The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-13
WITH MODERN SIBYL.
SOMETHING ABOUT TIE FORTUNE
TELLERs OF TO-DAY.

cts Who Keep Very Wide Awake.
Divlnation is Not Bad Trade If You
are Good at ia Glimpse at Some
New York 0ypsys and Their Homes.
(copyright)
NEW YoRK. Dec. 12.-The modern fort
une teller Is not so very modern after all
That is to say she is pretty much the fort
une teller of old, adapted to modern con-
ditions. Her stock in trade has a different
external appearance. but it is not ma
terially different from the stock in trade OF
the medieval soothsayer. who came it over
the credulous and superstitious years and
years ago. She has. however, the same
mysterious charm which has slways hedged
about feminine readers Of destiny.
Once in a while on a country road, but
generally in close proximity TO village,
you may still meet female. tramp who cor
responds to the gypsy type, OF which 80
many romantic things have been said in
print. She is accompanied by various
other tramps OF both sexes. and they have
a wagon and tents and other Bohemian
paraphernalia- saw gypsy company on
The outskirts of Brooklyn not many months
ago. Three servant girls were IN one of the
tents having their fortunes told by lady
who was much the worse for liquor. but
who was coherent enough for the purpose.
There was time when people insisted
upon having their fortunes told by this par
ticular brand Of fortune teller, and thou
sands OF people 10 the vicinity of New York
do have their destinies revealed under these
conditions every year. New Jersey ia alive
with mountebanks and gypsy campers.
But a fact patent to every observer is that
the old-fashioned gypsy has been succeeded
by the new-fashioned gypsy, q kind of
tailor-made gypsy who lives and moves and
prophesies in town.
This new-fashioned gypsy calls herself
olsirvoyant, an astrologist, "planet and
card reader" perhaps even "egg reader"
but whatever her self-chosen title she il at
the old trade. And she does not hide her
light under a bushel. In the morning pa
per she announces herself as the greatest
astrologist Of the age" and goes on to say
i quote morning paper-that she ''reads
the past, present and future; guarantees
satisfaction In love and marriage affairs;
picture Of future husband or wife; also
gives advice on business speculations, law
suits, etc., all letters promptly, confidential
ly and satisfactorily answered ON receipt of
81 and stamp
Here is another modest announcement:
"a test; no imposition; greatest business
medium; well known original Mrs. Jenkins,
all affairs through life; succeeds always;
consultation by mail on receipt of 81 and
stamp, lock Of hair and date Of birth"
There are innumerable m publications of the
pompous formulas, and many simple an
nouncements of this simple cast: MRS
jerks, seventh daughter, tells true fort
unes;" Nine. Murillo lie a hand and card
reader; one woman on Sixth avenue adver-
tises that she is gypsy and will give
annfhar Fhn nHy Sc,
heralded as gypsy queen.n
Who are these advertised heroinesl
The best way TO find out is to penetrate
their charmed presence. This implies some
money and more assurances; for It is not to
be denied that there is a mystic something
hanging about the soothssying art that
makes the adventurer feel upon occasion
trife nervous AS for the money, it may
be little or much as the searchers for expert
ence and foreknowledge chooses You can
really buy very presentable fortune in
New York for quarter. At this price
you cannot, OF course, expect 1t to wash
but IL win make an amazing show. For so
cents you can be ushered into the very inner
circle of the occult. The price then rises by
q first jump of so cents, and then by strides
81 long. At $2you are getting fine arti-
Gle. AT 50 you are, as the theatrical men
say, ION velvet"
logically began at so cents. This was
In certain mid-city side street, populous
with flats. When the door OF one of these
apartment houses opened / saw at the end
OF the first hall an elderly woman who said,
"This way, please" She ushered me into
little 7x9 kind of a room and then asked me
to excuse her for o moment She passed
into a rear room answering in location to a
Kitchen. The upper part Of the partition
was of glass and a mirror in the rear room
clearly presented to me young mao within
10 whom the woman appeared 10 be snyiuR
some parting words When the Young
man passed into the hall by another door /
was called into the rear room.
"You will please place these cards in
shree heaps" said the woman, who had a
little curl over each ear, and who motioned
me TO seat at the table. | took up a
pack Of cards and divided them into three
random heaps Then the woman taxing up |
one heap at time, and staring steadfastly |
1t the cards, began by saying, Hair, dark |
chestnut" Imade no comment on the alb.
Iurdity of looking into the cards for this in
formation, and she went on: There is a
iark-haired lady that you think great
deal Of. and hght-haired gentleman that
you do not trust completely. You think a
good deal Of dark-haired gentleman, but
be cautious of him. He is jealous of you.
light-haired lady is inclined to like you,
put you will not let her. There is a fortune
soning your way. if something does not
happen to prevent your getting it. Be on
he alert.
" Can you tell me anything about my
BUSINESS" / continued.
"Yes," she answered readily. "You use
POUR brain considerable"
This was kind, but inconclusive. and I
vas framing another question when she
asked me to place the cards in three heaps
igain. did SO. And beginning again she
ngeniously reversed almost every PROPOSE
lion OF the first announcement Thus
thought good deal of the light-heared
ady, and 1t was the dark-haired gentleman
whom did not trust completely. A third
lime the heaping process was completed,
and | was generously allowed TO believe be-
lore left that anything wanted to hap
pen was going to happen; that ANYBODY
owed loved me, and that anybody / dis
trusted was beyond the pale of human
iympathy.
My next visit was to young French
woman on the West Side who is spoken of
highly as clairvoyant. Her apartments
are on the second floor of a dusty-looking
brick house, and are reached by O ponpous
Did stair rising through a hallway Of sad,
yellow tinge.
Mademoisele received me herself. She
was clad in simple white gown, which
gave to pallid and not unhandsome face a
strangely sallow cast. She was cheerful as
Iick people ere often cheerful, and she
seemed extremely fragile. "Please sit here, u
she said. She was In no hurry, and talked
for quite a little time about the weather and
the city and her business. She said she had