You please me.
Cypress | Mourning for you.
Cypress and Marigold | Despair in my heart.
Daffodil | Chivalry tells.
Dahlia | Forever thine.
Daisy, Garden | I agree with you.
Daisy, Michaelmas | Farewell, my dear.
Daisy, white | Innocence and faith.
Daisy, wild | I think of you.
Dandelion | Coquetry is not like you.
Daphne Odorata | I would have you always.
Dead Leaves | Sadness in my soul.
Diosma | Uselessness of pleading.
Dock | Patience will tell.
Dodder | Meanness is despicable.
Ebony | Hypocrisy hurts.
Eglantine | Healing my heart.
Elder | Compassion from you.
Elm | Dignity in your attention.
Elm, American | Patriotism.
Endive | Frugality wins.
Eupatorium | Delay no more.
Evening Primrose | Inconstancy is pain.
Evergreen | Poverty disguised.
Ferns | Fascination.
Filbert | Reconciliation with you.
Fir Tree | Elevation to your heart.
Flax | Kindness wins.
Flowering Reed | Confidence in you.
Forget-me-not | True love.
Foxglove | Insincerity disgusts me.
Fraxinella | Fire purifies.
Fuchsia, scarlet | Taste differs.
Gardenia | Ecstasy is mine.
Geranium, Apple | Preference for you.
Geranium, Ivy | Happiness will come.
Geranium, Nutmeg | A meeting soon.
Geranium, Oak | Deign to smile on me.
Geranium, Rose | Preference for me.
Geranium, Silver Leaf | Recall that word.
Gillyflower | Beauty wins.
Goldenrod | Be cautious, dear.
Gooseberry | Anticipation of evil.
Goosefoot | Goodness conquers.
Gorse | Affection for you.
Grape | Charity at home.
Grass | Utility.
Guelder Rose (Snowball) | Winter is near.
Harebell | Grief sears the soul.
Hawthorn | Hope for spring.
Hazel | Reconciliation.
Heartsease | Think of me.
Heartsease, purple | You cheer my thoughts.
Health | Solitude is harmful.
Helenium | Tears conquer.
Heliotrope, Peruvian | Devotion to an ideal.
Hellebore | Scandal is ripe.
Hepatica | Confidence wins.
Holly | Foresight is best.
Hollyhock | Fruitfulness.
Hollyhock, white | Ambition will conquer.
Honesty (Lunaria) | Sincerity for you.
Honeysuckle | Sweet love.
Honeyflower | Secret love in my heart.
Hop | Injustice hurts.
Hornbeam | Ornament.
Horse-Chestnut | Luxury will be yours.
House-Leek | Economy is best.
Houstonia | Content be mine.
Hoya (Wax Plant) | Sculpture.
Hyacinth, white | Unobtrusiveness wins.
Hyacinth, blue | Constancy a blessing.
Hyacinth, purple | Sorrow.
Hydrangea | Heartlessness grieves.
Indian Cress | Resignation.
Iris | Message of love.
Iris, German | Warmth of heart.
Ivy | Fidelity to me.
Jessamine, Cape | Joy and rapture.
Jessamine, white | Amiability.
Jessamine, yellow | Elegance of dress.
Jonquil | Return of affection.
Juniper | Protection and love.
Justicia | Perfection of duty.
Kennedya | Beauty becomes you.
Laburnum | Pensiveness.
Lady’s Slipper | Win me! I am for you.
Lantana | Rigor of conscience.
Larch | Boldness of action.
Larkspur | Fickleness will lose.
Laurel | Glory and fame.
Laurestinus | Don’t neglect me.
Lavender | Distrust me.
Lemon Blossom | Discretion is best.
Lettuce | Cruel girl.
Lilac | Emotion of love.
Lilac, white | Youth and hope.
Lily | Modesty becomes you.
Lily-of-the-Valley | Happiness is here.
Lily, Day | Coquetry harms.
Lily, Water | Eloquence tells.
Lily, yellow | Gaiety.
Linden Tree | Conjugal love.
Live Oak | Liberty of action.
Locust | Affection for me.
London Pride | Frivolity is bad.
Love-Lies-Bleeding | Hopeless passion.
Lungwort | Life art thou to me.
Lupina | Imagination fails.
Lychnis | Feeling for me.
Madder | Calumny harms.
Magnolia, Chinese | Love of nature.
Magnolia | Peerless girl.
Magnolia, Swamp | Perseverance wins.
Mallow | Mildness is best.
Mandrake | Horror of evil.
Maple | Reserve of force.
Marigold | Cruelty weakens.
Marigold, African | Vulgar-minded.
Marigold, French | Jealousy pains.
Marjoram | Blushes for shame.
Meadow-Saffron | Age comes rapidly.
Meadow-Sweet | Uselessness of refusing.
Mignonette | Charm of love.
Minosa | Sensitiveness.
Mint | Virtue.
Mistletoe | Kisses that delight.
Mock Orange (Syringa) | Counterfeit love.
Moonwort | Forgetfulness of pain.
Moss | Maternal affection.
Motherwort | Secret love.
Mountain Laurel | Treachery to none.
Mulberry, black | I will not survive trouble.
Mulberry, white | Wisdom of the heart.
Mullein | Good nature.
Mushroom | Suspicion of infidelity.
Mustard-seed | Indifference to me.
Myosotis | Forget-me-not.
Myrtle | Love me always.
Narcissus | Egotism harms.
Peach Blossom | Marriage with one’s love.
Pride of China (Melia) | Worry and pain.
Primrose | Youth is jovial.
Primrose, Evening | Inconstancy.
Privet | Mildness of temper.
Quince | Temptation.
Ragged Robin | Wit and gaiety.
Reeds | Music has charms.
Rose | Love will win.
Rose, American | You are lovely.
Rose, Bridal | Happy love.
Rose, Burgundy | Unconscious beauty.
Rose, China | Grace is yours.
Rose, pink | Smile upon me.
Rose, damask | Freshness of youth.
Rose, hundred leaved | Pride of innocence.
Rose, Moss | Compassion of love.
Rose, red | Hastefulness.
Rose, Sweetbrier | Sympathy with you.
Rose, Tea | Always lovely.
Rose, white | I am worthy of you.
Roses, withered | A transient joy.
Rose, Wild | Worthy of you.
Rose, yellow | Jealousy in my heart.
Roses, Garland of | Reward of virtue.
Rosebud | You are a girl of taste.
Rosebud, white | Innocence.
Rue | Disdain me not.
Rush | Docility to me.
Saffron | Danger threatens.
Sage | Esteem me.
Satin Flower (Lunaria) | Sincerity.
Sensitive Plant | Timidity becomes you.
Service Tree | Prudence is best.
Shamrock | Light-heartedness.
Snapdragon | Presumption of love.
Snowball | Thoughts of bliss.
Snowdrop | Consolation be mine.
Sorrel | Jest not.
Southernwood | Jesting is cruel.
Spearmint | Warmth of passion.
Speedwell | Fidelity.
Starwort | Welcome home.
Stock, Ten-week | Promptitude of action.
Stramonium | Disguise your feelings.
Straw | Agreement with me.
Strawberry | Excellence of taste.
Strawberry Tree | I esteem you.
Sumac | Splendor of thought.
Sunflower | An adorer is here.
Sweet Pea | Depart not from me.
Sweet William | Finesse is necessary.
Sycamore | Curiosity to know.
Syringa | Memory of the past.
Tansy | Forgetfulness.
Teasel | Misanthropy.
Thistle | Sadness at home.
Thorns | Severity of deed.
Thyme | Activity will win.
Tuberose | Danger is near.
Tulips | Declaration of passion.
Verbena | Pray for me.
Violet, blue | Loving-kindness helps.
Violet, white | Modesty and passion.
Weeping Willow | Forsaken by all.
Witch-Hazel | You cast a spell over me.
Yew | Sorrow is mine.

POPULAR BELIEFS AMONG THE ANCIENTS
AS TO THE INFLUENCE OF
PRECIOUS STONES

It would require a volume to give a summary of all the quaint and mysterious beliefs that cluster about precious stones. From very ancient times they have been more or less associated with the idea that they influence human life and happiness. Below we give a few of the many traits and influences of the stones in general use. We do not desire to appeal to the credulity of our readers, but merely to enlighten them as to the folklore of this subject.

These indications are taken literally from “many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore.”

Agate.—An old popular notion regards it as a guarantee against drunkenness. The water in which it is steeped is said to cure sterility. It is said also to counteract magical charms.

Batrachite.—This substance, which is really silicate of magnesia, used to be regarded as a stone found in the body of a frog, and it was supposed to have great powers against poison and sorcery.

Beryl.—The water in which this stone has been dipped causes sympathy between those who drink it.

Chrysolite.—Albertus Magnus regarded it as a preservative against frenzy, but it is also a penitential stone, causing sorrow for wrongdoing in the heart of the sinner who wears it. Finally it is a cure for the gout.

Chrysoprase.—Has the property of strengthening the eyes, raising the spirits and rendering a man liberal and joyous.

Coral.—Was said to protect any house against epidemic disease, to stop the flow of blood, to drive away evil spirits, to avert lightning and hail.

Diamond.—It would be curious if many traditions of occult power had not centralized about this precious stone, and a bare enumeration only of its virtues is possible in the present place. It prevails against poison, plague, panic, insomnia, charms and enchantments. It soothes anger, reconciles husbands and wives. When it has been consecrated under the planet Mars and engraved with an image of that deity, it renders the wearer invincible, whence it naturally inspires courage. Worn round the neck, it insures safe childbirth. In some other ways, it seems to have been regarded as unpropitious.

Emerald.—If ground into powder, this stone was supposed to cure dysentery and the bites of venomous animals. There is a chance that those who wear it will not be subject to epilepsy. It also strengthens memory and maintains chastity.

Heliotrope.—The stone bearing the name, in common with a beautiful and well-known flower, should be sought by the curious, as it renders the wearer invisible. But it is unknown in these days.

Hematite or Bloodstone.—Valuable for its power in incantations, against the sorcery of the evil eye, and to cement the bonds of friendship among male persons.

Hyacinth.—This also is a preservative against the plague, which was a common scourge in the old days, and was therefore an especial concern of occult medicine and its substitutes. The hyacinth was also a cure for dropsy.

Jade.—This is another stone which protects against venomous beasts.

Jasper.—This stone is noticeable chiefly as a favorite gem on which magical signs were engraved, so that they might be worn as amulets. But it also preserved the wearer from poisonous bites.

Linurgas or Lapis Lineus.—A stone of ancient repute which would turn white if enveloped in a linen cloth, and the use of it would then prove beneficial in projects of magic. But it has been decided that the gem itself is fabulous, not to speak of the properties attributed thereto.

Onyx.—When engraved with the head of a camel, this stone procured evil dreams. It may have been used against enemies.

Opal.—The malefic influence which is sometimes attributed to this jewel, by which it has almost come to be regarded as unfortunate in the world of gems, has little authority in past traditions. It acted rather like a cordial to the heart of the wearer, was a safeguard against poison and contagion transmitted in the atmosphere; it served to raise the spirits and was valuable in affections of the eye.

Pearl.—If worn on the neck, it preserved chastity; if ground to powder and taken in milk, it sweetened irritable tempers; if ground with sugar, it cured pestilential fevers.

Perithe.—Whether precious or not, this stone seems unfamiliar to lapidaries, and as regards its appearance we can only report that it was of yellow color. Its virtue was to cure gout, and it had the power to burn the hand when it was held firmly. There are other fabulous stones, as, for example, Lapis Aguila or Eagle Stone, said to be found in the nest of that bird. It assisted childbirth, and according to Dioscorides, served to discover thieves.

Ruby.—The range of auspicious influences possessed by precious stones is exceedingly restricted, and the same virtues recur continually. The ruby resists poison, preserves from the plague, banishes melancholy and diverts evil thoughts. If it should change its color, this is a sign of approaching misfortunes, but it reverts to the original hue when the evil has passed away.

Sapphire.—This stone was good for inflammation of the eyes, and it also attracted good fortune.

Topaz.—This has the faculty of cooling boiling water, and it has been said that those who desire to regain lost positions should not fail to carry it about their person. It procures the sympathy of the whole world.

Turquoise.—We find only that this gem is liable to change its color when worn by certain people, not otherwise described.

The Language of Precious Stones

The ancients attributed marvelous properties to many of the precious stones. We give in tabular form the different months and the stones sacred to them, with their respective meanings. It has been customary among lovers and friends to notice the significance attached to the various stones in making birthday, engagement and wedding presents.

January, Garnet—Constancy and fidelity in every engagement.

February, Amethyst—Preventive against violent passions.

March, Bloodstone—Courage, wisdom and firmness in affection.

April, Sapphire—Free from enchantment; denotes repentance.

May, Emerald—Discovers false friends, and insures true love.

June, Agate—Insures long life, health and prosperity.

July, Ruby—Corrects evils resulting from mistaken friendship.

August, Sardonyx—Insures original felicity.

September, Chrysolite—Free from all evil passions and sadness of mind.

October, Opal—Denotes hope, and sharpens the sight and faith of the possessor.

November, Topaz—Fidelity and friendship. Prevents bad dreams.

December, Turquoise—Denotes prosperity in love.

THE LANGUAGE OF POSTAGE STAMPS

The government desires the postage stamp to be placed on a letter in the extreme upper right-hand corner. This is requested in order to facilitate the canceling of a stamp by a special machine made for that purpose.

Lovers, however, often oppose this regulation and use the stamp as a means of conveying a message to their beloved. The following are the usual meanings attached to the position of the stamp:

Placing the stamp in the upper right-hand corner at a slight angle means: “I expect an immediate reply.”

At an angle of 45 degrees: “I am provoked at your long silence.”

Placing the stamp upside down: “You are very cruel.”

Placing the stamp half an inch from the upper and right-hand edges means: “Expect me tonight.” Placing the stamp at the upper left-hand corner: “Be careful how you reply to this.”

Placing the stamp at the lower right-hand corner: “Beware! Father has caught on.”

Tearing a stamp in half and placing each half with a slight space between; in the upper right-hand corner: “Our friendship is at an end.”

Tearing the stamp and placing the halves in the upper left-hand corner: “You have broken my heart.”

Using two one-cent stamps; in place of a two-cent stamp, if placed alongside of each other in the upper right-hand corner, means: “My love for you has doubled.”

Two penny stamps in the upper left-hand corner means: “You have a rival.”

Two penny stamps one above the other means: “I will call to see you tonight.”

Two two-cent stamps where only one is necessary means: “My love for you stops at nothing.”

Two penny stamps reversed means: “I am thinking of you with joy.”

Lovers frequently place a message of love under the stamp, which must be taken off in order that the message can be read.

THE MEANING OF MOLES

Moles, which appear on the bodies of most persons in various locations, have always been mysteriously connected with the fate of the individual concerned. Just how this belief originated it is hard to tell, but the fundamental idea is that moles are placed upon the body to foretell an event or decide the characteristics of a person.

In some countries moles are regarded with reverence, and the hair which grows in tufts from the moles is never pulled out or shaved. In Latin countries it is a common sight to see men with clean-shaven faces but with a mole on cheek or chin from which the hair is allowed to grow quite long.

Authorities differ as to the significance of moles and give different interpretations to them. The following may be taken as the most accepted view:

A mole on the right cheek indicates beauty, modesty, charity.

A mole on the left cheek indicates vanity and frivolity.

A mole on the chin denotes long life to the bearer.

A mole over either eye indicates sagacity and farsightedness.

A mole on the forehead signifies mental activity and ambition.

A mole on the neck near the front indicates artistic temperament.

A mole on the right shoulder indicates beauty and capriciousness.

A mole on the left shoulder indicates domestic accomplishments and tastes.

A mole on the right bosom indicates tendency to weakness and ill health.

A mole on the left bosom indicates a tendency to hereditary illness.

A mole on the back indicates characteristics inherited from the father.

A mole on the abdomen indicates robust health and vigor.

A mole on the right thigh indicates virile strength.

A mole on the left thigh indicates ambition and success.

Many small moles on arms or legs indicate robust health and long life.

WEATHER PROPHECIES FROM AN OLD ALMANAC

1. Chances of the Coming Year.—If the night of January 1 should be fine and calm, without rain or wind, it signifies a good year and abundance of everything. If the wind is in the east, there will be mortality of cattle; if in the west, there will be grave trouble, wars and dissensions among nations; if in the south, there will be some mortality among human beings; if in the north, there is the likelihood of barrenness in all harvests.

2. The Year’s Chances.—When Christmas Day falls during the moon’s increase, the year will be very good, and the nearer that it is to the new moon the better it will be. But if it falls during the waning moon, there will be a hard year, and the nearer that it is to the decrescence the worse it will be.

3. Signs of the Sun.—If it be red in the morning, there will be rain in the evening; if it be red in the evening, a fine morning will follow. Fine weather must not be expected when the sun rises with long beams of light shooting over devolving clouds. Should the luminary look small and round like a ball this denotes rain or tempest. Rain and thunder are signified when the sun grows dark and obscure in the daytime. A bad day will follow when it sets enveloped in black cloud.

4. Signs of Fine Weather.—This is denoted by a slight fog in the east before sunrise; by a white or aureated border about the horizon, and moisture on windows at dawn; by a heavy dew and a serene sun in the early morning; and by clearness, brightness and small, scattered red clouds at sunset.

5. Lunar Signs.—A blue tinge on the moon portends rain, a red tinge means wind to come, but white coloring signifies fine weather. Fine days are likely to follow a fine Tuesday. If the horns are obscured on the third or fourth day, this indicates rain. If the circle of the moon is red, a bad time may follow; if it does not appear at all on the fourth day of its renewal, the whole period of the moon will be dull and rainy. If it rains on the first Tuesday after the full moon, it will so continue during the rest of the moon’s period, and the reverse in the contrary case. If the moon is clear on rising, there will be fine weather in summer and severe cold in winter; clearness at the full promises a fair time; so also when the halo melts quickly, but a double halo means storm.

6. Star Signs.—When the stars seem longer than usual, rain is likely; when they are nebulous or obscure, though no clouds are visible, this means rain or snow—according to season. When they are encircled by fog, a cold wind is betokened; when they are clear and sparkling, it means cold in winter and fair weather in summer.

7. Vintage Prospects.—If the sun is clear and bright on the Feast of Vincent, an old adage says that there will be more wind than water, which means that there will be a rich harvest of grapes.

HOW TO TELL ONE’S AGE

Girls of a marriageable age do not like to tell how old they are, but you can find out by following these instructions, the young lady doing the figuring. Tell her to put down the number of the month in which she was born; then to multiply it by 2; then to add 5; then to multiply it by 50; then to add her age; then to subtract 365; then to add 115; then tell her to tell you the amount she has left. The two figures to the right will denote her age, and the remainder the month of her birth. For example, the amount is 822. She is twenty-two years old, and was born in the eighth month, (August.) Try it.

There is a good deal of amusement in the following magical table of figures. It will enable you to tell how old the ladies are. Just hand this table to a young lady, and request her to tell you in which column or columns her age is contained, and add together the figures at the top of the columns in which her age is found, and you have the great secret. Thus suppose her age to be 17, you will find that number in the first and fifth columns; add the first figures of these two columns. Here is the magic table:

1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 32
3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 33
5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 34
7 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 19 | 35
9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 36
11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 21 | 37
13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 22 | 38
15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 23 | 39
17 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 40
19 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 41
21 | 22 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 42
23 | 23 | 23 | 27 | 27 | 43
25 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 44
27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 45
29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 46
31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 47
33 | 34 | 36 | 40 | 48 | 48
35 | 35 | 37 | 41 | 49 | 49
37 | 38 | 38 | 42 | 50 | 50
39 | 39 | 39 | 43 | 51 | 51
41 | 42 | 44 | 44 | 52 | 52
43 | 43 | 45 | 45 | 53 | 53
45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 54 | 54
47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 55 | 55
49 | 50 | 52 | 56 | 56 | 56
51 | 51 | 53 | 57 | 57 | 57
53 | 54 | 54 | 58 | 58 | 58
55 | 55 | 55 | 59 | 59 | 59
57 | 58 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60
59 | 59 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61
61 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62
63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63

HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL

Moore, the poet, has given expression to his ideal of beauty in the following lines:

“This was not the beauty, oh, nothing like this, That to young Nourmahal gave such magic bliss; But that loveliness, ever in motion, which plays Like the light upon autumn’s shadowy days.”

“Now here and now there, giving warmth as it flies From the lips to the cheek, from the cheek to the eyes; Now melting in mist, and now breaking in gleams, Like the glimpses a saint has of heavenly dreams.”

Wordsworth also expressed himself in the following lines:

“He was among the prime in worth, An object beauteous to behold: Well born, well bred; I sent him forth Ingenuous, innocent, and bold.”

Perhaps you ask how you can attain beauty if you do not possess it? Or, if you have some of its qualities, how you may get those you are lacking. If you will practice the following rules you will grow more and more beautiful in the eyes of others, even if age does bring gray hair and a wrinkled skin.

First—Cleanliness is next to godliness. Practice it in every feature of your daily life.

Second—Have some purpose to achieve and steadfastly work to attain it.

Third—Cultivate self-discipline; be master of your passions, under all circumstances.

Fourth—Study to know the laws of life that yield harmony and good health and obey them. Look on the bright side of life always.

Fifth—Avoid intemperance in all things.

Sixth—Cultivate every mental and bodily quality that will make you firm in goodness, strong and physically able to be useful to your kind, generous and broad-minded, self-sacrificing, and you will daily and hourly be lovely and grow into the beautiful.

MEMORY RHYMES

The Months

Thirty days hath September, April, June and November; All the rest have thirty-one, But February, which has twenty-eight alone. Except in leap-year; then’s the time When February’s days are twenty-nine.

Birthdays

Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best day of all, Thursday for crosses, Friday for losses, Saturday no luck at all. He who’s born on the day of rest In health and fortunes has the best.

The lines refer to the days of the week as birthdays.

They are, in idea, the same as the more familiar lines:

Monday’s child is fair of face, Tuesday’s child is full of grace; Wednesday’s child is merry and glad, Thursday’s child is sorry and sad; Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child must work for its living; While the child that is born on the Sabbath Day Is blithe and bonny, and good and gay.

Short Grammar

Three little words you often see Are Articles, a, an and the. A Noun’s the name of anything, As school or garden, hoop or swing. Adjectives tell the kind of noun, As great, small, pretty, white or brown. Instead of nouns, the Pronouns stand— His head, her face, your arm, my hand. Verbs tell something to be done— To read, count, laugh, sing, jump or run. How things are done, the adverbs tell— As slowly, quickly, ill or well. Conjunctions join the words together— As men or women, wind or weather. The Preposition stands before The noun, as in or through the door.

The Interjection shows surprise— As, Oh! how pretty; Ah! how wise. The whole are called nine parts of speech, Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

To Tell the Age of Horses

To tell the age of any horse, Inspect the lower jaw, of course; The six front teeth the tale will tell, And every doubt and fear dispel.

Two middle “nippers” you behold Before the colt is two weeks old, Before eight weeks will two more come; Eight months the “corners” cut the gum. The outside grooves will disappear From middle two in just one year. In two years, from the second pair; In three, the corners, too, are bare.

At two the middle “nippers” drop; At three, the second pair can’t stop. When four years old the third pair goes, At five a full new set he shows. The deep black spots will pass from view At six years from the middle two. The second pair at seven years; At eight the spot each “corner” clears. From middle “nippers” upper jaw, At nine the black spots will withdraw. The second pair at ten are white; Eleven finds the “corners” light.

As time goes on, the horsemen know, The oval teeth three-sided grow; They longer get, project before, Till twenty, when we know no more.

Bees

A swarm of bees in May Is worth a load of hay; A swarm of bees in June Is worth a silver spoon; A swarm of bees in July Is not worth a fly.

The Cuckoo

May—sings all the day; June—changes his tune; July—prepares to fly; August—go he must.

Rules for Riding

Keep up your head and your heart, Your hands and your heels keep down, Press your knees close to your horse’s side, And your elbows close to your own.

Transcriber's Notes:

The cover image was created by the transcriber, and is in the public domain.

Uncertain or antiquated spellings or ancient words were not corrected.

The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate.

Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not corrected unless otherwise noted.

Typographical errors have been silently corrected but other variations in spelling and punctuation remain unaltered.