The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-06-10
PHILOSOPHY OF PALMIsrRv.
Logic Wastea ON These Who Censult
Hortune-Tollsrs.

PHILOSOPHY OF PALMI0TRY
Logic wastsA ON These who Consul
Hortuns-Tsllsrs.
! Last week q poor, egotistical crea
ture who had been employed as q bar.
maid drowned herself. chiefly as would
seem from her letters. on account OF
the sinister predictions which she
read In her palm, combined with her
"planets." No doubt this girl waa
weak-ninded. II not actually insane,
put there II good deal In her case
worth thinking about. says London
Truth. Some years ago. when con-
quoted some researches into palms.
try, with the assistance of lady who
claimed to be an expert in that craft.
put the question to her: What II
you see indications in Q palm that the
owner OF the hand will die or incur
some awful misfortune at An early
cater. The lady answered that in such
Q case she always dissemblsd. and
she led mo to understand that It was
matter Of professional etiquette
among really conscientious palmists
not to make known the truth when Il
was OF such naurs that to inpart 1t
might be dangerous. This Is all very
well, but no one can prevent people
VINO dabble in palmistry or astrology
or other occult means of reading the
future from discovering their own fate
LOT themselves. Those who discover
ny such means that the outlook for
them Is very black may not all COM
NIT suicide, like the unfortunate bar.
maid, but such knowledge ia bound to
nave an injurious effect on all but
persons OF the toughest moral fiber;
and persons Of the toughest moral
nber, ! may remark, are not in the
habit Of dabbling in the occult SCI
ences. Az rule. fortune telling in its
various shapes Is chiefly denounced a.
a swindle and means Of obtaining
money under false pretensss, but
question whether the moral mischief
which may result from efforts to a.
certain what the future has In store
lot US may not be far worse than any
financial loss. Nothing is more
certain than that It is to the advan-
tage OF mankind, on the whole, not to |
know the future. In saying this do |
not lose sight of the fact that It
would be profitable thing to many to
know, for instance. who Is going to
WIN the next years Derby, or the price
1t which any particular stock will
stand at the end of the next account
This knowledge, however, can only be
profitable so long as 1t is in the ex-
elusive possession Of one or two in
ilViduals. II 1t were made accessible
o all, the knowledge of the future
would cease to have any more value
nan the knowledge of the past. On
no other hand, the knowledge of COM
ng misfortune-if it Is so pfeordained
hat 1t can be predicted-can only have
demoralizing effect, and on the whole
lie has generally as much of the I'M
'ieasant as of the pleasant in store
or the majority of human kind. How
many youths Of 20 are there who. II
ney could ascertain everything that is
ding to happen to them during the
ext fifty years. would think the game
'orth the candle? / doubt IL there ara
'any. On the other hand, living in
ignorance OF what is coming, taking
ae good with the bad as each day
rings 1t. and necessarily hoping for
ettsr things from the inexhaustible
disabilities Of the future, we manage
" the most part to combat our mis-
'rtunes as they turn up and cling to
re as long as 1t is left in US. The
'overb says that as long as there Is
10 there is hope, and the converse IL :
lually true that as long as there ia
'pe there is life. Destroy the one and p
Is ten to one that you destroy the
her. My impression. IL that 80 far
the chances Of individual life 70. no
10 has ever known the future or ever :,
n know it. But whether it be knowl-
&c or not. the person who desires to
low It is fool.