at the top, love; in the middle, constancy. If surrounded by "clouds," the course of true love will not run smooth.

A star, if not surrounded by "clouds," means happiness; if circled by dots, long life.

Mountain, favour of persons of high position, social success. If clouded on its summit, ill-success in society. Serpent, an enemy. If near the top of the cup, you will be successful, and, finally, turn him or her into a friend. If near the bottom and clouded around, the enmity will cause you sorrow.

Fish, lucky news from over seas. If clouds are near,

the reverse.

Seven dots in a row, great prosperity.

A straight line, if surrounded by many grounds, foretells an illness.

Wavy lines, if circled by dots, money; if cloudy, reverses of furtune, either past or to come-according to their position in the cup, near the bottom or top. Tears are indicated by drops at the bottom of the cup, or by many thick dots there.

A succession of large dots in a line foretells difficulties to be overcome. Many fine dots among them, unfriendliness will be superadded.

A leaf folded over the rim promises something unpleasant.

If the rim of the cup is clear a happy future is assured. The following jingle is always quoted as a good condensation of the subject. It is a translation of an old Chinese "chia" (tea) song, for the "science" is very ancient:

"One leaf alone, alone you'll be;

Two together, the priest you'll see.

Three in groups, your wish you'll gain;

Four, a letter from loving swain.
Five, good news the letter'll bring;
Six in a row, a song you'll sing.
Seven together, great fortune waits
For you, so say the Tea-Cup Fates.
Tea-leaves short and tea-leaves tall
Bring you company great and small.
Tea-leaves many and dotted fine
Are, of bad luck, the surest sign.
Tea-leaves few and clean the rim,

Your cup with joy o'erflows the brim."

PALMISTRY

An amateur may give much pleasure and entertainment to friends by a little knowledge of the science of palmistry, and few accomplishments make one more popular than proficiency in that which purports to read character and forecast the future-even while one has little belief in it and has recourse to it "just for fun."

Every one's hand being different, and every line and elevation having its peculiar significance, variety adds its spice to the interest. Begin your “séance" with the grave statement that "Nature makes no mistakes, and every one carries his fortune in his hand."

The hands should be stretched out for inspection without resting upon anything.

The lines and mounts in the left hand are those formed by the acts of our parents and ancestors—the character with which we were born. The right hand reveals what we have made of ourselves, how indulged, curbed or cured inherited tendencies-which also implies that we may yet do much. Our hands are written up to date, but they do not seal the destiny. The will is free.

The next claim is that one's future and one's fortune are indicated in the hand. "Show me thy hand and I'll show thee thy life." Shakespeare's universal genius 'eaves little untouched.

A hand too slim, narrow, and feeble indicates a weak character-instincts without capacity. If pliant and in good proportion there will be to its owner an appreciation of all the pleasures of life. If unduly thick or hard, it is the evidence of instincts of an unthinking animalism.

TYPES OF HANDS

There are no two hands just alike, but they resemble each other sufficiently to be divisible into seven principle types of which there are many varieties.

The Elementary Hand.-This hand is the lowest type on the borderland between brute and man. The hand is short, thick-set and clumsy; the thumb also short, barely reaching the base of the index-finger. There are very few lines upon it. People with such hands are found in occupations requiring only unskilled labour. Such have little self-control, and often are the victims of violent tempers.

The Square Hand.-This hand may be depended upon. It belongs to those who are practical, conscientious, upright, and honest. They respect law and order, are methodical, punctual, trustworthy. They are natural leaders, executive, enterprising, courageous in emergency. They make good and true friends, loyal and constant. They have boldness to undertake difficult tasks, are not quarrelsome, but very determined in their own views. This is the hand of a thorough business man, successful lawyer or statesman. The square hand is so called because the palm is square at the wrist, square at the base of the fingers, and with the fingers themselves square. It is sometimes called the useful hand. Their owners have little originality, imagination, or ideality. Their chief fault is that they are too material.

The Artistic Hand.-The fingers, bulky at the third phalange, taper thence to the extremity. The thumb is small, the palm well developed.

Those who have this hand care more for form than substance, for what pleases than for what feeds. They love beauty-are fond of leisure, novelty, and liberty, are ardent, humble, yet vain. They have more dash

than force; more sentiment than thought; are impulsive, enthusiastic, impatient of routine and monotony. They are lovers of colour, music, poetry, luxury; open-handed, light-hearted, liberal-minded. They are magnetic and hospitable. They make friends quickly, but are somewhat fickle-are mercurial, gay one moment, moody the next-given to gloomy forebodings.

This has also been called the conic hand, and the "hand of impulse." People with such hands are excellent conversationalists, they grasp the drift of a subject quickly, but it must be confessed that they are more or less superficial.

Women with such hands love admiration. They must love very deeply before one can be certain of the constancy of their affection.

People with this type of hand are quick tempered, but the mood soon passes. They are generous, sympathetic, but to a certain extent selfish where their own personal comfort is concerned.

The Spatuled Hand.-The name of this hand is taken from the instrument that a chemist uses in mixing his preparations-the fingers flat and bulging round at the

end.

This hand has confidence in itself. To it belongs the sense of tangible things, an instinctive knowledge of the real, the practical, a genius for calculation, applied sciences, mechanical arts.

Those having this type of hand are unassuming, persistent, and most happy when engaged in real active work. They are logical, full of energy, purposeful, moral rather than religious. They are self-reliant, utilitarian, and appreciate wealth rather than luxury. They love horses, dogs, hunting, sailing, war, agriculture, commerce, bodily exercises. Those who have