In telling Fortunes by Cards—as in all games in which they are employed—the Ace ranks highest in value. Then comes the King, followed by the Queen, Knave, Ten, Nine, Eight, and Seven; these being generally the only cards used.
The order, and comparative value of the different suits, is as follows:—First on the list stand “Clubs,” as they mostly portend happiness; and—no matter how numerous, or how accompanied—are rarely or never of bad augury. Next come “Hearts,” which usually signify joy, liberality, or good temper; “Diamonds,” on the contrary, denote delay, quarrels, and annoyance; and “Spades”—the worst suit of all—grief, sickness, and loss of money.
We are of course speaking generally, as, in many cases, the position of cards entirely changes their signification; their individual and relative meaning being often widely different. Thus, for example, the King of Hearts, the Nine of Hearts, and the Nine of Clubs, respectively signify, a liberal man, joy, and success in love, but change their position, by placing the King between the two nines, and you would read that a man, then rich and happy, would be ere long consigned to a prison!
