Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-05
DEsEREr EVENING NEWS. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1898.

and enterprislng newspapers are talk
ing advantage OF II to Increase their
circulation. "Graphology" Is the
Science" to which some of them resort
for this purpose. They invite the gem
eral public to forward specimens Of
handwriting, and an expert" will.from
an examination of each specimen, de-
scribe the character and tell the for
tune of the writer. The paper is
eagerly bought and read because of this
feature. The New York World goes so
far as to reproduce In fac slmile the
samplcs of penmanship, each being ac-
companied by a description OF the per-
sonal traits, and q forecast OF the for
tune" OF the writer
The Troy Press has regular de-
partment under the head of "Grapholo-
gy," and silly people in astonishing
numbers send TO this department speci-
mems of their handwriting from which
to have their fortunes told" In asin-
gle copy of that paper of recent date
as many us twenty-seven samples of
chrography are treated. Here is the
81. I. o. E.-A little discontinued
and dissatisfied with your life at times.
Restless and seldom quiet very long at
a time. Have a sensitive nature. but too
much pride to let others see the hurt.
A little melancholy at times. but the
strong will should master this tendency
before 1t becomes chronic. You have
tenacity of purpose. and your Will VIII
often master your physical condition.
N. .l...
your life and an intermingling of joy
and sorrow"
The sex of the correspondent Is not
indicated, but probably It was the
weaker. No doubt she was surprised to
be told that there would be changes"
in her life, and IAN intermingling of
joy and sorrow" Here is another ex-
ample:
Forget me not-You are rather re-
served in manner and shy in making
friends. You have strong tendency to
he left-handed. Are not a fluent talker.
unless with those whom you know well.
Are in many things very fastidious and
you have diplomatic secretiveness. You
have n little vanity and love to dress
well and make good impression upon
those whom you admire. You Will reas-
on from cause to effect. VIII have few
changes in your life
The guess that the writer had
tendency to be left-handed" was per-
haps q little venturesome, but II en-
tirely unfounded could do no harm. So
with other remarks hazarded. but the
unqualified declaration that the in
qurer would treason from cause to
effect" was certainly a bold one.
The Peoria Journal has what it no
doubt thinks is something better than
"Graphology" by means of which to
tell its readers fortunes. Its plan in
wolves no correspondence and COM
paratively little typesetting. A single
paragraph each day does the business
for every human being born on that
day. and in the course of the year all
mankind have had their fortunes
told" by this enterprising paper. Fol-
lowing is sample of the daily Install
ment:
Tuesday. Jan. 25.-Persons born on
this day show a strong love of nature,
are over jealous and easily led by
sympathy or psychological control. The
coming year shows favorable for all
of some accident.
Weather today-Snow or rain"
The casual reader cannot but notice
that the prognosticatory paragraphs
above quoted are so worded that they
will fit one person about as well as an
other. while all attempt at specific
statement is carefully avoided. Yet
these paragraphs are fair samples of
the rigmaroles that fortune tellers gen.
orally, whatever their peculiar kidney,
give to their dupes, except that when
the prognosticator Is face to face with
the victim, a much larger number of
words may be employed with which to
express the same meaningless general
tiles.
Persons who pay money to fortune
tellers in the confident expectation of
being told something of real value rela-
tive to the future. are to be commiser-
ated for their feeble mlndedness: while
persons who incur the expense lust
for fun" are capable OF being interest
ed in a very silly species of amuse-
ment. Those who place any depend
ence in the fortunes" told by news
papers will generally be found to have
low, retreating foreheads. and cor
responding poverty of brains and
purse. Fortune-teling, like the vices
Of drinking and smoking, seems to
flourish by being exposed and con-
demned.