To find out the two first letters of a future wife’s or husband’s name, take a small Bible and the key of your front street-door, and having opened to Solomon’s Songs, chap. viii., ver. 6 and 7, place the wards of the key on those two verses, and let the bow of the key be about an inch out of the top of the Bible; then shut the book, and tie it round with your garter, so as the key will not move, and the person who wishes to know his or her future husband or wife’s signature, must suspend the Bible, by putting the fore-finger of the right hand under the bow of the key, and the other person in like manner on the other side of the bow of the key, who must repeat the following verses, after the other person’s saying the alphabet, one letter to each time repeating them.
It must be observed, that you mention to the person who repeats the verses, before you begin, which you intend to try first, whether surname or Christian name, and take care to hold the Bible steady; and when you arrive at the appointed letter, the book will turn round under your finger, and that you will find to be the first letter of your intended’s name.
Solomon’s Songs, chap. viii., ver. 6 and 7.
"Set me a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned.”
CARD CHARM.
Draw all the face cards from the pack and put them into your stocking on a Friday night, placing the stocking under your pillow. You must find out by the Almanac the precise time the sun rises on Saturday morning, and at that moment draw a card. A king denotes a speedy marriage; a queen means delay or celibacy; a Jack is a gay seducer who will give you trouble. Diamonds are riches, hearts true love, spades thrift, and clubs poverty.
THE SPIDER OMEN.
It is considered an ill omen when one sees a spider in the morning. The earlier in the morning, and the larger the spider, the greater the evil which threatens you. It is within doors, however, and chiefly in one’s own chamber, that the spider has this signification—out of doors they forebode no harm. The wood spider especially, is not much to be dreaded; what I have said above refers particularly to the house spider. Never, on any account, kill a wood spider. By such an act you would only draw upon yourself the hatred of the whole race of witches, and sooner or later you would suffer from it.