Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1869-06-25
. OH Il Il N Y
Partisan FOrtune.Tellers,

against a fortunc.tcllcr. The inquiry furn.
ishcd him with some curious information
concerning tho general principles on which
tho art is founded; he discovered that upon
tho whole it was morcly q calculation ofprob-
abilities, Which, if managed adroitly, might
become susceptible of successful application;
and no thought it would be an excellent thing
to turn c%onjuror himself. lie began by
dividing the workable ~mattcr-namcly, public
c,oLulity-into its two sexes, its four ages, in
to married and unmarried, masters and SCR
wants, clergy and laity, mobiles and commoners,
&c. lie then set down tho general accidents
common to all ~classes, tho special accidents
moro common in each, and, finally, tho moro
raro and individual accidents. IIc thus ac-
quircd q mass of about 1000 Of the accidents
of human life which are constantly occurring
1t must be confessed, a tolcrably good foun-
dation to tell fortunes on.
Whilo he was thus studying the theory Of
the art, he devoted himself to the practice Of
a branch no less important; he observed
physiognomy, fixed names in his recollection,
introduced himself into parties Of every dcs.
cription, cndcavorcd to dive into the secrets
of families, and assumed every possible dis
guise; finally, when he found himself suite
icntly rich in materials and powerful iu means,
ho opened a nccromancy Office. His success
was prodigious; his door was bcsicgcd by
females, noblcmcn, tradcsmcn, ccclcsiastics,
and even high p%rclatcs, eagerly throngcd to
consult him and with the exception of some
few mischances, our c%onjuror had no cause to
regret the resignation of his post in the po-
lice.
Fortunc.tcllirg appears to have been long
n lucrative profession in Paris. A corrcspon-
dent gives the following anccdotc and dcs-
cription of q person who was most successful
in carrying OH the trade in the French me-
tropolis:
"a littlc moro than sixty years since, q
fortunc-tcller in Paris was reused from his
bed at tho dead of night by a loud knocking
at his door. On opening it, he perceived
standing before him a man muflicd up in an
ample cloak, with a large hat slouchcd over
his face.
What do you want?' said the fortunc-tcll-
or, somewhat alarmed.
The stranger answered stcrnly, IF you arc
what you profess to be, you can tell nc
that
4 can tell nothing without my cards. rc.
piled the other.
Nd Tho ctrono,or xuo1LoJ -, onI fbo co,t,no
teller, having shufllcd his cards and laid .'lcln
out, after a pause, observed with . tone of
dcfcrcnce:
Il perceive I am in the presence Of an illus
trious person.
sYou arc right said the stranger; 'and
now tell me what it is l wish to knowY
The fortune. teller, again consulting his
cards, answered !:
'You wish to know whether a certain lady
will have a son or n daughter
fright again. said the stranger.
Aftcr another pause, the fortunc-tcllcr pro.
nounccd that the lady would have a son.
On which the stranger replied, III that
provo true, you shall receive fifty pieces of
gold if false, a good cudgclling.'
GA few weeks after, about tho sam hour
and in tho same manner, tho stranger reap
pcarcd, and before he could speak, tho fortune.
teller exclaimed
'You find I was right
q do said the stranger; 'and I am come
to keep my promise.
So saying, he produced a purse of fifty
louis, and departed"
The strangers mode of proceeding seems
to have been designed to put tho fortunc-tcll-
cr's skill to the scycrcst test. The circum-
stances of his coming alone, and at such an
hour, makes it Mhobablc he had moi commu-
nioatcd his IMITATION to any one; while his
carcfulness in coHcoaling his person and face,
and his extreme caution to afford no one clue
to the discovery of himself or his object by
conversation, wcrc admirably calculated to
render imposition impossible. Tho history of
the case is this. l heard it about thirty
years since from a gentleman in Paris, who
learned it from Volncy, tho celebrated travel
or i'll the East. Volncy had it from the
fortunc-tcllcr himself, who applied to him for
some Syriac expressions. On being asked
for what purpose he wanted them, lo confess
cd his trade; and Volncy, finding him a re-.
markably shrcwd person, inquired Of him the
story Of his life.