Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-23
How the Future Is Unveiled

Sitting around the table in the waiting
room of west side New York intelligence
office were three r four young women,
who evidently had come in search OF en-
ployment. One of them had shutfied and
cut pack of playing cards. and was deal
ing them out in rows on the cloth. The
others were looking on with deep interest.
1t was impossible to hear what they said,
but they appeared to be carrying on live
" conversation over the cards. The ex-
preston of their faces changed from looks
OF congratulation to those of cOmmisera-
ton or doubt or amusement, as the cards
came ont. In answer to a question the
woman of the office said, II couldn't keep
the place going without pack of cards.
The pack is in use all the time, telling the
girls what luck they are going to have.
If girl has to wait little while she goes
to the cards to find out whether she will
get place that day. and if so, what sort
Of place it will be. 1t is amusing to
watch their faces as they turn the cards.
when n red haired or any light-cOm-
plexioned girl tries the cards. as they
call it, she is represented in the pack by
the queen of diamonds, if she happens to
be straight haired, or the queen of hearts
if her hair curls.. If she is dark and has
curling hair, her card is the queen of clubs
if her hair is straight, it is the queen of
spades. The nine of hearts represent her
wish. If it comes out on the table near
the card which stands for herself, she is
going to get her wish II many other
cards intervene. her wish will be long
time coming to pass. What do they wish
oftenest? | can't tell. A woman doesn't
tell her chief wish often, and servant girls
are like the rest OF these in that respect.
| suppose they wish in earnest, though;
tor when the nine of hearts comes up
close to bad card like the deuce of clubs,
they show their disappointment. The
deuce of diamonds means that if girl
accepts the first that is offered to her
she will have falling out with the mis-
tress within little while. If the seven
of hearts is close to her card she some
times bushes. and the other girls asks
her to tell them all about it,, tor the
seven of hearts is the love card. The two
of hearts makes her smile. if she is pretty.
perhaps because she is thinking of her
sweetheart, or maybe the master of the
house she is going to, tor ii means kiss.
| The tray of hearts warns her to he careful
what she says, especially if the eight of
| clubs or the nine OF spades is near. An
ger or confusion of some sort are sure to
result from combination. The picture
cards may stand for the master and mis-
| tress of the house where she is gong to
work, and the other servants. If the
| three of spades or four of diamonds comes
up among them she must look out for
| false friends in the kitchen and throughout
the house have known girls to refuse
| good situation because the six of hearts
A.,t.N LII. l.
| II told them that they would be cheat
| ed out of their wages-not an unusual
| thing. BY the way, in the experience of
| girls who go out to work, even in brown
| stone houses. But if the same card comes
up after the card which the girls has
chosen to represent herself she is happy
for it is then a good card The tear card.
which is the duee of spades, makes her
| happy when it comes up close to her, and
doubly so should the five of clubs lie be-
side it. The latter card is bundle or
| package, and it tells her that she will not
keep her place very long, even though it
may prove ever so pleasant. If the tray
of diamonds is between good cards like
| the five of hearts or diamons. she is hap
| py, Tor she believes that one OF her old
mistresses is in need of a servant and will
call for her. The ten of spades coming
| up near her card says that she will have
| good luck late in the day. and very
likely she will go away and return
in the morning FULLY expecting to find a
| good offer awaiting her. Good opportuni-
ties are sometimes missed in this way.
Well" in reply to another question. Il
| don't know that there is much difference
between old girls and young girls in re-
| spect to their behalf in what the cards
| tell them. You would naturally think
| that the old ones would have learned bv
| experience not to trust the cards: but I'm
inclined to think that they are rather more
foolish than the others. 1t turns out as
the cards say often enough to keep up
their faith. and the older they grow the
more superstitious they become When
girl well along in years sees the ace of
hearts at distance from her it reminds
her of the chances she may have had to
be mistress of a home of her own; and if
| it is close to her, her age is no barrier to
the hope il inspires. 1t pleases a cook
immensely to have near her the ten of
hearts. The card means feasting, and
suggests work in her line. The ten of
clubs will set her to anticipating balls and
places of amusements in company with
the butler or coachman; and if the eight
! OF hearts Is near it the attentions of her