TELLING FORTUNES BY CARDS, DICE, DOMINOES, ETC.
WHAT THE FUTURE HAS IN STORE
THERE is no more amusing diversion for a frivolous half-hour’s
entertainment than that of fortune-telling by cards. Young or old enjoy
it, and with a ready tongue the combinations presented may be so varied
that quite surprisingly good predictions can be made.
Surround the whole business with as much mystery as possible. Insist
that all shuffling be done by the subject himself, and that cutting is
always carried out with the _left_ hand.
Learn the meanings of the cards by heart. This is not difficult, and by
doing so one is enabled to tell a fortune _quickly_: always a more
impressive proceeding than telling it card by card.
These are the generally accepted meanings of the cards:--
CLUBS
Ace of Clubs, _wealth and prosperity_. King of Clubs, _upright_,
_affectionate_. Queen of Clubs, _deeply in love_. Knave of Clubs,
_generous and sincere_. Ten of Clubs, _a fortune from an unexpected
quarter_. Nine of Clubs, _obstinacy_; _disputes with friends_. Eight of
Clubs, _a love of money_. Seven of Clubs, _fortune and great happiness_.
Six of Clubs, _a lucrative partnership_. Five of Clubs, _marriage with a
wealthy person_. Four of Clubs, _inconstancy_. Three of Clubs, _a second
or third marriage_. Two of Clubs, _opposition_.
SPADES
Ace of Spades, _a love affair_; _if reversed, a death_. King of Spades,
_an ambitious person_. Queen of Spades, _a treacherous friend_. Knave of
Spades, _indolent, but well-meaning_. Ten of Spades, _an unlucky card_.
Nine of Spades, _the worst card in the pack_; _sickness, or loss of
fortune_. Eight of Spades, _opposition from friends_. Seven of Spades,
_sorrow_. Six of Spades, _great fortune_. Five of Spades, _success_; _a
happy marriage_. Four of Spades, _illness_; _small loss of money_. Three
of Spades, _an unfortunate marriage_. Two of Spades, _a death_.
HEARTS
Ace of Hearts, _pleasure_; _if with Spades, quarreling_; _if with
Diamonds, news of an absent friend_; _if with Clubs, merry-making_. King
of Hearts, _nice, but hasty and passionate_. Queen of Hearts, _fair,
affectionate_. Knave of Hearts, _the subject’s dearest friend_. Ten of
Hearts, _the antidote of bad cards that lie near it, but confirming the
good_. Nine of Hearts, _wealth_; _this is also the wish card_. Eight of
Hearts, _feasting and merry-making_. Seven of Hearts, _fickle_. Six of
Hearts, _generous, easily imposed upon_. Five of Hearts, _waverer,
changeable_. Four of Hearts, _marriage late in life_. Three of Hearts,
_imprudent_; _hot-headed action, which has disastrous consequences_. Two
of Hearts, _extraordinary success and good fortune_.
DIAMONDS
Ace of Diamonds, _a letter; the card next to it will indicate its
nature_. King of Diamonds, _hot tempered_. Queen of Diamonds, _a
coquette_. Knave of Diamonds, _a selfish person_. Ten of Diamonds,
_money_. Nine of Diamonds, _a roving person_. Eight of Diamonds,
_marriage late in life_. Seven of Diamonds, _a gambler_. Six of
Diamonds, _early marriage_. Five of Diamonds, _friendship_. Four of
Diamonds, _unhappy marriage_. Three of Diamonds, _quarrels, lawsuits,
and disagreements_. Two of Diamonds, _a serious love affair_.
There are two effective ways of fortune-telling.
For the first, ask your subject to shuffle the cards very thoroughly and
to wish all the time. Then cut them into three piles with the left hand.
Should the wish card (the Nine of Hearts) be one of those cut, it is a
lucky omen.
Notice two other cards and their possible bearing on the wish. Now,
after lifting the cards and putting them together with the left hand,
proceed to divide them into piles in this fashion.
The first pile is to yourself. The second, to the house. The third, to
your wish. The fourth, what you do expect. The fifth, what you don’t
expect. The sixth, sure to come true. The seventh foretells the
happenings of to-night.
Arrange these piles, as you deal out the cards one by one, in a
semicircle. Then proceed to read them off by their meanings.
Another and rather more complicated method is to ask the person whose
fortune is being told which King he will be (if it is a woman, one would
naturally ask which Queen).
After the wishing has been done as before, the fortune-teller lays out
the cards in rows--seven in a row.
To read the fortune the teller must start from the King or Queen chosen,
counting seven from him or her in every case.
The King or Queen of the same suit will always be the lover or
sweetheart of the one whose fortune is being told, and the Knave being
their thoughts, it is, of course, quite easy to discover their feelings.
It is rather a good plan to write the meanings of the cards on an old
pack. By using this a few times a rapid flow of ideas will much more
readily be induced. It might be mentioned that a too strict adherence to
rule is by no means either necessary or desirable in fortune-telling.
Tell what the combination of cards suggests to you--quite irrespective
of the exact meaning of each--and you will be infinitely more amusing
and obtain much greater fame as a wizard.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Cards dealt for fortune-telling: 1. to yourself;
2. to the house; 3. to your wish; 4. what you _do_ expect; 5. what you
don’t expect; 6. sure to come true; 7. to-night.]
A few predictions are shown by the accompanying diagrams. Fig. 1 depicts
the manner of dealing out the cards in sets of seven, and in what
respect each is to be read.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Cards foretelling a wish about a love
affair--leading to an early marriage.]
Fig. 2 shows three cards which might conceivably come together in any
one set. They would be read as foretelling the following:--You will get
a wish (Nine of Hearts), which is about a love affair (Ace of Spades),
and it will lead to an early marriage (Six of Diamonds).
Fig. 3 conveys the following:--You will get a letter (Ace of Diamonds)
about money (Ten of Diamonds). Your good fortune, however, will not
permit you to marry until late in life (Eight of Diamonds). The five
cards representing Fig. 4 tell that the subject’s dearest friend (Knave
of Hearts) will make the acquaintance of a flirt (Queen of Diamonds),
and will shortly after suffer illness or slight loss of money (Four of
Spades), but afterwards he will fall in love with a fair affectionate
woman (Queen of Hearts) and enjoy extraordinary success (Two of Hearts).
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Foretelling the receipt of a letter about money,
but the good fortune will not permit the recipient to marry until late
in life.]
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Reveals that the subject’s dearest friend will
make the acquaintance of a flirt, and will shortly suffer illness or
slight loss of money, but afterwards will fall in love with a fair
affectionate woman and enjoy extraordinary success.]
A THROW OF THE DICE
Although forecasting of the future from dice is one of the most ancient
methods of prediction, it is curiously enough almost unknown in modern
days. For this reason it is of special value to the home entertainer,
and will prove infinitely simpler than the cards, the meanings being
easier to learn as well as fewer in number.
First chalk a magic circle on the table, then obtain a small cup or box
to shake the dice in.
Three dice only should be used.
The person whose future is at stake must shake and cast the dice in the
circle. This, as in card fortune-telling, should be done with the left
hand.
Three tells you of an approaching accident; four, a rise in your
position; five, that you will make the acquaintance of one who will be a
friend; six, predicts loss; seven, a scandal; eight, a reproach--that
is not undeserved; nine, a wedding; ten, a christening; eleven, trouble
for one you love; twelve, an important letter; thirteen, tears;
fourteen, beware of an enemy; fifteen, good luck and happiness; sixteen,
a journey; seventeen, a water journey; three sixes, or eighteen points,
is a very good sign. It means great profit in business, or something the
person wishes for very much.
FORTUNE-TELLING BY DOMINOES
A fairly unique accomplishment is to reveal the future by the aid of
dominoes, and there is something sufficiently fascinating and mysterious
about this mode of revelation to fill the uninitiated with awe at the
powers of the exponent.
Each small oblong has its secret meaning by which some happening vital
to the subject is illustrated. It is a matter of little difficulty to
commit these to memory; and in this, as in other methods of divination,
the fundamental principle is that of comparison and calculation.
The dominoes used range from double-six to double-blank, and by these
are symbolized the various vicissitudes of fate likely to befall
mankind. The exponent places his paraphernalia upon the table, and,
having turned them with their black spots facing the surface, proceeds
to shuffle them. When this is done, the subject is requested to draw
three pieces, one at a time. Between the choice of each the dominoes are
shuffled.
The first supplies an impression; should it be drawn a second time, the
impression becomes a conviction. The third, however, may lessen or
wholly contradict its degree of importance, and this is where
calculation and comparison in blending the signs are essential to a
successful justification and interpretation of these symbols.
_Double-six_ is an emblem of matrimonial happiness and financial
prosperity.
_Six-five_ is almost equally fortunate. Perseverance and concentration
are rewarded by ultimate success.
_Six-four_ implies a comfortable income, and secures happiness in
marriage.
_Six-three_ demonstrates that fate smiles upon the love and marriage of
the subject.
_Six-two._--Prudence, hard work, and a certain amount of good luck, or
exposure and shame for any wrong-doing.
_Six-one_ promises two marriages to the young subject, the first of
which will not be as happy as the second. Should the subject be of
middle age, this domino foretells the speedy arrival of good things and
the fact that he or she will never be left lonely and uncared for.
_Six-blank_ is, alas, a sign of great trouble--sickness, death, or heavy
money losses.
_Double-five_ presages that all achievements will be rewarded with a
large amount of success, but inordinate wealth is not prophesied.
_Five-four_ is almost as unfortunate a draw as six-blank. Should a young
girl lift it, it means that her future husband will be poor and leave
her a widow. Further, he may be of extravagant disposition, in spite of
his poverty.
_Five-three_ indicates a tranquil and contented existence. Sufficient
money and matrimonial affection of moderate strength, the couple being
incapable of passionate devotion.
_Five-two_ conveys a warning that love and marriage are destined to an
unhappy termination.
_Five-one_ portends social popularity, but financial worries and losses.
_Five-blank_ is supposed to demonstrate egotistical and avaricious
characteristics, tendencies to swindling and intrigues, also a warning
to remain unmarried.
_Double-four._--The man who earns his livelihood by manual labor may
regard this domino as a sign of future security and prosperity, but to
him whose profession needs mental achievement it is rather disastrous.
Troubles and disappointments await him.
_Four-three._--Matrimony and moderate income.
_Four-two_ proclaims an early marriage and moderate income.
_Four-one._--Wealth or many friends.
_Four-blank._--A sure warning that single life will be the best and
happiest. It counsels that any secrets imparted to another will be
indiscreetly revealed.
_Double-three._--Enormous riches.
_Three-two_ foretells prosperity in matrimony, travels, and
speculations.
_Three-one._--Some danger and unhappiness. The necessity for acting with
extreme caution in all matters.
_Three-blank._--Domestic unhappiness--such as a quarrel or
incompatibility of temperament of husband and wife. The absence of
harmony in the home.
_Double-two_ promises average happiness and income.
_Two-one._--Two marriages, if the individual be a woman; financial
failures to a commercial man.
_Two-blank._--The intrigues of unscrupulous persons will meet with
temporary success. It also denotes poverty, and an indolent husband. The
individual will return safely from all journeys undertaken.
_Double-one._--An existence free from money worries; peace and constancy
in love and marriage.
_Double-blank_ seems to favor the deeds of unprincipled persons, and
foretells want of integrity in lover and husband.
FIGURED FUTURITY
That a certain amount of character and future may be revealed by means
of figures is a fact that may be tested for itself. The results achieved
by this method of divination are truly astonishing, and an ample reward
to the mathematician for his attempt to solve the riddle of human
nature.
Certain groups of figures stand for different qualities. Those given in
the table which follows are only a small portion of the whole, but they
are sufficient for the beginner. Each letter of the alphabet has its
accompanying digit, and each digit has its abstract conditions, thus:--
A. 1. Passion, ambition, design.
B. 2. Destruction, death.
C. 3. Religion, destiny, the soul.
D. 4. Solidity, sagacity, power.
E. 5. The stars, happiness, graces, marriage.
F. 6. Perfect labor.
G. 7. Course of life, repose, liberty, success.
H. 8. Justice, preservation.
I. 9. Imperfection, grief, pain, expectation.
J. 600. Perfection.
K. 10. Success, reason, future happiness.
L. 20. Austerity, sadness.
M. 30. Fame, a wedding.
N. 40. Fêtes, a wedding.
O. 50. Pardon, liberty.
P. 60. Widowhood.
Q. 70. Science, the graces.
R. 80. A cure.
S. 90. Blindness, error, affliction.
T. 100. Divine favor.
U. 200. Irresolution.
V. 700. Strength.
W. (double V.), 1400. Perfection of strength.
X. 300. Safety, belief, philosophy.
Y. 400. Long and wearisome journey.
Z. 500. Holiness.
800. Empire.
900. War, combats, struggles.
The first thing the exponent asks is the name of the subject. He writes
it on a slip of paper, and next to each letter its accompanying figure.
Supposing the name to be Dick James Smith, it should appear thus:--
D 4 J 600 S 90
I 9 A 1 M 30
C 3 M 30 I 9
K 10 E 5 T 100
S 90 H 8
Now they are added separately thus:--
Dick 26 James 726 Smith 237
Add the three totals together:--
Dick 26
James 726
Smith 237
----
Which makes 989
----
900. War, combats, struggles.
80. A cure.
9. Imperfection, grief, pain, expectation.
The deduction being that Dick James Smith is endowed with a quarrelsome,
headstrong nature, optimism, and inefficient will-power, which are
destined to cause him great trouble, loss, and misery before they are
conquered.
Should the total of the names reach beyond 1390, the first digit must be
subtracted, as in the name:--
_Johannah_ _Christine_ _Whiting_
J 600 C 3 W 1,400
O 50 H 8 H 8
H 8 R 80 I 9
A 1 I 9 T 100
N 40 S 90 I 9
N 40 T 100 N 40
A 1 I 9 G 7
H 8 N 40
E 5
----- ----- -------
748 344 1,573
----- ----- -------
Total 2,665. Take away the first figure, leaves 665.
600. Perfection.
60. Widowhood.
5. The stars, happiness, graces, marriage, showing that Johannah
Christine Whiting’s life will be a mixture of joy and sorrow, the latter
borne by a courageous and tranquil spirit. Her integrity and
attractiveness of character will, no doubt, bring her much love and many
friends.
The fortune-teller who uses the cabalistic method of revealing Destiny’s
secrets should be extremely careful to attach the correct figures to the
letters contained in the names of the subject, otherwise it is quite
obvious that his delineation will be at fault. He should add the numbers
several times to make sure they are exact. If he has a good memory, he
will memorize the table of qualities, and a great aid to this is to
practice with it before him, manufacturing names, or taking those of
some well-known poet, author, statesman, or ecclesiastic.
His own name will doubtless reveal the fundamental truths of this
method, and the cognomens of well-known personages will show him the
distinguishing traits that have made them famous. For instance, take
_Florence Nightingale_:--
F 6 N 40 _Florence_ 209
L 20 I 9 _Nightingale_ 246
O 50 G 7 ---
R 80 H 8 455
E 5 T 100 ---
N 40 I 9 400. Long and wearisome voyage.
C 3 N 40 50. Pardon and liberty.
E 5 G 7 5. The stars, happiness, graces.
A 1
L 20
E 5
------ -------
209 246
------ -------
DIVINATIONS BY TAROCS
Tarocs differ from the numeral cards used for bridge, whist, &c., in
several ways. A pack consists of seventy-eight cards, made up of
twenty-two emblematic pictures and fifty-six ordinary.
These latter are grouped into four suits of fourteen cards each:--four
_coat cards_--king, queen, chevalier, and valet; and ten _pip cards_,
numbering from 1 to 10.
The twenty-two emblematic cards are known as the _Major Arcana_, and are
divided into three groups of seven, which equal twenty-one cards. The
twenty-second stands for the highest point successful achievement may
reach. The _Major Arcana_ contains:--
_1st Division._
1. The Juggler emblematic of the male inquirer.
2. The High Priestess „ „ woman inquirer.
3. The Empress „ „ action, initiative.
4. The Emperor „ „ will.
5. The Pope „ „ inspiration.
6. Lovers „ „ love.
7. The Chariot „ „ triumph, providential protection.
_2nd Division._
1. Justice emblematic of justice.
2. The Hermit „ „ prudence.
3. The Wheel of Fortune „ „ destiny.
4. Strength „ „ fortitude, courage.
5. The Hanged Man „ „ trial and sacrifice.
6. Death „ „ bereavement.
7. Temperance „ „ temperance.
_3rd Division._
1. The Devil emblematic of immense force or illness.
2. The Struck Tower „ „ ruin and deception.
3. The Stars „ „ hope.
4. The Moon „ „ hidden dangers, enemies.
5. The Sun „ „ material happiness, marriage.
6. Judgment „ „ change of circumstances.
7. The Foolish Man „ „ inconsiderate actions.
The remaining card, No. 22, which belongs to this division, is
The Universe, emblematic of success.
The _Minor Arcana_, divided into two groups of four, corresponding to
the suits of ordinary playing cards:--
Scepters relate to diamonds, interpreted as enterprise.
Cups „ hearts, „ „ love.
Swords „ spades, „ „ misfortune.
Pentacles „ clubs, „ „ interest.
The four _coat cards_ stand for different conditions of existence:--
King, emblematic of man. Divine world (spirituality).
Queen, „ „ woman. Human world (vitality).
Chevalier, „ „ youth. Material world (materiality).
Valet, „ „ childhood. Transition stage (life in growth).
The remaining cards of these suits (1 to 10) are important according to
their relation to the _coat cards_ and their numerical value. These are
divided into four groups:--
(1) 1, 2, 3 of each suit appertain to man--abstract qualities,
creation, and enterprise.
(2) 4, 5, 6 of each suit represent woman--opposition, reflection, and
negation.
(3) 7, 8, 9 of each suit represent youth and materialism.
(4) The four tens of each suit represent the stage of transition.
In order to tell fortunes by means of tarocs, the manipulator must be
perfectly conversant with the design, class, and interpretation of each
card.
PROCESS OF DIVINATION
The complete pack is used. Shuffle and cut into three parts, each
composed of twenty-six cards, thus:--
26 26 26
Take the _central_ pack, and place on the _right_.
The inquirer shuffles the two remaining packs, which equal fifty-two.
These are dealt out in a similar fashion--three groups of seventeen
cards, thus:--
17 17 17
Again remove _central_ pack to the _right_.
Deal out the remaining packs, which equal thirty-four, in three groups
of eleven, thus:--
11 11 11
It will be seen that seventy-eight cards divide equally in the first
deal.
In the second deal, however, only fifty-one cards are used, so that
there is one over. This card is shuffled with the third deal.
Two cards are now over, and these are placed as discards, until the
central pack of the last deal of eleven is put on the right, when they
are shuffled with the remaining twenty-two discards. The cards will now
be as follows:--
26 17 11
Discards = twenty-four, making in all seventy-eight. They are next
placed beneath each other in sequence, thus:--
=A. 26=, emblematic of the supernatural, spiritual.
┏━━━┓
┗━━━┛
=B. 17=, „ „ thoughts and calling of the individual.
┏━━━┓
┗━━━┛
=C. 11=, „ „ physical and material.
┏━━━┓
┗━━━┛
The tarocs of pack A, B, and C are now lifted separately, and placed on
the table from left to right in rows. Each taroc has its meaning, and
from its relation to its fellows the manipulator is able to present a
brief sketch of character, inclination, and futurity.
Another simple method is to shuffle all the cards and request the
inquirer to cut. The manipulator then proceeds to draw the first
seventeen tarocs, uncovering only the eighteenth and last card of the
pack. These two cards create what degree of sympathy is shared between
himself and his client, the keynote being given by the symbolic meaning
attached to the card. The seventeen cards are now revealed from left to
right, their interpretation being given separately. In order to reach a
proper signification, they are then compared as follows:--
The first with the seventeenth.
The second with the sixteenth.
The third with the fifteenth,
and so on, each process increasing or taking from the first
manifestation.