Of course no professional fortune-teller would
inform an old man that some dark or fair man was 'after' his old
woman; but nothing is more probable than the converse, and much
family distraction has frequently resulted from such perverse
revelation of 'the cards.' In like manner your clever
fortune-teller will never promise half-a-dozen children to 'an
old lady,' but she will very probably hold forth that pleasant
prospect--if such it be--to a buxom lass of seventeen or
eighteen--especially in those counties of England where the
ladies are remarkable for such profuse bounty to their husbands.
As a general proposition, it matters very little what may be the
means of vaticination or prediction--whether cards, the tea-
grounds in the cup, &c.,--all POSSIBLE events have a degree of
probability of coming to pass, which may vary from 20 to 1 down
to a perfect equality of chance; and the clever fortune-teller,
who may be mindful of her reputation, will take care to regulate
her promises or predictions according to that proposition.
Many educated ladies give their attention to the cards, and some
have acquired great proficiency in the art. On board a steamer
sailing for New York, on one occasion a French lady among the
saloon-passengers undertook to amuse the party by telling their
fortunes.
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