The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-25
Mlscl,ievous Mediums.

ing business. Private carriages fre-
quently drive up t., her door, and fash
ionably dressed ladies ulight and enter
the mysterious presence Of the Cherry
street medium. Her price is two dol
lars. and she will not admit gentlemen.
The majority Of these swindlers who
prey upon the superstitious and litter.
ate GLASSES charge fifty cents and dol.
lar a sitting. A sitting lasts from five
minutes to an hour; the length Of the
seance is generally regulated by the size
OF the fee. The smaller fry of fortune
tellers ore patronized by factory girls
and servants, who, like the rest of hu.
manity, have felt the prick of Cupld's
dart. These girls, from the time they
begin to keep company, frequent these
mediums and spend their hard-ee.rned
money IN trying to ascertain whether
their sweeth carts are good and true. In
order to bring the girls back again their
feelings arc played upon and all kinds of
wildcat stories are invented to entice
them to return. Frequently these
witch-hags cause young people of little
or no education to sever their bonds of
love, and thus many young girl is
made miserable through the mediums
mercenary Vaccinations. A reporter
had all extensive experience visiting
mediums in different parts OF the city.
''Is it a case of lost love or business
reverses?' asked a medium on Noble
street of the reporter, Lost love-"
said the reporter, assuming all I-have-
nothing-to-live for air. 'Ah," sighed
the elderly female III dowdy wrapper;
zone dollar, please. My terms are
strictly in advance, and don't take
trade dollars under any circumstances.
The reporter handed out one-dollar
bill, and with greasy pack Of playing
cards in dark, dingy little parlor, tho
fortune teller began to tell the reporter
of his destiny.
"You are i'll love with young girl;
she has dark brown hair and gray eyes;
she tolls for her bread from morn to
eve; so do you; you stitch shoes or some
thing OF that sort. I see," she went on,
there will be trouble between you; un-
pleasant letters will pass between you;
she isn't true to you; she likes you, but
she doesn't love you: she favors young
married man. with dark eyes and black
hair; beware OF him; you have known her
for two years or more; i'll less than nine
days, or weeks or months will pass you,
you will break of with her.
''Cut the cards as hear the centre as YOU
can, went on the medium in wheezy
voice. The reporter obeyed her bidding,
and ieigning that he was suffering with
n bleeding heart, lie asked:
Twill no other girl care for me?'
son.. said the fortune teller, "I see
young girl with a dark complexion.
She is lnadly i'll love with you. She has
only seen you twice, but she will see
you III less than nine days. You will
marry her inside OF two years. She is
very handsome and has great wealth. I"
The reporters face frightened at this
prospect OF liberation from comparative
poverty. The cards tell NO." continued
the medium, ''that you won't lead q
happy life for two years." This phase
Of the prospect caused the reporter to
shudder. "You are worried" said the
would-be prophecies, edo not try to
hide 1t from me; but you will 5e huppy
in the end" With these consoling
words the reporter started to 20. Just
then the door bell rang, and two young
girls, cheapIy but Aashily dressed,
were ushered into the back room.
"Come again in two days and tell me
what has happened, and I can tell you
more about your FUTURE" said the me-
dium.
When the reporter reached the street
he crossed over to the opposite side and
asked a man sitting on u doorstep, do
many persons visit that medlum?''
''Yes, Strings of them," said the man on
the step. ''They are mostly young
girls, he continued, "begin to come
about dark You see they don't want to
no saaO crr,inc rInxy1,ol,%
The reporter referred to his note book
and found that real trance medium
held forth on Sd street IN the neighbor-
hood OF Girard avenue, and thirsting fol
more OF the wonderful revelation he
rang tho door bell. There was light
in the front room, but the moment the
bell rang the light went out, and q
middle-aged woman, wearing scraggy
bangs and dowdy gown which was q
CROSS between wrapper and linen
duster, opened the door far enough tc
poke her nose out and ask what was
wanted.
Il am in trouble" said the reporter.
"Ah, you mean business, do your
queried the trance artist in pleasing
voice.
IL do not know whether you call il
business or something olse ," said re-
porter; 'I'm in love, he continued, as
the guilty blush of falsehood rushed tc
his face.
my terms for gents is two dollars,
ten minutes for trance and twenty
minutes for revelations, said the woman
in the dowdy gown. The reporter was
ushered into neatly-furnished room,
1t was dark, and an incense of dried
herbs pervaded tie room. The trance
medium neatly tucked the two dollars
away in her pocket with business. like
air, and seating herself in low rocking
chair before the reporter, began twitch
ing her hands nervously and rubbing
them over her forehead. Sho feignet
sleep at once. All was still save til,
barking OF n dog in tie Ltreet and til,
heavy breathing of the woman, VIII,
thought she had caught genuine
fat.
The mldde-aged female sat with ne
eyes tightly closed and hor hand
pressed upon the forehead. While sn
sat i'll this attitude the reporter watche,
her closely, and mentally estimated he
as an Old fraud. In something like tel
minutes she rubbed her eyes, groaned
and awakened with q start, and as sh
rubbed her eyes she SAID, in startle,
tones. Where I amp" Tho reporte