Home Fun

The student will at first find considerable difficulty in determining the exact position of the different faculties. It is only by close study of his chart, practice on human heads, and experience, that he will at length achieve unerring ability to distinguish, blend, and separate the different characters, inclinations, intellects, and emotions with which the human mind is gifted.

Bald-Pated Friends

In case the would-be phrenologist is not possessed of an amiable, bald-headed relation, he should endeavor to ingratiate himself in the favors of a hairless friend, for there is nothing so excellent for practice as a thatchless skull. Indeed, he is fortunate who has a large circle of bald-pated friends and acquaintances, for, even if he dare not attempt to find out their qualities by the sense of touch, he may achieve much by observation.

Women’s heads are the most difficult to examine, and never should the student exhibit his art on the well-coiffured damsel. There deception lies, for what seems to him an abnormal development of “bumps” will in all probability be artificial pads used by the fair one to discipline her tresses into fashion’s latest erection, to say nothing of hairpins and many other mysteries which the mind of a man, be he ever so learned in phrenology, can never hope to fathom.

The woman who is really curious to have her faculties read must consent to unpin her locks, so that the hand of the phrenologist may come in contact with her head; and he must possess a sensitive touch, which quickly discerns the different developments of the skull.

Phrenologist—and Man!

Students of phrenology will be astonished to find what a great deal of information may be gained by means of careful observation, when actual investigation is impossible. No opportunity should be lost of studying shape, poise, and balance of the human head. From the temples and brows of the man occupying the same seat on an omnibus a great deal is to be learnt, in spite of his headgear; the faculties 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 35 will probably protrude, and demonstrate what degree of love of form, size, individuality, eventuality, alimentiveness, destructiveness, vitativeness, conjugality, and amativeness exist in his nature.

Churches, concert rooms, and theaters abound with opportunities for the scrutiny of masculine heads, and upon each is engraved those abstract qualities furnished by the memorized chart.

The phrenologist should take pains to keep his hands and nails perfectly clean. He should bathe them between each experiment, as the natural grease of the hair soils them, and no one likes to have his skull touched by unclean fingers. It is essential for him to possess and cultivate a buoyant disposition, which will tend to help and encourage him, and not to condemn a subject for the weaknesses of character he discovers.

Few ills have no cure. This is as true of mental inefficiency as of physical ailments, and the prophecies of the humane phrenologist are set in the major and not the minor key. Every individual, however seemingly worthless or uninteresting, possesses some divine gift, which perhaps lies dormant and neglected through his ignorance of its existence. Here it is that the phrenologist is able to let a chink of light penetrate the darkness, and a few kind, judicious words will do much to bring back the latent self-respect to him who has despaired of being released from the fetters of evil habits, intemperance, sloth, or indifference to the liberty of wholesome well-being.

The motto of the student should be never to condemn. When he has once reached the secret of identity, he should set himself to appeal and rouse the dying spirit of manhood to a new resurrection of power and achievement, for probably adverse and bitter circumstances, heredity, and poverty have done much to batter down the higher nature and develop the baser qualities of the man whose faculties he examines; and he can only dimly imagine, but never fathom, the strength of the temptations that warp the various molds in which the human mind is set.

The Humorous Side of Phrenology

In drawing-room exhibitions, only the lighter side of phrenology should be dealt with. A fund of humor and wit can be demonstrated here, so that instruction is blended with amusement, and it is not unfitting to use animals as illustrations of different qualities. For instance, the refrain in the once-popular lyric, “But the cat came back,” clearly testifies that this animal possessed the nodosity of inhabitiveness to a marked degree. Not so the man of music-hall fame whose pathetic pleading, “Please don’t take me home,” stirs our heartstrings most potently, or “Bill Bailey,” the wanderer. The small dog that ogles a larger comrade engaged with a bone, but who fears his mightier powers too greatly to venture open attack, possesses “cupboard” affection rather than amativeness.

The blinkered horse, were it granted speech, would doubtless demonstrate the fact that it has cultivated the faculty of spirituality in no small degree, for its sense of the unseen is remarkable.

The bull has only to kick up his heels and lower his horns at a red parasol to vindicate his apt discernment of color. The manner in which the watch-dog registers the shape of his enemy’s calves in his memory is a truly astonishing sign of his sense of form and locality. The serpent’s feline smile at the bird is eloquent of its sociability and expectation; its glistening coils are the personification of blandness and invitation to embrace. Stay-at-home oysters are famous for domesticity. The fish swallowing the hooked worm illustrates a beautiful trust and faith in the providential plans man culminates for his welfare. In the hobbled ass, wandering over and over his patch of grass, economy, adhesiveness, and a very praiseworthy amount of application are shown.

It might be well for the ambitious phrenologist to study the skulls of these and other animals, birds, and fishes, for in these the unadulterated essences of virtues and vices and instinctive propensities are discovered. The human head may be likened to a very rich pudding composed of very different ingredients, flavorings, and strata of coloring, and sugared with conventionalities and hypocrisies. The animal, on the contrary, exhibits its true qualities as frankly as a sirloin of raw beef suspended in a butcher’s window.

CHAPTER LVI
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.

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.

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).

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:—

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:—

Now they are added separately thus:—

Dick 26James 726Smith 237

Add the three totals together:—

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:—

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:—

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:—

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:—

The four coat cards stand for different conditions of existence:—

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:—

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:—