The people of the early 1900s loved their ouija boards and telling fortunes with playing cards. It was something they did in the evenings to pass the time and to simply have a bit of fun.
The meanings of the playing cards listed below were originally published in a Nebraska newspaper article in 1920.
Fortune Telling With Playing Cards
Now that the ouija board is coming into popularity again, an incidentally causing a whole lot of domestic difficulties because it speaks wisely but too well, there is bound to be a recurrence of interest in fortune telling.
In order to forestall this and give our readers the benefit of ancient lore, we are going to print complete instructions for telling fortunes by means of a deck of cards. Mind, we do not guarantee these readings, but they have been handed to us as coming from the gypsies themselves, and if the directions are followed, the results will furnish excitement for an hour or an evening.
So near as we can discover, it doesn’t make much difference how the cards are dealt. The best way, of course, is to make use of the magic numbers three, seven, or nine. Seven is the best number, but you get more cards if you try nine. Get a group around a table, cut the cards very often and in odd ways, and lay them out, in neat rows, face up. Remember that the dealer cannot tell his own fortune. And then – read them and weep.
Here’s the key:
Spades
King of Spades – Dark, oldish man, married.
Queen of Spades – Woman with dark eyes and hair.
Jack of Spades – Young man with dark eyes and hair, unmarried.
Ten of Spades – Unpleasant news from away.
Nine of Spades – Bad luck, funeral or, if it comes with the ace of spades, sure death.
Eight of Spades – Small disappointment.
Seven of Spades – A meeting of unpleasant nature.
Six of Spades – Agitated condition of the mind.
Five of Spades – Disappointment over love.
Four of Spades – Sickness or death.
Three of Spades – Unpleasant surprise.
Two of Spades – Tears.
Ace of Spades – Death or sad news over the telephone or wireless.
Note – All spades have an ill meaning and if a greater number of these cards come out in a fortune it is a bad fortune.
Clubs
King of Clubs – Oldish man with grayish hair and dark eyes.
Queen of Clubs – Woman with dark hair and light eyes or dark eyes and light hair.
Jack of Clubs – Young man with dark hair and light eyes or dark eyes and light hair.
Ten of Clubs – Property, place of amusement, money at night.
Nine of Clubs – Journey.
Eight of Clubs – Disappointment, slight.
Seven of Clubs – Good luck, happy surprise.
Six of Clubs – Agitation, annoyance.
Five of Clubs – Party or gathering of unpleasant nature.
Four of Clubs – Journey across a body of water.
Three of Clubs – Small surprise, rather pleasant.
Two of Clubs – A stranger or one who has been absent for a long time is coming.
Ace of Clubs – Business proposition or business matter.
Hearts
King of Hearts – Represents a light oldish man, married or divorced, someone over 35 years old.
Queen of Hearts – A fair woman.
Jack of Hearts – An unmarried woman.
Ten of Hearts – Marriage, or party where strong love vibrations exist, also money.
Nine of Hearts – Wish card, the best card in the pack. If it comes out on the board it means “You’ll get your wish.”
Eight of Hearts – Largest surprise in the pack, usually over lover.
Seven of Hearts – Good luck, surprise over lover.
Six of Hearts – Strong love vibrations, family, etc.
Five of Hearts – Represents a party with someone we love.
Four of Hearts – Marriage of individual, how soon this is to take place depends on the numbers on the cards about it, and their complexion.
Three of Hearts – Happy surprise over love matters.
Two of Hearts – Small party.
Ace of Hearts – Proposal of marriage or love letter.
Diamonds
King of Diamonds – Represents very fair or gray, oldish man.
Queen of Diamonds – Fair woman or gray.
Jack of Diamonds – Young light man.
Ten of Diamonds – Money at night.
Nine of Diamonds – Money.
Eight of Diamonds – Big surprise over money matters.
Seven of Diamonds – Good luck regarding money.
Six of Diamonds – Smaller amount of money.
Five of Diamonds – Party or meeting over money affairs, favorable.
Four of Diamonds – Journey about money or money coming to you on journey.
Three of Diamonds – Surprise over money.
Two of Diamonds – Party or meeting over money matters.
Ace of Diamonds – Package of money, check, present of diamond ring.
Source: The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.), 26 March 1920.
