The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-27
SAW THE DEVIL.
Most Extraordinary Story
Vow Generally Current
in This City.
EVERYONE KNOWS 1T.
NOBODY WILL BACK 1T.
1t Narrates the Weird Result
Of a Girls Halloween
Incarnation.
WARNING OF A FORTUNE TELLER.
Several Young Women Play Tricks
But Bessie Outdid
Them All.
She Saw Her Future Husbands Face;
Her Mother, His CIoven Foot.
Priests Exercised the Ghastly Visitant
But Bessie Died of the Shock.
WARNING OF A FORTUNE TELLER.
She Saw Her Future Husbands Face;
Her Mother, His CIoven Foot.
Priests Exercised the CHASTITY Visitant
But Bessie Died of the Shock.


When Bessie Hennessy one day week
before last All Halloween suggested to her
companions in Lorillardis tobacco factory
that they visit an old hag on one of the
canal boats near the lumber yards and have
their fortunes told, she little dreamed of the
extraordinary manner in which she would
meet her death one week later. Bessie, so
the story goes and it has been current in
Catholic circles in Hudson County since All
Halloween night, was of a lively disposition.
She lived with her parents on Fourth street,
and was better off than most of the girls
who earn their livelihood in the ''fog,"
which the factory is Familiarity known as
She was twenty-one years of age, a devout
Catholic, but unfortunately like most girls
had a liking to know who her husband would
be, and often tossed the tea cup and cut the
cards to learn. When she was informed
that there was on one of the canal boats an
old woman who could tell everything" )" she
suggested to the girls that they go and see if
she could tell them what they all desired to
know.
Lets go, girls" she laughingly exclaimed
during the dinner hour. Its no harm
We're only doing it for fun"
Some five or six of Bessie's companions ac-
companied her to the boat, and for small
piece of silver were told many mysterious
things. Bessie, by some way or other,
aroused the ire of the fortune teller, and as
she stepped from the gangplank to the DOCK
the old woman stuck her head from the
cabin door, and shaking her fist at Bessie,
was heard to say:
THE OLD HAG's WARNING.
ga bad day for you, my fair young mis-
tress, bad day coming for you. BewareI
n warn you"
Bessie became frightened at this, and
scampered away as fast as she could run
When she reached the factory she was in
highly nervous state, and became almost
hysterica1 Her friends assured her, and by
evening she had become reconciled
Nevertheless, she did not forget the
old hag's warning, and for some days
after appeared morose and sullen. If her
companions spoke to her they received a
sharp answer. This thing went on to the
end of the week. Monday following, All
Halloween, Bessie seemed to have regained
her wonted vivacity and appeared among
the girls as happy and contented as before
the day she visited the fortune teller.
1t had been arranged among the girls to
have social gathering that evening at the
home of one of the girls. Bessie at first de-
clined to be one of the party.
Il have had enough of fortune telling and
such things for the rest of my hfe," she said
sand if go there l might be tempted to try
some of the tricks with you.n
But her companions soon persuaded her
that these tricks were not harmful and not
at all like having your fortune told. Thus
persuaded, Bessie consented, and that even
ing was the jolliest girl of the set. She ran
around the block with her mouth full of
water and salt in her hand, she played the
trick of clay, ring and water, she stole an
onion and cutting it in half threw both
knife and onion away, saying as she did,
My love, my love, on, come and lngsr."
THE GREAT TRICK,
No trick was suggested that Bessie did not
try. As the hour approached midnight the
great trick" as the girls expressed it, was
to be done. 1t was to walk backwards down
stairs, holding in the hand small mirror
the future husband of the young lady doing
this would appear, and peering over her
shoulder, she would see his features pictured
in the mirror This was too much for the
girls. Even daredevil Bessie hesitated, but
as the clock struck the midnight hour, and
no.one else seemed willing to try the trick,
Bessie consented
She was given a small hand mirror the
lights in the hall were extinguished, and,
with all the girls standing at the head of the
stairs, Bessie began her descent. Slowly she
walked, feeling her way carefully, with one
hand holding the bannisterS, while with the
other she held the mirror before her eyes.
Step by step she cautiously moved. The
girls above seemed not to breathe as they
leaned forward to see the result of Bessie's
act. Not sound could be heard
save the light tread of Bessie's feet
and the creaking of the stairs beneath her
weight. One step, two steps, three steps,
then half the way down, and yet no face ap-
peared. The waiting seemed a lifetime
Step by step she descended, and was about
to place her foot on the mat at the bottom of
the stairs when suddenly those above were
startled by a piercing, agonizing scream
from Bessie. Pell-mell they ran for the par
lor. and, as the door was opened and the hall
bit up from the burning lamps inside, they
heard Bessie running upstairs, laughing and
clapping her hands, as if with joy.
II saw himl / saw hi1nln she triumph
Rnt1y cried, as she rushed into their midst
s'Oh! ard he's SO handsome And painting
with excitement she fell on a settee, and for
some moments was unable to speak.
WHAT SHE SAW.
When she recovered she told the girls that
as she was about to step from the last step
she saw the features of a very handsome
man in the glass As soon as she saw the
face, she said he disappeared She could
not describe him
"But | am sure if / ever meet a Young
man who looks at all like the face I saw in
the glass / will know him. Girls, amt it
awfully jolly to know what kind of a hus-
band you are going to have. This face was
really pretty one"
Thus Bessie assured her friends, and alter
Iome talk the girls dispersed to their homes
Not once during the evening had mention
Deen made of the old hag on the canal hoat
Bessie. was accompanied to within block of
aer home by three Of her girl friends. There
hey bid her good night and proceeded along
Jersey avenue, while Bessie walked along
Fourth street.
She had proceeded but short distance
When she was surprised to hear whispered in
feT ear:
May accompany you home, Miss"
THE FACE SHE SAW IN THE GLASS.
Turning, she was dtlnb-founded to recog
nize the face of the man at her side as the
arne face she for moment, not an hour
pefole, had seen in the looking glass. Bessie
mas in happy and daring frame Of mind