Connecticut western news., 1886-06-16
THE HEASTROLOGER'S DUPE

ld6 All lRUIUGtRS UUfE ? A little old woman, gray-haired and trembling, sat a little while ago in the back office of Wall street stock broker. Her gaze was fixed on wide blackboard, where chalk figures showed the drift of stock market quotations; there was no lustre in her eye; her whole aspect was thato one dumbfounded, brokenhearted. She had sad story to tell were there only spirit enough left to her for recit- d. A year ago she came to this same brokerage office. Her purse was fat with bank bills and she gave an order for the purchase of 500 shares of stock which had been active long time. The broker advised her against the purchase, and told her plainly that he had what he be- ieved excellent reasons for expecting heavy decline in the particular stock she had selected to buy. But she persisted in her determin ation, declaring that she had information which could not be wrong that tho stock was bound to go up good deal very soon. She had her way, despite the counsels that plainly predicted the loss of her money. She left 5, 900 in cash as 10 per cent. mar gin to protect her interest and went her way with calm confidence shown on her countenance. II shall make g good Heal of money" she said as she left, '.for the information have comes from the very highest authority" The stock per perversely declined forthwith, and eaci day saw some fraction clipped off of the preceding days quotation. Within month the original $5, 900 margln had dwindled down to $1, 900, and the broker was obliged to call for another deposit from his customer to protect her interest. she came down town with the same self satisfied smile, and with the same expres- sions of confidence produced her rounded purse again. Four thousand dollars she left < in the brokers hands this time t'The advance, I am told. has been una voidably delayed a little while," she said. WlLA Q tOuC 1uh O1 dSouIduCC duu 1o1Gu, ''but it is bound to come soon now, and l feel as sure that my money IS safe as if I had it all in bank awaiting my orders" This was in response to further grave pre- dictions from the broker, who, by much argument tried to convince her that she was being misled. Another short period IL made upon the sunny faced old lady. Just bare suspicion of disquiet was be- ginning to show itself, but there was no backdown in her action. Out came more money. And so little later did more still follow. Then not long ago she came yet again; now she brought her bank book. She showed to the broker that year ago it credited her with de- posits of $1S,00O, of which but $2, 800 remained; and that $2, 5OO-every penny of it, every penny she possessed in the world-she handed over. She was not yet utterly downcast. ''But yesterday she averred. q had my information re- peated again and the rise which rve waited for so long is to come now right away" Down went the market, lower and lower dropped the price of the ex- pectant woman's 500 shares of stock, till that day little while ago when for the last time she came into Wall-street again, dropped into an armchair before the quo- tation board and gazed long and istless- ly, as one in deep dream, confronting the white figures that glared out at her there like the eyes of so many demons. All of her $1s,000 was gone; she had only poverty left. But she was brave still, and when her broker approached her she rose with the grace of woman young and queenly and thanked him for all his courtesies and the good advice he had waisted on her.
 'sNow, Madam, will you do me the great favor of telling me from what source you received the false information on which you relied so implicitly and risked so much money?" This was the brokers question.
 ''Upon an astrologer. This was her amazing answer, and she named a man whose "card' is Haunted publicly in the metropolis. There was stupefied broker, broker who got mad. He didn't say sTool!n but he looked it. The old lady talked then freely. It was no new thing, she said, for her to seek the advice oi this ''astrologer," her husband had done the same before her and a score of hel friends, she said, had implicit confidence in the revelations of the seer.
 41'n give you $1, ,000," said the broker hotly, If you'll promise me one thing. n eld lady's tightening eouutsnanot
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