The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-05
Baltimore FOrtune.TellerS

Baltimore do their divining with cards.
Their modus operandi is as follows
A greasy pack is produced, and the wo-
man seats her visitor at one side OF a
small table, herself taking a position
opposite. The visitor is then allowedto
cut the cards, after which they are
spread upon the table. If it is a fe-
male the queen of the suit cut is taken
to represent her, and according to the
disposition of the cards on either side
of this queen the fortune is told. If
diamonds predominant, riches are fore.
told; if hearts, success in love. Spades
and clubs represent trouble and labor;
aces stand for letters, kings and knaves
for dark or light complexioned men, &C
cording to their coming out in black or
red suits, and other cards for most any
thing. The presiding genius over the
cards varies her prophecies to suit the
occasion, and seldom, if ever, com.
mences to foretell until she has learned
by o systematic pumping all she can
! about her visitors antecedents. The
faith placed in the foolish talk of these
women is something marvellous. Their
visitors will dilate for weeks upon their
visit and the prophecy made them, and
will endeavor, almost without their own
knowledge, to aid in the ful6llment of
the same. The fortune-teller usually
allows the cards to be cut three times
for q half a dollar. After this cere-
mony has been performed their CONVEX
sation is about as follows:
Fortune Teller-"You have seen a
great deal of trouble in your life"
V.-"Lor's, that's true" (and here
follows a long description of her trials
for years past).
F. T.-"Your troubles are now about
over; here is money coming to you"
drumming over the cards). MANY of
your female friends are decetful, and
have ill.treated you"
v.-"That's so !; there's Miss JONES'"
etc., etc.
F. T.-"Here are two men very near
to you; one light complicated and the
other dark complicated. One of them
is so near to you that he ought to be
your husband"
Why gracious ! My brother Tom
is light completed and my husband
dark. How in the world did you know
thatP"
F. T.-"You have had q death in your
family within a year past"
v.-"No; It's eighteen months since
Louizy died, and unless Tommy. or
Maggie or Bill have died since l left
home, you are wrong"
F. T." Not in your own house, but
in your family; I mean a relative"
Yves; there was Aunt Susan died
in Annapolis last June, sure enough"
F. T.-"You refused more than n
offer before you married your present
husband, and you made a mistake, for
there is a light completed man now
waiting for you who has lots of money.
Your husband has been unfortunate,
and sometimes does not treat you we'll.
You would have done better to have
married the light Completed man."
V.-"Oh, my ! that must mean Sam.
Every word you've told me is gospel
truth. He wanted me and I wouldn't
have him, and just as you say, my hus-
band does not treat me good; and good
ness knows what I should do if it wasn't
for Aunt Jane sending me ten dollars
every MONTH"
F.. T.-"You have three children
living, two boys and a girl, and you
have lost one boy"
Willow could you have known
that forgetting that she had already
told herr? Well, I declared"
F. T.-"There is a letter coming for
you, and you will either get it in a week
or q month. You will in q few years
marry the light Completed man, and
the rest of your life will be spent with
out trials, and you will have plenty OF
money"
Exit visitor perfectly satisfied. The
letter comes to hand ct it's usual time in
the month and contains the usual re-
mittance. Faith in the fortune-teller
abounds, and the visitor spen Is much OF
her time in retailing to her acqualnt-
ances how the fortune-teller told her all
about her life, and how true her predic-
tions came, especially the letter. Some
few fortune-tellers make their predic-
tons by the examination of their Wis.
itors' hands. Their predictions are,
however, the same senseless mummery,
and are based upon information already
given them. All assert their possession
Of a foresight which they pretend to be
unable to explain. Some of them claim
to be able to cure diseases by the laying
on of hands, and all unite in saying that
they can put an evil wish upon any one.
baltimore american.