he
dress of policemen and volunteers is not considered as uniform. On the
other hand, a widow, even if she be an albiness, can be represented only
by the queen of spades.

'The ace of hearts always denoting the house of the person consulting
the decrees of fate, some general rules are applicable to it. Thus the
ace of clubs signifying a letter, its position, either before or after
the ace of hearts, shows whether the letter is to be sent to or from the
house. The ace of diamonds when close to the ace of hearts foretells a
wedding in the house; but the ace of spades betokens sickness and death.

'The knaves represent the thoughts of their respective kings and queens,
and consequently the thoughts of the persons whom those kings and queens
represent, in accordance with their complexions.

For instance, a young lady of a rather but not decidedly dark
complexion, represented by the queen of clubs, when consulting the
cards, may be shocked to find her fair lover (the king of diamonds)
flirting with a wealthy widow (the queen of spades, attended by the ten
of diamonds), but she will be reassured by finding his thoughts (the
knave of diamonds) in combination with a letter (ace of clubs), a
wedding ring (ace of diamonds), and her house (the ace of hearts);
clearly signifying that, though he is actually flirting with the rich
widow, he is, nevertheless, thinking of sending a letter, with an offer
of marriage, to the young lady herself. And look, where are her own
thoughts, represented by the knave of clubs; they are far away with the
old lover, that dark man (king of spades) who, as is plainly shown
by his being attended by the nine of diamonds, is prospering at the
Australian diggings or elsewhere. Let us shuffle the cards once more,
and see if the dark man, at the distant diggings, ever thinks of his
old flame, the club-complexioned young lady in England. No! he does not.
Here are his thoughts (the knave of spades), directed to this fair,
but rather gay and coquettish, woman (the queen of diamonds); they
are separated but by a few hearts, one of them, the sixth (honourable
courtship), showing the excellent understanding that exists between
them. Count, now, from the six of hearts to the ninth card from it, and
lo! it is a wedding ring (the ace of diamonds); they will be married
before the expiration of a twelvemonth.'

Such is the scheme of fortune-telling by cards, as propounded in the
learned disquisitions of the adepts,