The Ladies Book of Useful Information Part 8

In June, eight days-the 1st, 5th, 6th, 9th, 12th, 16th, 18th, and 24th.

In July, four days-the 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 18th.

In August, two days-the 15th and 16th.

In September, two days-the 9th and 16th.

In October, six days-the 4th, 9th, 11th, 17th, 27th, and 31st In November, four days-the 3rd, 9th, 10th, and 21st.

In December, two days-the 14th and 21st.

DAYS OF THE WEEK-THEIR IMPORTANCE AT THE NATAL HOUR.

A child born on Sunday shall be of long life and obtain riches.

A child born on Monday will be weak and effeminate.

Tuesday is more unfortunate still, though a child born on this day may, by extraordinary vigilance, conquer the inordinate desires to which he will be subject; still, in his violent attempts to gratify them, he will be in danger of a violent death.

The child born on Wednesday will be given to a studious life, and shall reap great profit therefrom.

A child born on Thursday shall attain great honor and dignity.

He who calls Friday his natal day shall be of a strong const.i.tution, and perhaps addicted to the pleasures of love.

Sat.u.r.day is another ill-omened day; most children born on this day will be of heavy, dull, and dogged disposition.

IMPORTANT ADVICE TO FEMALES.

It has often been observed, and experience has shown the observation to be a true one, that some event of importance is sure to happen to a woman in her thirty-first year, whether it prove for her good or it be some evil or temptation; therefore we advise her to be circ.u.mspect in all her actions. If she is a maiden or widow, it is probable she will marry this year. If a wife, that she will lose her children or husband. She will either receive riches or travel into a foreign land; at all events, some circ.u.mstance or other will take place during this remarkable year of her life that will have great effect on her future fortunes and existence.

THE MAGIC RING.

=To know whom you will marry, and what kind of a fate you will have with them.=-Borrow a wedding ring, concealing the purpose for which you borrow it; but no widow's or pretended marriage ring will do-it spoils the charm; wear it for three hours at least before you retire to rest, and then suspend it, by a hair off your head, over your pillow; write within a circle resembling a ring, the sentence from the matrimonial service beginning with, "_with this ring I thee wed_," and round the circle write your own name at full length, and the figures that stand for your age; place it under your pillow, and your dream will fully explain whom you are to marry, and what kind of a fate you will have with them. If your dream is too confused to remember it, or you do not dream at all, it is a certain sign that you will never be married.

PHYSIOGNOMICAL SIGNS OF A GOOD GENIUS.

A straight, erect body, neither over tall nor short, between fat and thin. The flesh naturally soft. The skin neither soft nor rough, but a medium between. The complexion white, verging to a blush of redness.

The hair between hard and soft, usually of a brown color. The head and face of a moderate size. The forehead rather high. The eyes manly, big, and clear, of a blue or hazel color. The aspect mild and humane.

The teeth so mixed that some are broad and some narrow. A subtle tongue, and the voice between intense and remiss. The neck comely and smooth. The channel-bone of the throat appearing and moving. The back and ribs not over fleshy. The shoulders plain and slender. The hands indifferently long and smooth. The fingers long, smooth, and equally distant. The nails white, mixed with red, and shining. The carriage of the body erect in walking.

ELECTRICAL PSYCHOLOGY, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL FASCINATION.

The most easy, sure and direct mode to produce electro-psychological communication is to take the individual by the hand, in the same manner as though you were going to shake hands. Press your thumb with moderate force upon the _ulnar nerve_, which spreads its branches to the ring and little finger. The pressure should be nearly one inch above the knuckle, and in range of the ring finger. Lay the ball of the thumb flat and particularly crosswise so as to cover the minute branches of this nerve of motion and sensation. When you first take your subject by the hand, request him to place his eyes upon yours, and to keep them fixed, so that he may see every emotion of your mind expressed in the countenance. Continue this pressure for half a minute or more, then request him to close his eyes, and with your fingers gently brush downward several times over the eyelids, as though fastening them firmly together. Throughout the whole process feel within yourself a fixed determination to close them, so as to express that determination fully in your countenance and manner. Having done this, place your hand on the top of his head and press your thumb firmly on the organ of individuality, bearing partially downward, and with the other thumb still pressing the _ulnar nerve_, tell him, _You cannot open your eyes!_ Remember that your manner, your expression of countenance, your motions, and your language must all be of the same positive character. If he succeed in opening his eyes, try it once or twice more, because impressions, whether physical or mental, continue to deepen by repet.i.tion. In case, however, that you cannot close his eyes, nor see any effect produced upon them, you should cease making any further efforts, because you have now fairly tested that his mind and body both stand in a positive relation as regards the doctrine of impressions. If you succeed in closing the subject's eyes by the above mode, you may then request him to put his hands on his head, or in any other position you choose, and tell him, _You cannot stir them!_ In case you succeed, request him to be seated, and tell him, _You cannot rise!_ If you are successful in this, request him to put his hands in motion, and tell him, _You cannot stop them!_ If you succeed, request him to walk on the floor, and tell him, _You cannot cease walking!_ As so you may continue to perform experiments, involving muscular motion and paralysis of any kind that may recur to your mind, till you can completely control him in arresting or moving all the voluntary parts of his system.

MESMERISM.

If you desire to mesmerize a person, who has never been put in that state, nor in the least affected, the plan is to set him in an easy posture and request him to be calm and resigned. Take him by both hands, or else by one hand and place your other gently on his forehead. But with whatever part of his body you choose to come in contact, be sure to always touch two points, answering to the _positive_ and _negative_ forces. Having taken him by both hands, fix your eyes upon his, and, if possible, let him contentedly and steadily look you in the face. Remain in this position until his eyes close.

Then place both your hands on his head, gently pa.s.s them to his shoulders, down the arms, and off at the ends of his fingers. Throw your hands outward as you return them to his head, and continue these pa.s.ses till he can hear no voice but yours. He is then entirely in the mesmeric state. When a person is in the mesmeric state, whether put there by yourself or someone else, you can awake him by the upward pa.s.ses, or else do it by an impression, as follows: Tell him, "I will count _three_, and at the same instant I say _three_ I will slap my hands together, and you will be wide awake and in your perfect senses.

Are you ready?" If he answers in the affirmative, you will proceed to count "One, two, three!" The word three should be spoken suddenly, and in a very loud voice, and at the same instant the palms of the hands should be smitten together. This will instantly awake him.

HOW TO MAKE PERSONS AT A DISTANCE THINK OF YOU.

Let it be particularly remembered that "faith" and concentration of thought are positively needful to accomplish aught in drawing others to you, or making them think of you. If you have not the capacity or understanding to operate an electric telegraph battery, it is no proof that an expert and competent person should fail in doing so. Just so in this case; if faith, meditation, or concentration of thought fail you, then will you also fail to operate on others. First, you must have a yearning for the person you wish to make think of you; and, secondly, you must learn to guess at what time of day or night, he may be unemployed-pa.s.sive-so that he may be in a proper state to receive the thought which you dispatch to him. If he should be occupied in any way, so that his nervous forces were needed to complete his task, his "human battery," or thought, would not be in a recipient or pa.s.sive condition, therefore your experiment would fail at that moment. Or, if he were under heavy narcotics, liquors, tobacco, or gluttonous influences, he could not be reached at such moments. Or, if he were asleep, and you operated to effect a wakeful mind or thought, you would fail again at the moment. To make a person at a distance think of you (whether you are acquainted with him or not, matters not), I again repeat, find out or guess at what moment he is likely to be pa.s.sive-by this I mean easy and careless; then, with the most fervent prayer or yearning of your entire heart, mind, soul, and strength, desire he may think of you. And if you wish him to think on any particular topic in relation to you, it is necessary for you to press your hands, when operating on him, on such mental faculties of your head as you wish him to exercise towards you. This demands a meager knowledge of Phrenology. His "feeling nature," or "propensities," you cannot reach through these operations, but when he thinks of you (if he does not know you, he imagines such a being as you are) he can easily afterwards be controlled by you, and he will feel disposed to go in the direction where you are, if circ.u.mstances permit and he is his own master, for, remember, circ.u.mstances alter cases. I said you cannot reach his "feeling," but only his "thinking," nature, truly, but after he thinks of you once his "feeling nature," or propensities, may become aroused through his own organization. In conclusion on this topic, let me say that if you wish the person simply to think of you, one operation may answer; but, on the contrary, if you wish him to meet you, or go where you are, all you have to do is to persevere, in a lawful and Christian manner, to operate, and I a.s.sure you, in the course of all natural things-that is, if no accident or very unfavorable circ.u.mstances occur-he will make his way towards you, and when he comes within sight, or reaching distance of you, it will be easy to manage him.

HOW TO CHARM THOSE WHOM YOU MEET AND LOVE.

When you desire to make any one "love" you with whom you meet, although not personally acquainted with him, you can very readily reach him and make his acquaintance, if you observe the foregoing instructions in addition to the following directions: Suppose you see him coming towards you, in an unoccupied mood, or recklessly or pa.s.sively walking past you, all that remains for you at that moment is to concentrate your thought, and send it into him as before explained, and, to your astonishment, if he was pa.s.sive, he will look at you, and now is your time to send a thrill to his heart, by looking him carelessly, though determinately, in the eyes, and praying him, with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, that he may read your thought and receive your true love, which G.o.d designs we should bear one another. This accomplished, and you need not, and must not, wait for a cold-hearted, fashionable, and popular Christian introduction; neither should you hastily run into his arms, but continue operating in this psychological manner, not losing any convenient opportunity to meet him at an appropriate place, when an unembarra.s.sed exchange of words will open the door to the one so magnetized. At this interview, unless prudence sanction it, do not shake hands, but let your manners and loving eyes speak with Christian charity and ease. Wherever or whenever you meet again, at the first opportunity grasp his hand in an earnest, sincere, and affectionate manner, observing at the same time the following important directions, viz.: As you take his bare hand in yours, press your thumb gently, though firmly, between the bones of the thumb and the forefinger of his hand, and at the very instant when you press thus on the blood vessels (which you can before ascertain to pulsate) look him earnestly and lovingly in the eyes, and send all your heart's, mind's, and soul's strength into his organization, and he will be your friend, and if you find him not to be congenial, you have him in your power, and by carefully guarding against evil influences, you can reform him to suit your own purified, Christian, and loving taste.

CHAPTER III.

A SPECIAL CHAPTER FOR YOUNG WOMEN.

MARRIAGE.

Advice upon this subject is very much needed. I am a.s.sured that it is a subject not often talked of in families-at least, as it ought to be-nor is it much alluded to in the pulpit, and the result is that young people commonly get their notions about it from those only a little older than themselves, and who therefore know but little more than they do, or from those who form their opinions from the abuse they see of it and so hold degrading and unworthy ideas respecting it.

Sometimes all that is known about it amounts to this, that it is a delightful thing to be married.

It is quite true that it often is, and always ought to be, delightful; still, you know it is frequently the reverse. You cannot, then, be too cautious in the matter.

Nothing can be more orderly, right, proper, and holy than marriage. It is not, however, quite so simple an affair as you may fancy. Every good thing (and this is one of the best) requires some effort to obtain it, and unless you take the right course you must not expect to succeed.

You may often see a young woman who, from not entertaining correct views on the point, is certainly taking a wrong course, her endeavors being rather to make what she considers a good match than by acquiring kind and orderly habits to qualify herself to become worthy of a worthy husband.

That the best things are liable to the greatest abuses is notorious, and from the lamentable fact that marriage is often abused we may fairly infer its pre-eminent worth. In truth, there is nothing more valuable. It is, then, highly injurious to entertain low notions respecting it, and men who indulge in loose conversation on the subject are likely at the same time to think meanly of women. Beware of them, and if you hear them expressing such opinions in your presence, withdraw from them at once as unworthy of your company.

Never fear but they will respect you the more for the rebuke.

Of course you are looking forward to settling happily, and will do your best for that purpose. On this let me remark that all happiness (that is, all that is genuine, and therefore worthy of the name) comes from connection with the one great source of all good, and He has freely and fully provided all the means necessary for our being happy, both here and hereafter. He has placed each of us where it is best for us to be, and in the circ.u.mstances that are best for us at the time, and this applies to you and to me now. Howsoever much appearances may be to the contrary, He cares as much for each of us as if we were the sole objects of His care. It is only by doing our duty in humble dependence on His a.s.sistance, which He never withholds, that we can be happy. It behooves you, then, to consider well what is your duty, in order that you may do it and may enjoy the blessings He is so ready to bestow. I hope you may have been a loving and dutiful daughter, an affectionate sister, and a faithful friend; then you may have good ground of hope for the future.

WHEN A PROSPECT OF MARRIAGE

occurs you cannot do better than consult your mother, aunt, or other discreet relative that has your welfare at heart, from whom you may reasonably expect the best and most disinterested advice; and this it will be well for you to be guided by. Women of mature years can judge far better than you whether a man is likely to make a good husband.

You should likewise quietly and cautiously make your own observations among your married acquaintances, especially where you believe there is a comfortable and happy home. You will doubtless find that to a very great extent this happy home depends on the wife's management and economy. Very often it happens that when two husbands have the same income, with the same number of children, there will be comfort in the one home and discomfort in the other. Now, there must be a reason for this, and you should endeavor to find it out and profit by the lesson.

It is said "Cleanliness is next to G.o.dliness," and truly the value of cleanliness cannot be overrated. In point of time, it should go before G.o.dliness, for where there is not cleanliness there can hardly be G.o.dliness; and the health of body and mind are greatly dependent on these two. Moreover, where can there be complete happiness without health?

One of the most prolific sources of matrimonial difficulties is the lack of knowledge on the part of wives of the duties of housekeeping.

In these days there are a hundred young ladies who can drum on the piano to one who can make a good loaf of bread.

YET A HUNGRY HUSBAND