Page:Mother Hubbard's fortune teller.pdf/8

8 The Green Bush shows the benevolence of your patrons, and gives you hopes of the honours you wish for: without foliage is a token of the caprice of fortune; in the clear it announces an unexpected remittance of money.

Worms at the top, or in the middle of the cup, denote good luck at play, and in matrimony: below, it warns you against rivals in your courtship, and enviers in your trade.

The House, indicates at the top of the cup, success in your enterprises, and that your situation will soon be better. In the middle or below, it cautions you to be vigilant over your servants.

The Scythe, if combined with an hour-glass, denotes imminent dangers—below, a long and happy life.

Charms and Ceremonies.

To see a Future Husband.—On Midsummer night, just at sunset, three, five, or seven young women are to go into a garden, in which there is no other person, and each gather a sprig of red sage; and then going into a room by themselves set a stool in the middle of the room, and on it a clean bason full of rose-water, in which the sprigs of sage are to be put; and tying a line across the room on one side of the stool, each woman is to hang on it a clean shift, turned the wrong side outwards; then all are to sit down in a row, on the opposite side of the stool, as far distant as the room will admit, not speaking the whole time, whatever they see, and in a few minutes after twelve, each one's