Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1882 — Fortune-Tellers. [ARTICLE]

Fortune-Tellers.

The fortune-telling sisterhood eoutrive to make consul- ruble money in panderiug to tiie credulity of their “clients.” The usual charge tor a consultation is fifty cents or a dollar; but the price is as elastic as the seer’s conscience, and can be stretched indefinitely. The trade of fortune-telling is now monopol?zed by women. Some years ago there were a men in the business. They called themselves astro! ogis f s, and had an astonishing kind of intimacy with thf «tars. But the women now have the field to themselves. The impression that all their dnp >8 are tithe servantgirl class is a mistake. A great manywealthy ladies patrouizc them. It is not by any means uncommon to hear a woman of average intelligence and fair education say that she believes iu fortune-tell-ing. With a gx-eat many women of this sort, the first impulse when anything goes wrong, is to consult a fortune-teller. The parlor as well as the kitchen contributes to the coffers of the card-slmffliug swindlers. Wheu the late Philander Doesticks, P. 8., wrote up the fortunetellers of New York, some five £ nd twenty years ago, Ihe trade was considerably hurt, for some time. But it soon flourished again, and is now as ever, if nos more so. We have a law against it, but the harpies who follow it don’t m’nd that. The law says that those who “pretend to tell fortunes, or where lost and stolen goods can be found” shall be held as disorderly persons. But it is easy enough for them to find bail, tako another name, and go on with their nefariious business.