Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10
A Gail on the Countess.


TONS So"
She was some time in coming in, how
| ever, and the professor went on to tell me
that he heals by the application of a secret
that has been In his family for $50 years.
An diseases" said he, come from the
bleed. So l treat all diseases in the blood
! and In that way cure everything with one
remedy"
was contemplating having the professor
do a turn on my vaccination, when there was
Il patter OF feet In the hall. and the countess
entered. She was clad in oriental dress
from head to toe and is so pretty to look
at one would be pleased with anything she
DID The professor retired, and the coun-
tess, as she darted about the room adjus ting
chairs at the table and drawing the blinis,
kept swapping her fingers in way so sug-
gestive of castanets, / more than half ex-
pected to hear an orchestra start up and
see her dance
Now. you wish to consult me-" she said
as she seated herself opposite me at the
table, her pretty face upturned to mine,
her clear, soft eyes liked earnestly upon me-
les L SAID, Il want your advice about
gong on the stage" Then l held my
breath. aiting for the Persian trance me-
cbm to see through me and denounce me as
a fraud. But, accepting my assistance n
fortune-teliing as readily as had Dr. Irving
she went ahead to explain to me that 1
couldn't get anythn that would do me
much good Tor less than two dollars
then mournfully handed over the price of
another chance in the French mutuals feel
tIds L WAS playing the spirit world pref
~ heartily, with small returns thus far
Hut She Fell in the Trap.
The counters had me remove my gloves
and place both hands on the table tip
to tip with her own. DO not be frighten-
ed" she said, 'if the table jumps 1t will
be nothing but the spirits moving it as they
come to me. The table kept the peace, how
ever. while The countess, with closed eyes.
began to talk under control" She told me,
in substance, that from my youth up I
nave sought to go on the stage; that my
FAMILY have cruelty opposed me sht along;
that my brother in particular is scheming
against me- She advised me to trust no.
body and do as / pleased. She said / will
be extensively a success" and urged me
to go abroad to study. She asked me If L
had not some sickness in my head and II /
mad not been abroad the past summer 1
denied that this was so. and her pretty face
was screwed into horrible shapes as she
again assured me that / have enemies in
my own family. Over and over again she
repeated that / would be- extensively a
success as an actress. but never a refer
ence did she make to my success or failure
as newspaper woman. She did. however
promise me nice, sympathetic husband
but without giving me any knowledge of
what's to become of the one / already have
on hand.
The Professor Was Prepared
Professor Clay had been generously assist
ed for my reception, though much depended
on his memory. The first letter / sent to
him week ago ran as follows:
ITO Professor Clay-A woman is coming
to see you this afternoon to consult YOU
about remarrying the husband from whom
she has been divorced She will wear a
brown dress and hat and light coat. 1t will
do you no harm, and the writer a great deal
of good If you will advise her against this
marriage. Though she does not look it she
Is very superstitous. and you can secure a
good customer by impressing her with a
knowledge of what is known only to her
and myself She travelled six weeks with
an opera company once under an assumed
name. This secret she guards very closely
for she moves in the best society and she
would be ruined If 1t was known.
TX. Y T."
1 was prevented from making this visit
to Prof. Clay as advertised. and after a
week had elapsed. sent 4 second note to
him. follows:
Prof Clay: 1 have just learned that the
lady Of whom 1 wrote you a week ago did
not go to see You. She is coming today
disguised in her maids clothes. black walk
ing hat. black astrakhan cape and brown
dress Do not forget what 1 told you and
do not forget to impress her with your
knowledge of the fact that she was once
six weeks with an opera company under an
assumed name. " Y T.
1 was also prevented from keeping this
eppoin tment, but Prof. Clay's memory Is
good, and his powers of perception are not
bad. He identified me with the letters,
though / was not coStumed as i had been
billed to appear the day before.
The professor weighs something like
three hundred pounds. and displays the
astutennss of a hook maker, softened by
medicine falkir. He was In his shirt sleeves
his vest unbuttoned. hts expansive shirt
bosom Illuminated by cluster diamond
stud as large as a twenty-five cent piece;
-. 4
wig that framed his great, round. bland
cunning face, in something like woman's
crimpe.
He Also TuT1 led.
He took me into a rear room that was
decorated with skulls and cross-bones and
guns enough to make the thought of
graveyard at midnight cheerful by COM
Larson. His fee was fifty cents, and he
seemed almost hurt when / offered to pay
1t in advance He simply wouldn't have
IL and left the dollar bill put down I'M
touched on the table, while he proceeded to
give me 4 pack OF cards to cut The CARTS
were Something manufactured expressly
for the trade. For the usual spots. were
substituted pictures Of everything on earth
The professor spread out the cards. and
told me 4 regulation fortune. not forget
ting to include the fact that had secret
ly spent six weeks with an opera COM
in the very best society, AMI that was
trying to pull the wool over his eyes. all
of which indicated that, clairvoyant though
the professor Is, woman can help him
when 1t comes to telling true fortune.
Visited an AstroIOEer.
went to Madam Dreamer the astrologer,
without sending any advance notice Of my
coming. Here, IL 1 gained no light on my
fortune did gain some light on what con-
stituted astrology.
"You cast horoscopesr" asked.
'Oh. no." she said. II use the astrology
cards; they are more surer. 1 have the
only cards of this kind In this country
Maybe she has, though why Kinney
Brothers should manufacture only one set
don't know. But of one thing 1 am sure:
Anthony Comstock would never let q pack
of these cards exist In New York city II he
knew It, In addition to the usual spots
they were marked by pictures of devils and
ballet dancers that make Watts Love and
Life" seem prudery in art. The very small
room in which we were was decorated
with SUCCESSFULLY horrible picture Of 1.-The
spider and the fly" and all along one side
vas ranged a set of shelves containing bot
tie after bottle of snakes preserved in alco-
hol These, with the grotesque figures on
the cards, make astrology something for a
drinking man to shun. Madam Dreamer
Rad me cut the cards much as Professor
Clay had done. and told me a fortune which