New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-09

L.T nj n
h., ! e.p't .,,a,jon him dead. THINK he's at SEQ
.om.vb,rc ,or in afor-gn land, but can't sa,on hun
dead. lie might well be under ground for all the
good he IL, for he Is such poor, misabe, drinkin
teer that ne amino use but, after al, cant him
desd' At last, the object of he visit mentioned,
and, TO our reporters great surprise, Mrs. Grommer
positively and peremptoriiy refused to give him the
beneh, of her prophetic powers. She said: 1t amt
no use; ! never does for gentlemen. does some
times for ladies bu, can't do 1t for gentlemen"
Rrmonstrapce and entreaty were sbhe useless; she
was ns inmoveable by sound and sohd argu
ment az a street cleaning contractor is by public ne
c..,itv At last she said she would call her A" old
man who could tell fortunes well M she could,
hut she added, with determined shake Of the head:
He'll do it, but he will charge you dollar, and he
wont do under neither When reporter ex-
pressed bis willingness learn his future fate by the
masculine Medium, she addressed him thus: You
station there, in that chair and I'll send him." The
disappointed Stationed in the designated chair,
and awaited the coming of the " old man." He soon
appeared and seated himself, ready to begin.
"Old Man" Gromrner is professor Of the white
washing branch Of decorative art. He occasionally
relaxes his noble mind from the arduous mental labor
attendant upon the successful carrying of his regu-
,ar business, and condestends to earn easy dollar
by fortuneteing. He IL shrewd-looking old man,
with dash Of white blood in his compositions his
hair curled tightly all over his head but is elaborated
on each side Of his face into a single hard-twsted
riD,et short crisped whskers, s,reaked with gray,
encrce his face and imperial completes his hirsue
attractions: his cheeks and forehead marked with
the smallpox. He atred in gray and striped
dress the peculiarly Of which that the coat and
vert were bound with wide strips of black velvet. He
speaks with but little Ct the peculiar negro dialect,
except when he forgets himself for instant and I'M
guardedy relapses BO the old habits, which he has
evidently carefully Sendeavored to overcome. He
looked at his visitor very sharply for minute or two,
while he pretended to be abstractedly shutting the
cards. and collecting his valuable thoughts, at last he
remarked Ispose you want me to run the cards
for you" The reply was in the affirmative, and the
colored prophet concentrated his mind and began.
Slowly he dealt the cards and spake as folOws You
don't believe in fortunes, my son-I see that. Must
ten you what see here-cant help tiff see it in
the cards must tell you. You're had great deal
trouble my son; more comm Can't help IT. mus
tell YOU see trouble in de cards; see razackly
what il is" Here he suddenly stopped, and resumng
his guarded manner, continued: You've lost some
thing my son. something that you think great deal
Of Now don't like to tell about lost things; Use
frad I'll get myself into a snare I'd rather not say
nothing about it; fear I'll get myself into trouble"
Our reporter here gave him the most positive essur
ances that he should never be called into court to
identify the thief Of the missing article, and that he
should be held free from all harm; whereupon he con-
sented to impart the following information: " Dis
thing you lost is something that hangs up on nail
something bright and round-you thinks great deal
of it. my sOn--when il went away it had on bright
guard-hasnt got bright guard on now; got black
guard-you see knows all about de article, my son,
and can tell you razacky where de article is--but
Use rather not tell you bout it my son; frad III run
myself into snare; OATS the truth, my son. rather no
say nothn' bout de article"
Being again assured of safety, he went on; "Well,
my son. I'll tell you bout this yer thing Has you got
any boys in yer employ No. Got two girls have
you of dem girls ighth haired, and de other is
darh-the light one is de one who in your reem
in your clearinghouse every morning VIXEN you'se
gone away-'cause you lives m boardin' house,
sees that-can see it in the cards, can always tell
razackly. If you make fuss about dat article you
make your iandlady feel bad You has accused some
body of taking that article but you cused de wrong
person. The ght-haired girl is who's got that arti-
Gle. Can't help it, my son, must tell you-de light
haired girl is de person. Mebbe she's put it back my
son, III see"
Here he cut the cards carefully and continued:
There's trouble bout dat article, my son, cant
help it. mast tell you-but you'll get the article but
you'll haye disappointment. Whenever you see dat
card you may know there's disappointment comm
dat card is always dissppOinment-can help it, my
son, must tell you Here he exhibited the nine Of
spades to the malignant influence of which he attrb
uted the future woes of our representative.
when ysu 60 home hook in your bed between the
mattresses and if the article is there, for mebbe
she II put bsck-f it stint there you must go to her
and cuse her Of it. cause it's in the house and she's
got it-can't help it, my son, must tell you"
1t is perhaps needless to say that reporter has
met with no loss of property and that all this
tirely gratuAous on the part Of Mr. Grommer. Hav-
ing, however settled the matter to his satisfaction
that gentleman turned his attention to other things
and in the intervals of repeated saufngs and cuttings
Of the cards he said:
Deere is journey for you soon-aad dis jour
ney going to be the best thing that happened
to youbut dere is little disappointment frst-cant
help it, my son. must tel-here you can gee for your
self" and out came the malicious nine of spades
again. "You will get money from beyond sea- my
son-los of money, lots of money nay son--kere il is
you can see for yourself and he exhibited the cheer
full faces Of the eight nine and ten of diamonds You
viii have disappointment before you get this money"
sndup the hateful visage ofthe spades once
more. "You born under good star my SON
under morning sar--you was born under the planet
Jupiter my son. at % minutes past four in the morn
ing-lucky star, my son, very lucky star. You are
going to make great change in your business, my
sou, which will be good; you will always be success
full in business but think there is little dsappon.
ment first; cant help it, must tel you" Here our