Cupology: How to Be Entertaining Part 4

Many things that escaped the flames were injured by water, especially the precious private library of Pope Leo.

The above clipping verifies the reading of the King's cup.

CHAPTER V.

THE ACQUISITIVE ADEPT.

BY A BRIGHT GIRL OF SEVENTEEN.

Dear lady, this is not as I should like to promise. You have suffered deeply. Here are dark caverns, crosses, confusion and wavy, broken and crooked lines. No good luck to be foretold.

So it appears on the surface. You are overcast by sorrow and losses, with death to many present hopes. As holding up the cup, gravestones, tears--heart-tears--seems an ill-omened cup, yet no one need to be discouraged.

I can now reveal to you, even in this conclusive reading, one fair remaining sky-scene, with a little sun-burst, and a distant square. Examine, also, below the tangled rubbish. See you the head of the little anchor, like some friend in need. Trust still in the good, and such will come to you.

Let no one say they are doomed. This lady is well along in years, therefore, this one fair spot of sky-scene is large enough to fill in the remaining periods with joy and hope. I am not content to skim over the mere surface. Helpful revelations need the deeper, mental searchlight.

By turning this cup from left to right, the symbols shadow forth a peaceful old age, up near the sky-light and the evening star.

The dots, with little rings--some kindly aid until the close, with loving, retrospective hope in the final All Good.

I feel your deep enthusiasms, my friend. G.o.d's blessings on you, dear child. You thrill my soul with expectant gladness.

It proved that a benevolent Boston family opened their hospitable doors to this lovely old lady amid her deepest dilemmas. Also, a small inheritance came to this star-lit dome of her declining life's protection.

A WOMAN'S WINNING CARD.

A woman's winning card is cheerfulness.

She may be capable of countless self-sacrifices, infinite tenderness and endless resources of wisdom, but if she cloaks these very excellent possessions under a garb of melancholy she may almost as well not have them, so far as the ordinary world is concerned.

CHAPTER VI.

THREE COQUETTES.

THE FICKLE TRIO--SOCIAL WHIRLWINDS.

You say, "Tell us all you see." Young ladies, there is a mixed-up state of affairs, yet one must use good judgment, so steady your minds for correct appreciation of the kindness of your near a.s.sociates and friends. These Fourths of July mental pyrotechnics are not safe playthings, my dear young friends.

Here are outlined so many love gifts, with pleasures too short-lived. You are pain-giving iconoclasts.

Heart-breakers, said the three, laughing.

You have spoken correctly, for here are broken, also incomplete circles and squares. These imperfect lines so near the life symbols _key and wish_ with shattered urns and crushed flowers.

Ah! and here are some blighted trees! This is both the spring time of your lives as of the seasons, so have care for the sad heart tears you cause and will reap. Lives are oft thus crushed.

You are acting your funny parts as now you think.

"Know thyself," young man. Trifle not with the happy, little blonde lady, whose widowed mother pa.s.ses sleepless nights thinking of her two pretty daughters. Neither be too attentive to the young matron, whose master carries the dagger by his side.

L. and H. seem not good letters of names nor localities for you.

Yet, you possess some fine mental gifts. Good books are near.

You girls will soon drift apart by a stolen letter and some dark cloud of distrust, though you will need each other. See you the separate roads, with the harsh wind blowing the leafless branches of the trees? and yet near by shines the beautiful meadow, just beyond your present thoughts. Strive to cultivate more of the duties of needed practical life and hopes. These high thought signs will not serve you, when life's autumn comes.

Now listen, little Brunette. Accept the old love in about two years. He will return to you from a distance. You smile, yet you will not wed with any one now a.s.sociated. Do not, then, deceive him. He is keen of mind and heart. See, his sky is clear, and the ring of promise is in the light.

Yes, we can now see these outlines. You are a psychologist.

You make us see them, as you desire, young man. Note you their forthcoming. I cannot impel these realities. Emma is the good name of your best friend, young man. She loves you thoughtfully. Cultivate her rare graces. The mirror is clear that is near her home. The birds sing and the children are joyful.

Fine symbols. The home-garden, too, is beautiful. Let us trace the lines. The old, sick lady, inmate of the home will die in the Autumn. That will be a decisive change for that family. Do not allow them to pa.s.s out of your kindly care, if real friends you would possess. Lives can be strangely made or unmade oft times. One must be wise in order to be happy. These pitchers, with stout handles, as here seen, signify some lucky circ.u.mstances.

The supposed wealth of this globe-trotting, dark clothed lady friend is to have a big fall. See the objects! The trunks are all upset and she is in ill temper and very self-willed. See the head?

A mule is near her.

How curiously you read some of these things. I shall note them more fully, though you do not compliment us three at all. Are we, then, so soulless in our innocent pleasures? Pray, tell.

I but delineate some truths as your benefactor, and as I am given them for each. You all love popularity and excitement.

Oh, yes, things appear true in part, as to a few simple things, yet it is very pleasant to hear you read these fanciful figures. I know the lady Emma, also the worrysome, aged, sick woman. I expect an upset at her death, yet we hope for good results, though you promise me irritating labors by this looked-for change.

How amusing this big frog, the magician or joker, as you term him. I did not know the tad-pole was so gifted.

Some months later proves the death, and several of the stated events more than verified. With the young folks asking eager questions, the clouds had gathered. The lame man came into view. The good time not yet. Confusion and discord revealing some added cares as threaded together by the symbols as previously shown, and from the note-book of the young man.

The hated lame man of letters having rudely fl.u.s.trated the game of their lives, yet he was just, though believed to be the cruel enemy, from the broken, wavy lines and cutting things about him, then facing towards them. Mental reason, or impressment plying its parts as touching these mingled, and confusion atmospheres, proving that all things affect us, consciously or otherwise, relating to life.

These intricate and wonderful relationships--these cosmic laws-- bind all mankind together for better or, more often, for needless sorrow and trials. Yet here was some good side to these life-lines, for their own choosing, had each been more unselfish and just. Are we, then, arbiters of our own fate? It is still an open question to many, though there is a time for all things.

LET US NOT BE FATALISTS.

We must seize the handle of the subject, when the door is waiting to open. Each a.s.sociation makes some conditions, brief or life-long. We are not bound to be enslaved forever, though nothing pays but justice, kindness, patience and useful duty, if peace we would enjoy here or hereafter.

IN THE CHRIST SPIRIT.

There is at least one good, guardian angel ever ready to aid in each life, my dear young friends. One of these ladies did marry that mentioned first love after many sad disappointments, with little intrigues, as afterward she said: "Be neither too fickle, too self-opinionated, nor too _submissive_. Be something useful.

Learn to reason with head, heart and soul." The young man is still plodding on in pessimism. This best friend Emma is still alone, yet working out some of the n.o.ble purposes of her helpful, progressive life, knowing that "her own will surely come to her" some good time, and that this brief school-life is not the end of anything n.o.bly sought for. Simulating big things allowed the young man to belittle many n.o.ble facts in nature, thus stunting his manly growth, and overgrowing this chilling pessimism with smart retorts.

One really desiring to aid humanity can become inspired into consistent kindness, well centered in the lines of forecast, as also in the cup reading pleasure. So observe the figures, point them out, summing up as these gems of thought come to life.

One too lazy or disobliging cannot grow these many latent powers. These are as yet but dimly apprehended. All persons possess some special gift. G.o.d meant it so, and that we give hope and joy in all honest ways. So try your gift in this mingling of your aspirations for lofty expressions, which transmit pleasing convictions, strange as at first these may appear. Each soul, as reading or listening, creates an atmosphere of either flippancy, depression, courage, trust, or some vital power.

Some persons there are, who make us feel happy and well by simply looking at us, or thinking of us, with that subtle power that cures one of melancholia, discouragement, or irritability.

Writing a letter with a soul is good. You know there is the soul of things, a fact in nature. I know of many cases, on turning backward in memory's pages. One special one of a dear musical friend, who became very ill from over-work, with nervous headache and sick stomach, so that all hope of an expected musical evening had to be abandoned, as she took her bed in disgust, with sore disappointment. About an hour later, not entirely unexpected, there called at her home a beloved brother, whose melodious voice in song proved to the lady better than any medicine, as he quietly sat down to the piano to sing that sweetly pathetic song:

"Only waiting till the shadows Have a little longer grown."

Hark? said the sick lady quickly sitting up at hearing the first notes. Oh, that is my dear brother, Peter--his name signifieth Lord. Please aid me to dress. I am really better, I am, indeed, do not fear. I must go down to hear him sing. His charming voice has lifted me into strength. I will take the tea. Though very pale, she entertained that evening, and even sang, until midnight. Not one of the party at that time was a Christian Science believer either.

We are only in the kindergarten of life. Some time we shall all possess the high art of selecting our friends and our life companions, my dear, eager, anxious inquirers. We have power in ourselves to grow. This was simply an unadulterated fact, proving the power of mind, soul and spirit on itself from the stimulus of the brother; there being also very much efficacy in the harmony of tones as well as of personality. I wish more persons could be conscious of the power of the voice on the actions of all we come in contact with. We are now touching but slightly on the esoteric, as carnal desires are yet in full evidence.

I have now in mind a sensitive lad of fourteen, who, after four trying years ran away from a really good home and a step-mother, because of her harsh tones. Though a good woman, his soul-life seemed to suffer.

"The way she says things," said he, "is awful to something in me, so that I want to fight. I can't help but shiver. Oh, I don't know what it is. I want to be good. I know she does some nice things."

Though the young philosopher chose for himself a severe taskmaster, with plenty of added work, yet, with some special kindliness in trustful tones that proved part-pay, some needed, minor chord was touched in the soul-life of the lad, that gave him hope in himself and in his future, which proved very true.