The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-10-23

ks At COSt OK L GenC-more Elab-
te and Proportionately More Expen-
Methods.
every Chinese community there
be found one or more soothsayers
ortpne tellers, who, in return for a
II coin, will send fate seeking
aaman away either happy or miser-
The Chinese quarter in New York
ports three of these fortune jugglers,
b manage to make fairly good liv-
oat of their patrons. In this country
soOthsayer is not so important
sanage among Cinnamon as he is il
ina, for the influence of Mclean"
ii has affected even stolid John.
my Of them boast of their Indifference
the an guries of the "luck" sticks.
In China the lower classes never
Re any step Of Importance without
nsnlting their favorite soothsayer, so
lat he exercises considerable influence
aong his customers. The Chinese fes-
va ON their New Years day is the
eat day to take peep into the future,
Id the Chinese come into New York
ON all the neighboring towns which
e not strong enough in Cinnamon to
Ipport a fortune teller One of the
l0fhsayers plies his trade on the side
Talk in hot weather. Another has his
eadQuarters close to the Chinese the
ter, while the third is in the josshouse
d Mott street. Every josshouse has it's
ortune telling appliances, which are
.ept in front of the altar ready for the
Use of the worshipers There are sew
raj kinds of apparatus used to tell for
unes. One Of them consists of two
lieces of wood, which are round on one
side and fiat on the other.
When some superStitious Chinaman de-
sires to have his fortune told, he pays 10
cents to the soothsayer, and asks the seer
what prospect there is for him in the
near future. The man of fate mumbles
an Incarnation over the two pieces of
wood, and then throws them upon the
ground. Upon their position depends the
fate Of the anxious customer If they
both lie with fiat side up, it is a mod
erately bad sign and calls for great eau
tion on the part of the fortune seeker in
his conduct during the coming year.
When one is round side up and the other
fat side up, the augury is extremely
favorable. and the Chinaman goes on
bis way rejoicing. If both turn round
side up, the outlook is exceedingly
gloomy and something terrible may be
expected to happen soon. The idea is to
ID frame the question that the position
Df the sticks will give an answer one
Wav or another. The customer asks, for |
Instance, whether tomorrow will be |
g00d day or not to open laundry bust
hess. If the answer is unfavorable, he |
names a month ahead and awaits the |
yerdict Of the sticks upon that PROPOSE
ion. He continues until he gets one up |
'ound and one flat aud makes his plans
accordingly.
The instruments found i'll the joss
louse are those most generally used and
.onsist Of large number of bamboo i
trips in handsomely carved cyllndr1c-
Il box. Each strip is about ten inches
ong and a quarter of an inch wide.
rhev are all polished to high degree
If smoothness and squared off at one
ma. the other end being round. The
trims are all numbered from one up
ward. generally running as far as on.
Sometimes there are 100 III a box buV
arelv more. In this case the augury
.osts 90 cents, but fan and some joss
ticks are thrown III.
The Chinaman wishing TO learn MS
ate chooses at random one OF the httle
ticks, and reads aloud the number on |
I The 500. hsayer then goes TO board
mon which are strung a number OIL reu
,lins of paper, numbered III the same
,sav as the bamboo sticks. upon each
5clzet is written the fate OF the Gus
.ompr and the one corresponding III
,,7,,,her with the number on the suck
,rhich he has drawn is detached from |
the board. When translated, lncAy |
ticket will read something Ike thlS'
.sThoueh dark clouds now roll over your
head. the fa1es will ultimately smile
7non Won. All your undertakings VII
prosper and your path through lie VIII
be strewn with the flowers OF peace,
A Tribune reporter DIE" enc Whleh
GAS interpreted as meaning 'RicheS
and good fortune will be yo'r loren,
hearers throughout your career, and IN
the smile Of Buddl,a shall you basE'
w heart shall glow with happiness
a,,on rs the steady glow OF the joss
Il is not absolutely necessary that the
C,ironan wishing 20 have his fortune
told should be present. Many customers
relnit the fee, aud the fortune teller
= .a,,-s For +ber1 and mails the little red