The Washington times., 1894-10-07
PALMISTRY IS THEIR FAD
Character Reading with a Peculiar
Fascination for Society People.
WOMEN ARE THE MOST CURIOUS
But Business Men Are Not Above Having Their
Palms Read and Lives Foreeast-How the
Palmist Traces His Deductions to seienti-
fc Basis-Many Kinds of Clients.

Out from the commonplace level of the mat
ter of fact in these ead-of-the-century days
protrudes conspicuously the art and mystery
of paImistry, says the New York Herald. Not
that the ancient guilds OF elairvoyants and
those who tell fortunes with cards and other
devices are extinct. but society has no longer
recourse to them in its hours OF uncertainty
and longing.
Nothing that does not smack Of science can
hold to-day. and the palmist lays claims 10 as
correctly scientific foundation for his calling
as does the geologist or the astronomer. His
deductions, startling and occult as they may
appear, he claims 10 draw from u profound
study OF cause and effect, and places himself
upon plane several degrees above the for
tune-teller aad seer. The latter still has his
patrons, but it is to the paimist's portals tnat
siiken-robed society hocks and pays literally
TO. know itself
SEEKING FOR SECRETS
The question why woman or a man should
desire to know what the palms. can reveal
| concerning the character is one OF the queries
that come to the mind Of the oGlooker here.
a certain set expression OF expectancy and
strained curiosity is 10 b. seen on each face
mingled. perhaps. il many cases w.Ih an,
artificial air. more or less sklliIuIy assumed.
OF unconcern. II was for the purpose of
studying the deyOtees at the shrine that the
writer visited the reception-ro0ms OF pro
fessiOnal palmist the other day.
Many OF those in waiting seemed a trife
! apprehensive and somewhat inclined 10 draw
! bach. and as nea,lY every applicant was ac-
companied by a friend who had been through
the ordeal before there were many ioW-tOned
/ discussions.
As each caller emerged from the inner room
! it was curious to note the eject of her expe-
/ rience. Some who had gone in wish careless
/ mien came out with traces OF tears upon their
| cheeks: others. with almost trembling limbs,
moved slowly toward the outer door. while
few who had entered the mystic portal N ap-
prehension and timidity came out ike con-
quering heroes.
Their emotions were duly reflected in the
faces of those waiting without, as the secre-
/ tary stepped up and. IN q quiet tone of voice,
invited another victim to enter. The solemn
| and often nervous demeanOr of those about
TO go within was almost ludiciou7 in many
instances and there was q queer suggestion
of the funereal about the Whole proceeding.
even in the ease of those gIddy creatures who
go through the thing simply as lark. Once
within the inner room the inqUiCing visitor
found herself facing tall broad-shOuldered
man. with face like Byron and great, PEN
etrating eyes. He had the solemn manner
and bearing OF dealer in mysteries and.
witnal. an air OF one who takes himself and
his trade seriously. She was requested 10
seat herself and place her hand upon a silken
cushion that rested upon q little table IN front
OF the high priest but her business there was
not 10 test his occult art.
STUDIES " CHARACTER.
Il want you to tell ne something about the
people who visit you, she said. 'Nou must
have curious or, at least. humorous happen
ings sometimes.
Yes ne replied. 'aud some pathetic in
cidents as well. Sometimes they ara all min
gled il one. For instance, a woman came in
here the other day. vino, when l detected in
the lines OF her hand evidence which betrayed
events IN her past life confessed TO me that
she had procured a divorce from her second
husband because he mad become enamored of
her daughter and that she herself had fallen
in love with the man whom her daughter
married. That is a blending of the tragic and
the comic. indeed"
but how do the people act when they
come mp
sin various ways. according to tempera-
| ments. Some are badly irchtened-indeed
the majority are nervous. at any ratc-some
OF them fall to weeping almost at once, and
some of them grow hyslerical. This is gen
orally when 1 mention an unsuccessful love
affair Many OF them treat as a father
confessor as soon as they perceive that can
read their pasts and proceed 10 acknowledge
all sorts of Things, seeming glad 10 unburden
| themselves TO some one.
Sometimes after l have proceeded for
awhile deciphering the hand the client viii
suddenly withdraw it and refuse to allow me
to go any further. This has often happened
especially in the case OF men. VINO are gener-
| ally easier TO get along with. however. asking
! few questions and appearing better satisfied
with the results. Men rarely are frightened,
| either but when discovered III two instances
that | held the hand of a murderer both OF
them trembled violently. One of them re-
| turned on the following day, looking as
though he had not slept all night, and with
beads of perspiration on his forehead, asked
me to promise to keep his secret.
| QUESTIONS ASKED BY WOMEN
"A woman will ask questions about every
thing that touches upon her life and the mar
ried woman's iavorite question is: How many
children have T.
lone client, young woman who had had
a most uneventfui little life, after L had fin
| ished produced long sheet of paper with
| list of questions almost a ward in length.
| Many of them covered the ground / had gone
| over. but l had to answer them all. while she
/ checked off the replies with lead pencil. At
/ the conclusion she bowed stifiy. said Most
satisfactory, and walked of. Another, who
! came to me lately listened in silence to my
| reading, and at the close said to me:
You have been most SUGGEST in read
| ing my life, vet l ana not quite satisfied
| There is one important thing | particularly
| want 10 know and that is, is my sisters
daughter in Australia going to get married?
And not unlike that woman was the man who