Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-06-18
THE ASTROLOG DUPE

I'LL AO / 1hUIUUhR % DO1n II
A little old woman, gray-haired ana
trembling, sat 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
ustre in her eye; her whole aspect was
thato one dumbfoundcd, brokcnhcarted,
She had sad story to tell were there
only spirit enough left to her for recit-
al. 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 a 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 determir alton, declaring that she
had information which could not be
wrong that the stock was bound to 90
up good deal very soon. She had her
way, despite the counsels that plainly
predicted the loss of her money. She
left So, 900 in cash as 10 per cent. mar
pin to protect her interest and went her
way with Q calm conhdence sh2Mf 9is
her countenance. 81 shall make d good
deal of money" she said as she left, s'for
the information / have comes from the
very highest authority" The stock per-
perversely declined forthwith, and each
day saw some fraction clipped off of the
preceding days quotation. Within a
month the original 5000 margin had
dwindled down to 81, 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 express
sions of confidence produced her rounded
purse again. Four thousand dollars she
left in the brokers' hands this time.
''The advance, | am told has been una
yoidably delayed little while," she said.
with tone full of assurance and faith,
"but it is bound to come soon now, and
feel as sure that my money is safe as il
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 sh,
was being misled. Another short period
elapsed; and another enforced call wa
made upon the sunny faced old lady
Just bare suspicion of disquiet was be
ginning to show itself, but there was nc
backdown in her action. Out cam
more money. And so little later die
more still follow. Then not long ag,
she came yet again; now she brought he
bank book. She showed to the broke
that year ago it credited her with de
posits of $1S, 600, of which but 81, 50'
remained; and that 81, 500-every penn!
of it, every penny she possessed in tn
world-she handed over. She was no
yet utterly downcast. ''But yesterday,
she ayerred. II had my information re
peated again and the rise which I've
waited for so long is to come now right
away" Down went the market lowe
and lower dropped the price of the ex
peetant woman's 500 shares of stock, til
that day little while ago when for tn
last time she came into Wall-street again
dropped into an armchair before the quo
tatiOn board and gazed long and listless
ly, as one in deep dream, confronting
the white figures that glared out at he
there like the eyes of SO many demons
All of her $3.50 was gone; she ha(
only poverty left. But she was bray'
still, and when her broker approached
her she rose with the grace of woman
yonng and queenly and thanked him fol
all his courtesies and the good advice h'
had wasted on her
'Now, Madam, will you do me tn
great favor of telling me from wha
source you received the false information
on which you relied so implicitly an'
risked so much money!" This was tn
brokers' question.
Upon an astrologer This was hel
amazing answer, and she named mar
whose "card" is faunted publicly in th'
metropolis. There was stupefied broker
broker who got mad. He didn't say
'Foolr' but he looked it. The old ladl
talked then freely. 1t was no new thing,
she said, for her to seek the advice ol
this "astrologer," her husband had done
the same before her and score ol hei
friends, she said, had implicit confidence
in the revelations of the seer.
'T'n give you 81, OOO," said the broker
hOtly, 'if you'll promise me one thing
The old lady's tightening eountenanO,
showed that he need have no doups y