Telling fortunes, by means of playing cards, is one of the oldest amusements indulged in by civilized people. The ancients of the Far East used their Tarot packs for this purpose long before the birth of Christ, and, ever since, it has been recognized that cards can be made to give a surprisingly accurate reading of future events.

It is interesting to note that, until modern times, it was a common practice of men who had to make great and far-reaching decisions for them to consult a pack of cards and to be guided by what was revealed. Napoleon, it may be recalled, never made an important move unless the cards advised him to take the step. Julius Caesar was another great leader who placed his trust in card readings, and even Shakespeare, the shrewdest of all English writers, shows by a number of passages in his plays that he recognized the use of cards for purposes of divination. As for the noted men and women of today, it is rumored that several derive guidance from their packs when they are in doubt.

Whether the science of cartomancy, the name given to telling fortunes by the aid of cards, is taken seriously or not, there is no doubt that it will afford a good deal of merriment when indulged in by a number of pleasure-seeking friends and relations.

There are few rules governing this science, but those there are must be strictly observed. First, it is absolutely imperative that the person who is consulting the cards should set his or her mind on the matter. Thus, when a definite question is requiring an answer, the question itself must fill the mind. To let the mind wander to outside things or things that are not involved must lessen the psychic effect. Next, every consultant must cut the pack with the left hand, in order to set his or her seal on the order of the cards. Finally, to obtain the most accurate results, it is necessary that the consultant or person seeking the information should shuffle the pack.

THE FOUR-CARD DIVINATION

This method of fortunetelling is some hundreds of years old and references to it can be found in the works of people who wrote in Stuart times. After the consultant has shuffled the pack of fifty-two cards, he or she withdraws one of them at random and notes the suit. The card is, then, put back in the pack, which is again shuffled. Next, it is cut with the left hand, as already suggested.

Now comes the "lay-out." The cards are set face upwards on the table in four rows, each of thirteen. In doing this, it is imperative that all the rows should be commenced at the right-hand end.

That done, the key card is sought. In the case of a lady, the key card is the queen of the suit shown by the card which she picked from the pack at the outset. When it is a man who is seeking his fortune, the key card is the king of the suit indicated by the card he picked originally.

Having found the key card in the lay-out, count nine, eighteen, twenty-seven, thirty-six and forty-five spaces from it, and pick up the cards so placed. Remember that in counting, a line must be always begun from the right; also that it may be necessary to revert to the first or subsequent rows in order to obtain the full set of four cards.

In picking up the four cards, be careful to preserve their order; the first must be set out first, the second must come second, and the same with the third and the fourth. Each card stands for some definite portent, and the four portents supply the reading which affects the consultant.

The portents supplied by each card are as follows:—

Hearts

ACE.—Interests will center more in the home than outside it.

KING.—A person who has the good of others at heart.

QUEEN.—Energy and ability are denoted. There is, however, a strong tendency towards admiration for many members of the opposite sex.

JACK.—Inclined to be selfish and somewhat averse to following the desires of others.

TEN.—A happy marriage is indicated.

NINE.—A somewhat restless nature which soon tires and requires a change of scene.

EIGHT.—This is not a good card for those desiring marriage. If such a ceremony does occur, it will be late in coming.

SEVEN.—There is evidence that an open-air life is what is required.

SIX.—A happy marriage in the near future is heralded.

FIVE.—Happiness will be provided, but it will not be the result of riches.

FOUR.—Marriage is likely, but the measure of affection resulting from it appears to be small.

THREE.—Life will entail many reverses, but a broad mind will conquer them.

TWO.—Marriage will result, but not before many trials have beset the path to happiness.

Diamonds

ACE.—Friendships will spring up where enemies have existed.

KING.—There is a clear indication of social happiness, but the home may be neglected.

QUEEN.—This suggests a strong character, but no great amount of affection is displayed.

JACK.—Amiability is the chief character indicated by this card.

TEN.—There are signs of a large and happy family.

NINE.—There is no need to worry over financial matters; money will flow in when most required.

EIGHT.—The consultant should keep a firm check on bad habits.

SEVEN.—A very upright and high-minded individual.

SIX.—A person who wavers when a decision has to be made.

FIVE.—A somewhat shallow character is indicated, one who takes insufficient thought of the morrow.

FOUR.—The consultant displays too little trust in him or herself. An inferiority complex is possessed.

THREE.—A person of considerable merit, but is shy and retiring.

TWO.—Do not tire of waiting for the good things of life; they will come without any doubt.

Clubs

ACE.—A successful life is ensured in the commercial world for men, and in the home for women.

KING.—The consultant will succeed in whatever he or she most desires, but it may entail a tedious wait.

QUEEN.—There are signs that too high a value is placed on the opinions of others.

JACK.—One who loves recreations and who gives too little attention to the necessary things in life.

TEN.—Expect many trials unless the other cards point to favorable issues.

NINE.—Money affairs will cause a good deal of anxiety.

EIGHT.—There are definite signs that many so-called friends will only flock to you when you can be of use to them.

SEVEN.—You will have your share of sorrows.

SIX.—Divide your life into three equal portions. One will be pleasant, one will be very happy and the other, more or less ordinary. The fates say nothing of the order in which they will come.

FIVE.—You will have few causes for regrets, if you continue as you are acting at present.

FOUR.—There are people who are prepared to damage your reputation. Therefore, be on your guard.

THREE.—If a request is made of you in the near future, be cautious how you reply. Much will depend on the answer.

TWO.—Beware of coming storms.

Spades

ACE.—Much good fortune attends the one who finds this card among the four that are chosen.

KING.—A card which indicates that the consultant revels in doing kind actions.

QUEEN.—This indicates that the consultant is, frankly, a flirt.

JACK.—One who tries to make happiness a feature of his or her surroundings.

TEN.—Fix your thoughts on something devoutly wished for and the Fates will grant it to you.

NINE.—You are given to worrying over things that do not really matter.

EIGHT.—Do not set such store on money. It is not the only thing worth having.

SEVEN.—Be very careful that you do not marry for anything but love.

SIX.—There is every prospect of a comfortable home, surrounded by children who bring you happiness.

FIVE.—Happiness will come to you either early in life or very soon.

FOUR.—You do not know how to handle money and you must be careful that you do not trust it to an unworthy person.

THREE.—You expect too many luxuries. You would be far happier if you valued the simple things of life.

TWO.—Do not be depressed by troubles. They will pass away.

Now that the meaning of all the fifty-two cards is known, one thing more requires to be explained. Let us suppose that the four cards have been drawn from the lay-out, as already directed. It may happen that one of them directly contradicts another card. What happens then? In such a case, the second card to be drawn from the lay-out has the effect of cancelling the first, but the force of the second card is weakened thereby and its portent is lessened. It is because of this that it is highly necessary to remember the order in which the four cards are taken from the lay-out.

THE THREE-CARD DIVINATION

In this case, the first thing is to run through an ordinary pack and separate the court from the non-picture cards. The latter are then shuffled by the person seeking information, who finally cuts them with the left hand. That done, the matching card is sought. The matching card, it must be explained, is a card which matches the consultant. Thus:

(a) A lady with brown hair is matched by the Queen of Clubs. A gentleman, by the King of Clubs.

(b) A lady who is blonde, is matched by the Queen of Hearts. A gentleman by the King of Hearts.

(c) A lady with auburn hair is matched by the Queen of Diamonds. A gentleman, by the King of Diamonds.

(d) A lady with black hair is matched by the Queen of Spades. A gentleman, by the King of Spades.

(e) Grey or white hair is matched according to its original color.

As soon as the matching card is decided on, the consultant shuts his or her eyes, and, with the left hand, picks up a portion of the non-picture card pack. With the right hand, he or she places the matching card on the rest of the pack and the whole is reformed.

Thus, the pack now consists of forty-one cards, forty of them being numeral cards and the remaining one, a picture card. On no account may there be any shuffling at this point.

All is ready. The cards are turned over one at a time, no notice being taken of them until the matching card is reached. Then, the next three cards of the same suit as the matching card are withdrawn from the pack and set out on the table, in the order in which they were found. These three cards provide the reading sought by the consultant.

The interpretations are as follows:

ACE.—You will be lucky in love affairs, if you have not already been so. You will make your partner very happy and your home will be your greatest pride.

TWO.—You are inclined to take life too easily and you are not very keen on hard work.

THREE.—You are a rover and are liable to be very unsettled at times. Remember the old saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss.

FOUR.—You will experience four sorrows in your life that you will never forget.

FIVE.—There is not the slightest doubt that you will accumulate wealth. Probably, some of it will come as a legacy.

SIX.—You will gather many friends around you. All of them will not be of equal worth.

SEVEN.—Your health will be one of your strongest points, unless you neglect it, when it will be sure to rebel.

EIGHT.—You are a fortunate person, and there will be more than one occasion in your life when you will experience a very lucky escape.

NINE.—Do not expect to gain riches by means of games of chance, lotteries, etc. Your fortunes will not be increased by them.

TEN.—You have the habit of looking on the bright side of things. This is a quality worth more than all the gold in the world. Cherish it.

THE MAGIC SQUARE

This is a very old way of divining what the Fates have planned for yourself, your friends and your enemies. The first thing is to take out of the pack all the court cards, as well as the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes. Thus, all that is left are the cards ranging between the sevens and the tens—sixteen in all.

The second thing is to take your matching card, as described under the previous heading, and to place it with the sixteen cards. These are, then, well shuffled and cut with your left hand.

The next step is to turn over the cards from the pack, one by one, preserving the order carefully, until the matching card is reached. When this is found, the cards that have been turned over are placed at the bottom of the stack that is left in hand and the "lay-out" is commenced.

The first card in hand is placed on the table and the eight that follow are arranged around it to form a square. This square will thus consist of three rows, each made up of three cards, with the matching card in the center.

It is very important that the eight cards are placed in definite positions, as follows: The first is set down to the right of the matching card; the second to the left of it; the third immediately above it; the fourth just below it; the four remaining cards are placed in the upper left-hand corner of the square, the upper right-hand corner, the lower right-hand corner and the lower left-hand corner, respectively. (See the diagram.)

All these cards are read in the following manner: The three above the matching card refer to the past; the card on either side of it to the present; and the three below it to the future. Next, the three cards on the left-hand side of the matching card refer to your friends; the card above and below the matching card refers to yourself; and those on the right of it to your enemies.

Following this, you must note that a heart stands for very fortunate things, a club for good things, a diamond for things that are passable, and spades for things that are no good at all.

Thus, should a heart come in the middle of the bottom row it shows that you are to be very fortunate in the future; if a diamond fills the same position in the upper row, it is clear that your past was only passably happy; and if a spade comes immediately on the right of the matching card, it is a clear proof that the particular enemy you have in mind is being harassed by a period of ill-luck. And so on, according to which suit fills each of the remaining positions.

THE FORTUNETELLING PYRAMID

A simple way of discovering what kind of luck is awaiting you in the future consists in taking a complete pack of fifty-two cards, shuffling them well, and cutting them with the left hand.

Following this, you place one card on the table, face up. Below it you set out two cards, also face up, and continue with a row of three cards below the two. Other rows follow with four, five, six, seven, eight and nine cards in each, so that the whole forms a pyramid. This accounts for forty-five cards. The surplus of seven are placed on one side when the figure is completed or they may be thrown aside, one at a time, while the figure is being made at any point desired, but it is important that they must be rejected before being seen.

To estimate the amount of luck or good fortune that awaits your future, pick up the last card that was laid down in each row. Naturally, there will now be no card left in the first row, one in the second, two in the third row, and so on until the ninth row will consist of eight cards only. Take the nine cards picked up and sort them into suits. If there are most hearts, you are to be a very lucky person; if there are most clubs, you are to be just lucky; if there are most diamonds you will be passably lucky; but luck will not come your way at all if spades are in the majority.

Should two suits tie for first place the Fates require you to make the pyramid over again.

SEVENS AND THREES

The following method of consulting one's luck must have been attempted many millions of times, but it is not known so well now as it was a century ago. The first thing is to shuffle a full pack thoroughly. This, of course, must be done by the person whose luck is being tested. And then, it is necessary that he or she cuts with the left hand.

After these preliminaries, someone takes the pack and deals the cards one at a time, face downwards, on to the table, placing them in a heap. The consultant who is seeking to find out what the Fates are determining should really be blindfolded, but this is unnecessary if the cards are new and cannot be recognized by any markings on the backs.

The consultant has to choose any three cards as they are being slowly dealt. They can be three cards coming together, or widely separated, or just as he or she fancies.

As each card is selected, it is set aside and, when the three are chosen, not before, they are turned face up and arranged in the order of selection. Each card from one to nine stands for its own value, but tens and all court cards stand for nought. Thus, if the three cards are a seven, a ten and a five, the mystic number derived from them is 705.

The final step is to find out if the mystic number is divisible either by seven or by three. If the total is divisible by either of these numbers, then there is good luck awaiting the consultant; if the total is divisible by both seven and three, the luck is doubled. On the other hand, should there be a remainder when dividing, bad luck is not claimed.

YOUR LUCK IN THE COMING WEEK

A hundred years ago, this method of reading what the Fates were likely to provide for us in the coming week was resorted to in almost every house where a pack of cards existed.

The first step is to pick out your matching card from the pack, as explained under the heading "The Three-Card Divination." This card is set out on the table, face up. Then you shuffle the remainder of the pack and cut it with your left hand. That done, you form a ring round the matching card, using the first seven cards from the pack for the purpose. All the cards in the ring should be face down and none should overlap.

The next thing is to discard the three top cards from what remains of the pack and then to take the third, sixth, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth, eighteenth and twenty-first cards, placing them one each on the seven cards already set out in a circle. These cards must not be looked at while this is being done, and they may be set on the original seven in any order thought fit. But this should be noted, whichever card is paired first must be taken to represent the coming Sunday and the other days follow in a clockwise arrangement.

Thus, the arrangement now consists of a circle, formed of seven heaps each consisting of two cards. Read them thus:

ARE YOU TO BE LUCKY?

Ever since the pack of cards has been constituted as it is now, it has been considered that the four suits have a definite value as far as luck and fortune are concerned. This is a fact that most people probably know, but for the benefit of those who are unaware of it, we will point out that hearts stand for more luck than all the others, that clubs are the next in point of favor, that diamonds come third, and that spades bring no luck at all.

These values are used in the following method of finding out whether you may consider yourself as lucky or not. The full pack is taken and, from it, all the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes are extracted. These cards are put on one side, as they are not used, and the remainder is shuffled.

The next thing is for you to cut the short pack with the left hand and then to deal it into four equal stacks. Each stack is given one card at a time; that is to say, the eight cards of one stack are not allotted all at once.

This done, you take the third heap, without looking at the other three, and turn up the cards. Most likely all the suits will be represented and the thing is to note how many cards there are of each. If there are most of hearts, your good luck is assured; if clubs predominate, then you are still fortunate; if diamonds head the list, you will have average luck; but when spades are in the majority, your best plan is to tell yourself that there is no such thing as good and bad luck.

One thing more about the reckoning. If, say, hearts occur only four times in the heap, and no other suit is present as often, then, as we say, good luck is yours. But, should hearts occur five, six, seven or eight times, then your good luck is correspondingly increased in amount. The same rule should be applied to the other suits.

PEERING INTO THE FUTURE

You probably have some question that you would like answered. It may concern—well, it can concern anything you like and you need confide to nobody what it is about. This is a method of obtaining the answer to such a question:

If you are of the female sex, take the four queens from a pack and, if you are a male, take the four kings. Place them face down on the table in front of you and, with your eyes shut, shuffle them round and round, using only your left hand. Work the cards round in the opposite direction to the movement of the hands of a clock. When you have lost all idea of the identity of the cards, still with your left hand and with your eyes tightly shut, place the cards in a line in front of you. Now, open your eyes and turn the cards face up.

The card to the left of the line stands for "This year"; the card filling the second position stands for "Next year"; the card coming third, for "Sometime"; and the card at the right of the line, for "Never." The card that is a heart answers the question and the others are ignored. Thus, if the heart fills the second position, the answer is "Next year"; if it comes fourth, the answer is "Never."

It is claimed by astrologers that a true answer to the question is only obtained on the first occasion that this method is employed after a new moon has appeared.

WHAT REVERSED CARDS REVEAL

In most cases, the cards of an ordinary pack look the same whether viewed one way or the other; in other words, if they were cut in halves across the shortest dimension, each half would be exactly alike. But this is not so in every case. Take, for instance, the aces of hearts, clubs and spades; with these the tops and bottoms would be different, though with the ace of diamonds, they would be the same. All the sevens offer further cases where the two halves are not identical and the same may be said of some of the eights. In addition, it must be pointed out that all packs do not follow the same arrangement, so that a list of these unbalanced cards cannot be given.

Astrologists have long considered that these cards, which are not alike top and bottom, possess certain powers in deciding one's luck. This is how they act:

Take a full pack and shuffle it thoroughly, then cut with the left hand. After that, turn each card over, one by one, and it is advisable to work slowly, as mistakes are easily made.

Look at every card in turn, count the pips on it that are the right way up and those that are upside down. When the latter are more in number than the former, you have a reversed card. Set it aside and continue with the cards that follow. Note that it is not any card that permits of being reversed, but only those that are actually reversed, that should be set aside. Note, also, that a reversed card to you is not reversed to someone sitting opposite you.

When the pack has been run through and all the reversed cards taken out, note what you have found. Count up the number belonging to each suit. If hearts are in the majority, you are indeed lucky; if spades figure most, you are the reverse. Clubs are not quite so lucky as hearts and diamonds rank a little below clubs.

Should any suit figure much more than the others, then the above readings are strengthened.

CARD COMBINATIONS

This method of discovering certain facts about your future is as old as the hills, if not older. It depends on laying out the cards and noting how certain of them are arranged.

The first thing you do is to take an ordinary pack and remove from it all the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes. This will leave you with thirty-two cards in hand. Next, you shuffle very thoroughly and cut with the left hand. That done, you set out the thirty-two cards in four rows, each of eight cards. Be careful to commence each row at the right and then work to the left. Of course, you must put them out in exactly the same order as they come off the pack.

The "lay-out" being completed, you carefully look at the cards. You look, first, to see if by any chance there are four aces touching anywhere. If so, the scrutiny ceases and you find out, from the list given below, what the meaning is of four aces touching. But if there are not four such aces, then you search for four kings and, failing them, four queens, and so on, down to four sevens. If all these fail, you look for three cards of a kind starting as before with aces and working down to sevens. Should there be no groups of threes, then you look for groups of two. Of course, after that there is no point in continuing the scrutiny if there are no twos.

Be careful to understand that the cards forming a group need not all occur in the same horizontal line. As long as one card touches another of the same value, whether at the top, bottom, sides or even at the corners, it will count. Note also that the only reading that may be taken from a "lay-out" is the highest reading. Thus, if there are four aces and three queens, you are not permitted to take the reading of the queens, if you prefer it, to that of the aces. The reading of the aces alone counts.

These are the readings:—

Fours

FOUR ACES.—Dangers may attack you while you are least expecting them.

FOUR KINGS.—You are likely to rise in the world and be endowed with fame.

FOUR QUEENS.—You will be led into quarrels, not of your own seeking.

FOUR JACKS.—Treachery is afoot and you will be the victim, unless you play your cards remarkably well.

FOUR TENS.—You will succeed at what you have most set your heart.

FOUR NINES.—People will endeavor to cheat you. Keep your eyes open and thwart the wrong-doers.

FOUR EIGHTS.—You are likely to form some great desire, and that desire will be attained, if you are true to yourself.

FOUR SEVENS.—There is a very happy home marked out for you, if you wish it.

Threes

THREE ACES.—Good news is coming.

THREE KINGS.—Some great desire that you have is about to be realized. It is nothing to do with work or business, but pleasure.

THREE QUEENS.—You will be happy in one particular friendship that you are about to make.

THREE JACKS.—Certain disputes are trying to find their way into your existence. Be guarded.

THREE TENS.—Wait patiently and a very happy time will not be long in coming.

THREE NINES.—Your wishes may not come true as soon as you would like. But wait.

THREE EIGHTS.—Marriage is imminent for those of single blessedness who have set their hearts on it.

THREE SEVENS.—First, there is a cloud and behind it is bright sunshine. This applies to you.

Twos

TWO ACES.—You are about to start on some new enterprise and make a success of it.

TWO KINGS.—You are shortly meeting a stranger who will mean a good deal to you.

TWO QUEENS.—Doubt is to cloud your mind. You will seek advice from a certain quarter. Take the advice and do not lose sight of the giver.

TWO JACKS.—Your faith is to be sorely tried. See that you do not injure your reputation.

TWO TENS.—There is every sign of good fortune in the future.

TWO NINES.—There is a great surprise in store for you.

TWO EIGHTS.—Be judicious in your dealings with the opposite sex.

TWO SEVENS.—The unengaged are soon to be engaged.

Other Combination of Cards

Should the cards offer none of the above arrangements, the following may be found, but they are meaningless unless all the foregoing have failed.

KING OF CLUBS AND TEN OF HEARTS.—Love is coming.

KING OF DIAMONDS AND TEN OF SPADES.—Beware of lovers' quarrels.

KING AND QUEEN OF SAME SUIT.—A proposal or its equivalent.

QUEEN OF SPADES AND ANY JACK.—Take care of the wiles of a woman well known to you.

TEN OF HEARTS AND NINE OF CLUBS.—A journey is awaiting you.

TEN OF HEARTS AND ACE OF SPADES.—A birth.

NINE OF HEARTS AND ACE OF CLUBS.—Your wishes will be fulfilled.

SEVEN OF HEARTS AND SEVEN OF CLUBS.—Your troubles are about to end.

ZODIAC CARD READING

Perhaps you do not know which is your lucky month. If you would like to find out, the following simple method is helpful.

Take one or two packs of cards, according to the instructions below. Bridge cards are preferable as they are small. Then, cut twelve pieces of paper, each the size of one of the cards. On each piece, draw a sign of the Zodiac and arrange the pieces on the table, as shown in the diagram. It will be seen that the signs are placed in their monthly order from April to March and not from January to December. This order must be followed.

Next, find out your lucky number, as directed in the chapter "What is your Lucky Number?" For such numbers from one to four, one complete pack is needed; for numbers from five to eight, two packs are necessary. When nine is the lucky number, either use three packs or take two packs and shuffle in with the cards four pieces of paper, each the same size as a card, and on each write a heart, a club, a diamond or a spade.

Shuffle the cards thoroughly and then deal them out, giving each sign of the Zodiac a card in turn. Lay on each sign as many cards as indicated by your lucky number, then stop.

Look at the cards lying on each sign. Wherever you find more hearts than any other suit on a sign, take it as a portent that the month indicated by the sign is a lucky one for you. Of course, it is quite possible and even desirable that you may have more than one fortunate month.

A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM THE CARDS

We have seen this fortunetelling game played at many parties and other gatherings, and it has always caused a good deal of innocent amusement.

First of all, an ordinary pack is taken and the court cards are withdrawn from it. They alone are used, while the numeral cards are put on one side. These court cards are shuffled and the players sit around the table.

One of the players is appointed as the seer. He or she takes the twelve cards, spreads them out in a fan, face down, and the first player selects one. When this card is withdrawn from the fan, it is turned up. While everybody looks at the chosen card, the seer asks the player the date of his or her birth. On hearing the date, the seer notes whether it comes under the heading, spring, summer, autumn or winter. Then he reckons:

Next, he looks down the appropriate section, given below, and reads out the message, according to the card which the player has withdrawn from the fan.

That completes the business for the first player and the performance is gone through afresh, in exactly the same way, for the second and all subsequent people taking part in the game.

Here are the messages provided by each card:

Spring

KING OF HEARTS.—Kindness to an elderly person will result in financial gain to you.

QUEEN OF HEARTS.—A friendship will grow into love, quite unexpectedly.

JACK OF HEARTS.—You are advised not to marry the one that is good looking.

KING OF CLUBS.—You will have a love letter that will cause you some surprise.

QUEEN OF CLUBS.—Show more affection. Coldness is unlikely to bring you happiness.

JACK OF CLUBS.—Money will mean much in your matrimonial affairs.

KING OF DIAMONDS.—The one you look upon as your best friend is a "dark horse."

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS.—You are marked out for fortune's smile.

JACK OF DIAMONDS.—A light-haired woman is anxious to do you a good turn.

KING OF SPADES.—Be very charming to the person with blue eyes.

QUEEN OF SPADES.—You are shortly to come into money.

JACK OF SPADES.—A sudden change in domestic affairs is imminent.

Summer

KING OF HEARTS.—An old acquaintance of whom you have lost sight will return into your life.

QUEEN OF HEARTS.—That for which you have been longing is not far off.

JACK OF HEARTS.—A telephone call will revive some old memories which will please you.

KING OF CLUBS.—Show your love and your love will be returned.

QUEEN OF CLUBS.—A stranger will assist you to good fortune.

JACK OF CLUBS.—You will attend a wedding and something will happen there which will surprise you.

KING OF DIAMONDS.—You are wanted overseas, but do not be in a hurry to accept the invitation.

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS.—You will find happiness most where money abounds.

JACK OF DIAMONDS.—You have remarkable powers which you are not fully using.

KING OF SPADES.—Your happiness lies in marriage. Treat the one who is to be your partner with consideration.

QUEEN OF SPADES.—Live more in the open air and many kinds of happiness will come of it.

JACK OF SPADES.—Be careful to hide your feelings.

Autumn

KING OF HEARTS.—A close relation will share some good luck with you.

QUEEN OF HEARTS.—Friendship will change into love.

JACK OF HEARTS.—Get a move on and your luck will change.

KING OF CLUBS.—Don't let money stand in the way of your marriage.

QUEEN OF CLUBS.—Do not be surprised if an enemy relents and becomes a friend.

JACK OF CLUBS.—Try to forget your disappointment. Happiness is due from quite another quarter.

KING OF DIAMONDS.—Relatives are rising against you. Act fearlessly and they will recognize your sterling qualities.

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS.—You are marked out by the Fates to be the recipient of some very good fortune.

JACK OF DIAMONDS.—Within seventeen days or weeks, a startling offer is to be made to you.

KING OF SPADES.—Make a wish within the next hour and it shall be fulfilled within the next year.

QUEEN OF SPADES.—Avoid the one with the dark complexion.

JACK OF SPADES.—A late marriage will be more prosperous than an early one.

Winter

KING OF HEARTS.—Good friends are ready to help you on the road to success.

QUEEN OF HEARTS.—Do not decide until you are quite certain.

JACK OF HEARTS.—Be cautious of the friends you make while dancing.

KING OF CLUBS.—Get out of the groove you are in and sail away to success.

QUEEN OF CLUBS.—A delightful adventure will pave the way to happiness.

JACK OF CLUBS.—Flirting never gave anybody any lasting happiness. Be more sober.

KING OF DIAMONDS.—Some good news is coming and the postman will bring it.

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS.—Keep your head and you will keep your lover.

JACK OF DIAMONDS.—You have too many strings to your bow and too many irons in the fire.

KING OF SPADES.—You are beloved by someone you least suspect.

QUEEN OF SPADES.—Your affairs will straighten out shortly and then you will understand.

JACK OF SPADES.—Your rival seems to be gaining successes, but wait. In a short space, they will collapse like a pack of cards.

THE WISH CARD

The nine of hearts has long been regarded as the wish card; that is to say, if a player wins this card, in any agreed manner, he or she will have a wish fulfilled.

The most usual way to decide who is to be the lucky individual is for the players to sit around the table and for each to write down a wish on a slip of paper, and then to initial it. That done, the papers are collected and set aside to await the decision of the cards.

The cards are dealt to the players in turn in the ordinary manner from a full pack. Just how many each person is to receive depends on the number of players, but all must have the same number, and each should be given as many as the pack allows. Thus, there will often be a few cards left over. These are set in the middle of the table and not used.

When play starts, somebody begins by turning over the first card on his or her pack. If this is a numeral card, the next person follows by turning over the first card on his or her pack, and so the play continues round the table. But, if someone turns over a jack, the next person must pay that person one card, i.e., the card coming first on his pack. If a queen is turned over, the payment is the next two cards; if it is a king, the next three cards, while an ace requires the payment of the four next cards. The person playing the jack, queen, king or ace takes not only the cards paid but any that may be lying face upwards in front of the person paying. All paid cards are placed at the bottom of the receiver's pack.

There is one point more to note; if, while in the act of paying, the payer turns over a jack, queen, king or ace his debt is cancelled, the previous player gets nothing and the next player has to enter upon the business of paying.

As soon as one player has lost all his or her cards, the game stops and everybody glances through his or her pack to see who possesses the wish card, the nine of hearts. The lucky individual is then given the slip of paper on which his wish is written and must read it out loud. Not until it has been announced to all the company will the Fates take any consideration of it.

OLD MAID

The game known as "Old Maid" is a favorite that will continue to be played as long as cards exist. How it is played is within the knowledge of everybody, but the following variation is not so well-known, and it is certainly more exciting.

Instead of taking out of the pack any of the queens, in this variation the Queen of Clubs is removed. Then, the passing on of cards from one player to another and the pairing, whenever possible, proceeds in the usual way. But a red queen can only be paired with the other red queen, which makes the Queen of Spades a troublesome card.

Whoever is left with it at the end of the game is a very unfortunate old maid, since spades are the most unlucky cards of the whole pack.

THE LAST CARD

Have you some question that you want answered? It may be a question to do with love, marriage, health, finances, or almost anything. Here is a way to find the answer.

No. 25.—The Last Card.