Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-19
LIVING ON SUPERSTITION.
People Who Support Soothsayers, Fortune
Teller and AsIrologers.

People Who support SOOthsayers, Fortune
Teller and Asrrologers.
There are in this as there are in all large
cities, individuals who live because of the
superstitions of others. The fortune tellers."
"astrologers," ''claivoyants" and 'sooth-
sayers" flourish the year round. 1t would bA
surprise If the list of people who visit these
places should become known. They are not
ignorant victims all of them, either. but men
and women of bright minds and great intelli-
gence. But from servant girls, many Of
whom arc ignorant, tho fortune tellers reap a
harvest, and much of their scanty earnings
60 to the "soothsayer's" purse in exchange
for few words of comforting rubbish that a
schoolboy could chatter as we'll
On Blank street stands certain little frame
house. 1t is old and weather beaten, and a
window with vari-colored glass would make
it an object Of curiosity. 1t does not look like
place where uncanny spirits abide, neither
does it havea supernatural appearance. Jut-
ting out from above the door is sign: mad
am Blank, Astrologist and Fortune Teller.
Gives satisfaction" Resting against the side
OF the house is another sign, worn and old,
which informs the passer by that the madam
Is fortune teller, who works charts of luck
and brings back absent friends.
reporters ring at the door brought O
woman about thirty-five years old with
raven hair and black piercing eyes She was
well dressed, and informed the visitor with
slight French accent that she was the
madam. Two middle aged and well dressed
ladies We're in the room, and the reporter
was ushered into a back room to wait until
the madam had read the fortunes of the two
ladies. He did not have long to wait, and
soon he was within the Inner Temple of the
Astrologer's Home" 1t was very plainly
furnished; few chairs, a bureau, dresser,
An ordinary stove, a stand aud a bed com
Prlsed the furniture
There was marked absence of the charts,
tokens and symbols usually found in such
places great, yellow eyed cat stood
blinking in one corner, and Newfoundland
dog lay stretched on the floor beside the
stove. In the center of the room was a long,
VIDE table with a white covering. Having
expressed desire to have the great veil OF
the future lifted, the visitor handed over the
requisite fee-fifty cents-and seated himself
In chair beside the table. Madam took up
a well thumbed and rather dirty deck OF
cards, save that they had pictures of different
kinds, numbers and hieroglyphics that mad
am explained represented love, fortune, old
age, youth, a letter, sickness, good luck, bad
luck, etc.
The cards were shufied once, the visitor
was told TO make mental wish, after which
he cut the cards four times Then they were
spread out on the table. OF course the visitor
would get his wish, the cards said so. He
viii be fortunate in business, will live to Q
ripe old age, have great deal of wealth, IL
fact according to the cards he had Q won
derful future.
But will marry the girl lover asked
the visitor, with deep sigh
Madam gathered up the cards again, anc
while shutting them kept running FIRE o,
questions, all shrewdly worded, to which, o.
course, proper answers were made, and sht
then discovered that the lady whom the Wis
itor wanted to marry was fair haired and
blue eyed, had red cheeks, and was perfectly
lovely.
Yes" said madam, ''she loves you dearly
and If you don't marry her it's your owl
fault. She is waiting for you to ask her
Just say in joking way to her, I would lil1,
! you for gift, and she will accept -,u q
once. Don't be afraid She won't etus,
you. She really thinks you are fooIing her
and don't love her, but when you ask her K
marry you she will know better. Do what
tell you, and you will be happy. There Is {
| dark haired girl jealous of the light haire1
| lady, but you must not mind anything sh,
tells you about the light haired lady"
| For half an hour or more madam ooutiuueC
on this strain, and offered to sell for s. 80 les
| 81 q love charm-a little sac let made o.
blue silk-which If carried IN the visitor
pocket would insure speedy marriage witt
the fair haired lady" Madam also say,
that she does an immense business, mostly
with servant girls and girls who work. Shl
would have nothing to do with disreputabl,
characters, and as far as she knew none eve
came to see her. While the reporter wa
having his fortune told" two styliShly
dressed young ladies' both veiled, came il
and were sent to the back room to wait unit
madam was ready for them. .-Indinnapoli