A vulture resting on a rock.
An eagle.
A monkey.


In the evening of that day the death of King Alexander of Greece was
announced.

It will be seen, on referring to the dictionary, that an eagle and a
vulture signify "the death of a monarch." The monkey who lay at the
bottom of the cup, apparently dead, was of course the third symbol as
having caused the King's death. It was particularly gratifying that
these signs should have appeared in my friend's cup for she is a
mathematical genius, and rejects every symbol which she cannot recognise
at once. She was so struck by these signs that she called them to the
attention of her mother, who also immediately perceived and identified
them. The only regrettable omission was that the cup was not
photographed. It would have been valuable evidence for the wonders of
the tea-leaves.

This same friend had another interesting experience. The head of an
Indian appeared in her cup, with other signs pointing to news of a
personal nature. She was puzzled, for, as far as she knew, there was no
one in India from whom she would be in the least likely to hear.

Very shortly afterwards, however, her mother went on a visit to London.
There she quite unexpectedly met someone who had recently come from
India, and who had brought back messages of remembrance and affection
from a girl who my friend had no idea was in India at that time. Hence
the Indian in her tea-cup!