Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-06
PROFESSIONAL PROPHETS
The Universal Desire to Lift the
Veil OF the Future.
WOMEN HAVE A MONOPOLY OF PROPHECY.


The desire to look into tho future n rs old
az humanity, and as widespread as tho race
Tho cultured Greeks had thoir oracles. tho
Hebrews had their seore tho Colts had, and
suil have, people gifted with second sight;
the Indian has his medicine man, not the
least OF whose power is Hitting the veil OF tho
future. and Europe has had, for Ave hundred
years wandering race OF gypsles. whose
principal business II has boon to tell tho for
tunes Of women. from the palace boudoir
down to tho kitchen.
| II is a mistake to suppose that tho be-
lief In fortune telling is confined to the
| ignofunt classes. No doubt the servant
girl, the sailor about TO make a voyage.
or the worhingman who finds himself in
love, will quietly sock out the fortune teller;
but the best, because the most profitable,
patrons OF tho professional prophet, arc tho
rich. and principally women, who are Jealous
OF thor lovers or doubtful Of their husbands.
havo recently socn collection OF papers
| from all the British colonies. from South
Africa. ard the principal cities OF Europe and,
In each and every one, have found the card
OF the professional prophet. couchcd inncarly
the same language, and claiming tho same
powor TO lift the veil Of the future. Tho con.
tiuuance aud extent Of this business, or In
dustry. or profession, ia the best possible owl
doncc that II has hcen, is and will continue 10
be profitable, No matter tho place or the
language In which these Advertisements APP
pear, all have a striking similarity, and, as In
tho spiritual medium business, women. all OF
whom call themselves Madam" somebody,
appear to have monopoly OF tho trade, and
advertise their epeclal qualifications for the
work IN o most monotonous and huslness-
| ltkoway. l lavo before me number OF these
cards from different parts OF the world, all Of
which look as Il they had boon written by the
same hand. For example; Under tho general
head OF "As,rology," In leading Partisan
paper, l road tho following.
Tho celebrated Madam A., tho seventh
daughter OF a seventh daughter, tells the past.
present and future with inyarlablc accuracy.
WIN show picture OF future husband, Terms,
10 ladies' only, very moderate. Hours from
10 A. N. toi0P.M. Ring second helln
The magic humber seven seeins TO be po-
| tcnt with those professional prophets. and In
the past, as in tho proacnt, they soon to
attach to tho seventh daughter Of a seventh
daughter certain powers OF prophecy that are
denied 10 children born In tho usual order.
ono might think the seventh daughter OF II
seventh daughter u very raro person indeed
but II we are 10 believe the advertisements
that appear in the papers, all the wprld over,
there are thousands Of them, all blcst with
tho gii, Of prophecy, aud all using that gift
for their own profit and, presumably, for the
enlightenment OF their many clients
In Great Britain and on the continent OF Eu-
rope certain powers Of diyination arc popu-
larry believed 10 attach to what ia known as
"caul." This "caul" is sort OF animal
parchment. somotimcs found over the face
aud head OF n newborn child. From tlmo
lmmomorlal belief has existed that n child
born with this unusual attachment Is par
ticularly blcst and loss liable 10 misfortune
than the rest OF humanity. Not only does
tho caul confer special fayors on TIA original
possessor but II il supposed to carry with Il
aud convey TO lis owner the power OF looking
into the future. and Is an iniallihlo protection
agalns, shipwreck aud disaster by Hood,
Formerly, II not at present, sea captains at
tachcd 80 much Importance TO the possession
OF caul TINT they have been known TO pny
large sums for one believing that so long as
they Ind iton their ship no wreck could como
10 II, mud none Of the crew could BIZ lost by
drowning. Whenever nm article becomes
marketable and there is for II an assured do
mand, human ingenuity is sure 10 supple
| ment the deficiencies ~ nature, Ike tho
| Yankee with his wooden nutmoRs, and no
IN many Of tho European ports tho manu-
incturo OF cauls, from tho lntostlnes Of AMI
mails, became II regular business aud as thoro
was no means OF discovering the deceit we
may be- sure that those artificial cauls wero
quito as effective as those produced In tic
regular way.
some OF the astrologors advertise tho pos
session OF n caul as an oNim lnduocment to
their customers. ono Of those advertisements
reads NJ followsi "rhe old ard word-re-
nowned Madam O., has In her possession
caul which was carried by Captain Cook IN
his many voyages around tho world, md TO
TIA possession no attributed tho success OF
his many expeditions. Madam q. cuts cards
| with invariably SUCCESS. and eho counts
among her patrons tons OF thousands Of
people who live near tho sea. or have friends
whose business Is on or near tho water.
Ladies' and Bcaiarlng nun only need apply
at No. -"
But even more potent than tho possession
| Of a oaul. or being the seventh daughter OF u
seventh daughter. arc the peculiar prophetic
| qualities which are believed TO attach b tho
descendants OF a gypsy monarch. by actual
count there are, In the prophecy business 20.
dny, more than three hundred gypsy queens,
| who announce themselves as tho dhughters
OF gypsy kings, TACT which goes to prove
| that gypsy kings arc either very numerous
or very prolific. In this business the
gypslcs have decided advantage over all
other mces. though the negro yoodoos run
them good second. There Is general
belief that tho possession Of gypsy blood chr
rics With II tho gift d prophecy, and asin the
case Of artificial cnuis to supply the sailors.
am Inclined to think that tho gypsy race aro
recruited from tho ranks OF Outsiders
who are willing to pose NJ the daugsers Of
gypay kings for the sake oftho revenue there
Is IA Il. What seduction there is In tile fol-
lowing; "Queon Hester tho only truc and
genuine gypsy princess In tho city, In order
20 nect the wants Of her Increasing patrons.
hhs moved 20 number --- on ---- street.
A. palmibt, Queen Hester is unrlvsled by
auy.I person living or dead. She tells the past
without questions. mapb cut the future.
gives tho names OF winning horses
i g..