The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-02
SACRIFICES TO VANITY.
How coniding Women Are.
Swindled by Charlatans.
CURING WRINKLES BY MACHINERY.

CURING WRINKLES BY MACHINERY.
A System OF Torture Which Is Expected
TO Restore Beauty. but has the Opposite
EGect-visit to the Embellishments of =
Facial Beautifer.
Twenty years ago or more ON English
Jewess, Mime. Rachel by name, offered
through the medium OF advertisements in
the London papers to restore the bloom of
youth to the aged and inflrm and to rem
der them beautiful forever" These words
quickly became catch phrase and brought
hundreds of willing dupes to her door. She
treated them with harmless decoction
containing alleged water from the river
Jordan and received in return heavy pay
ments In currency of the realm.
In the end victim who had been mulct-
cd to tho tune OF several hundred pounds
without experiencing any apprcciable ben
efit therefrom appealed to tho authorities
for redress, and. after due process of law
Mime. Rachel found herself an inmate Of
Pentonyille prison on five years term for
false pretenses.
So lucrative had been the imposture,
however, that upon her release sho nrnmpt-
scale only to be arrested again and resen-
fenced to prison, where she died
Either the American law is more lenient
toward offenders of this description or our
public prosecutors are rcmiss in their duty.
for certain 1T is that at this very day GER
tain facial beautifiers'' and "rejuyena-
tors" of far more dangerous typo than
Nine. Rachel are plying their ncfarious
vocation in the full blaze of publicity, not
only extorting money from the silly VIC
tins, but almost irremediably running
what little complexion" has remained to
them.
This species of cormorant prcys upon tho.
vanity and credulity of elderly persons of
both sexes with heartlessness, q refine
ment of cruelty, worthy of the Spanish
1nquisition, and its demands upon the
purse of the victim seem to increase in
equal proportion to the suffering inflicted.
DESTROYS of becoming acquainted with
the workings of the system, presented
myself at the house Of ono Of these electric
quacks one day, accompanied by n friend,
says writer in the New York Herald.
The parlor might have been that of any
respectable middle class family in easy cir
cumstances. Tho inevitable family Bible,
the wax flowers, the conventional crayon
portraits and the steel cngravings hardly
suggested n home of the professional char
lntan. In few minutes madame ap-
peared. Tall, angular and decidedly passee
was she. Her lips were thin, and the lines
OF her face were hard and rcpcllent. Her
first look was one of disappointment rs she
noticed our comparative lack of wrinkles
or facial blemishcs. We were evidently not
customers 1t was followed by an dir of
suspicion rs acquainted her with the OBJ
ject of my yisit-namely, to obtain facts
for publication regarding her rejuvenating
process.
Sho hemmed and hawed and hcsitnted
for awhile, hut the prospects of securing n
FREQ advertisement finally got the better of
her prudence and unsealed her lips Once
started, her flow of information continued
unabatingly until our departure
"Ah, do not believe that cater to the
rich alone" she remarked, with long
drawn sigh. "My treatment has been the
means of lifting many an unfortunate
from tho depths of despair to the renewed
enjoyment of the good things of life Why,
my dear sir, ut this very moment there is
lady sitting up stairs, her face covered
with plasters, who came here two weeks
ago looking GO years of age. When tho
plasters come off week hence, she will
pass for 90.
$50 you are not only treating her, but
nrc also providing board and lodging?" 1
remarked.
"Why, yes,": was the ready answer 81
do this with some of my patients You
see, this lady has practically no home She
was once rich, but lost all her money. She
is paying me her last dollars for this treat
mcnt, which will make n new woman of
her and allow her to begin life over
again.
"Do you mean to say that she expects to
profit financially by tho changef" I asked.
Most assuredly do" was the reply
You know yourself that good looking
young woman can always obtain remuncr-
ative employment in any of our large stores
OF dry goods emporiums We talked this
matter over in advance, and she agreed
with mo that rcjuvenation was the only
hope for the futurc.''
So this silly old woman of 60 expects to
leave your house younger looking by 40
years?' cried, breaking into a laugh.
The absurdity of tho proposition was too
much even for the madame She lost CON
troll OF her facial muscles and joined in my
hilarity. Hers was the laugh of the hycna,
however, and, fearful of bctraying herself,
she quickly resumed her seriousness.
"No, gentlemen, this is really not
laughing MATTER she continued. "My
heart goes up to the poor thing. God grant
that her hopes mny be realized
Tho madame did not dwell on the posi-
bility Of her victim being disappointed or
state whether in that event tho money
would be refunded.
"Shei sitting alone in thercar bedroom
up stairs" was the next remark. at will
never do for her to see you, but if you 60
up softly with me you can get u glimpscnt
her from behind the screen. She is little
deaf, anyway"
My curiosity was not proof against this
invitation, and, with madame. jim the Kan,
we crept up silently to the apartment