The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-12-07
Character Reading a
Fascination.
The Women Are Its Es-
pecial Patrons.
Business Men Are Not All Above Con-
sulting the Art of the
ChirOmancier.

Out from Cno commonplace leVel Oh
the matter-of-fact in these end-of-the-
century days protrudes conspicuously |
the art and mystery of palmistry.
Not that the ancient guilds of clair |
yoyants and those who tell fortunes
with cards and other devices are ex-
tinct, but society no longer has re-
course to them in it's hours Of uncer-
tainty and longing, says the Kansas
City "Star.'
Nothing that does not smack of
science can hold today, and the palm
Fs5 lays claims to as correctly scien-
tific foundation for his calling as
does the geologist or the astronomer.
His deductions, startling and occult
as they may appear, he claims to draw
effect, and places himself under a
plane several degrees above the for
tune teller and seer. The latter still
has his patrons, but it is to the palm
lists portals that silken robed society
flocks and pays literally to know
itself.
The question why a woman or man
should desire to know what the palm
ist can reveal concerning the character
is one of tho queries that come to the
mind of the onlookers here. A certain
set expression of expectancy and
strained curiosity is to be seen on each
face, mingled perhaps in many cases
with an artificial air more or less
,lv f,r11r af
was for the purpose of studying the
devotees at the shrine that the writer
visited the reception rooms of pro-
fessional palmist the other day.
Many of those in waiting seemed
trifie apprehensive and somewhat in
cline1 to draw back, and as nearly
every applicant was accompanied by
a friend who had been through the
ordeal before. there were many low
toned discussions.
AS each caller emerged from the in
| ner room it was curious to note the
e1rect of her experience. Some who
had gone in with 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 in apprehension and
timidity came out like conquering
heroes.
Their emotions were duly reflected
| in the faces of those waiting without,
| as the secretary stepped up and, in a
quiet tone of voice, invited another
victim to enter. The solemn and often
nervous demeanor of those about to
go within was almost ludicrous in
| many instances, and there was a
queer suggestion of the fureral about
| the whole proceeding, even iE the case
| of those giddy creatures who go
| through the thing simply as lark.
Once within the inner room the in
quiring visitor found himself facing
tall, broad man, with a
| face like Byron's, and great, pene-
| trating eyes. He had the solemn
| manner and bearing of dealer in
mysteries, and, withal, an air Of one
| who takes himself and his trade seri
ous1y. She was requested to seat her.
| self and place her hand upon Silken
cushion that rested upon a little table
| in front of the high priest, but her
business there was not to test his
occult art. 80
II went you to tell me something
| about the people who visit you," she
| said. "You must have curious, or, at
| least, humorous happenings, some
| times"
| "Yes," he replied, "and some pathet-
| ic incidents as we'll. Sometimes they
are all mingled in one. For instance,
| q woman came N here the other day,
who, when I detected in the lines Of
her hand evidence which betrayed
| events in her past, confessed that she
had procured a divorce from her hus-
band because he had became enam-
ored of her daughter, and that she
herself had fallen in love with the
man whom her daughter married.
| That is blending of the tragic and
the comic indeed"
"But how do the people act when
| they come in?''
| In various ways, according to tenn
peraments. Some are badly fright
| ened-indeed, the majority are nerv-
| GUS, at any rate-some of them fall to
| weeping almost at once, and some
grow hySterical. This is generally
when l mention an unsuccessful love
affair. Many of them treat me as a
father confessor as soon as they per-
! ceive that can read their past, and
| proceed to acknowledge all sorts Of
| things, seeming glad to unburden
| themselves to someone.
"Some time after I have proceeded
/ for while deciphering the hand, the
| client will suddenly withdraw it and
refuse to allow me to go any further.
| This has often happened, especially in
| the case of mel, who are generally
| easier to get along with, however,
asking few questions and appearing
| better satisfied with the results. Men
rarely are frightened, either. but when
| [ discovered in two instances that 1
| held the hand Of murderer, both of
| them trembled violently. One of them
| returned 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.
"a woman will ask questions about
| everything that touches upon her life,
and the married woman's fayorite
question is, How many children
| have II
zone client, a young woman who
had had most uneventful little life,
| lfter / had finished, produced a long
sheet of paper, with a list of ques-
tionS almost yard In length. Many