Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-06

oL IoWn-Ihe Woman Was Cre6t-
 fallen But Said Her Business W'aa
 an Honorable One. N
 Good morning." said q buxom lock- Il& woman, apparently about 90 years or age, in q very cheerful way as she stood in the doorway leading to Chief Egans office this morning. The chier turned to answer the lady. but before. he got a chance to speak the visitor continued: Pm looking for the chief of police department. Is this his of lice and ii so is he in? l want
 Here Chief Egan interrupted the speaker. He couldn't stand 1t any longer, and it was q wonder how he kept silent so long, for the woman's looks as well as her words showed that she was anxious to have some one speak, although she did keep on talk ing herself.
 Yes, madam. yes" answered the chief. This is the office of the police department and the chief is in. I am he. What can | do for you?" st
 The chief spoke in very gkhtle tone. much more so than he doessKhen addressing the horrid mem ana this gave the woman considerable eHGAur- agement and she stepped forWam to the little window and informedsthe chief that she was q: pahnist, and wanted to know if she could have 2 license to do business here.
 We ordered q woman out of town the other day for that business" re- piled the chief. Tt comes under the heading of the ordinance relating to fortune telling; that is, pretending to tell what is going to happen in the fu- ture and reveal the why and the wherefore of things that have hap pened."
 Why" said the woman, acting a3 though she felt annoyed at the chiefs remarks, T have demonstrated scien- tific palmistry in almost every town in the country and"
 The chief (evidently growing tired of the subjecD: Perhaps you have and in Europe. too. and your business may be all right, but 1 can't help that. The law is there and it is my duty to see that it is enforced.''
 This was a poser, but the woman didn't seem to think so, and answered it by stating that it was too bad so few people understand palmistry.
 Perhaps it is.' replied the chief. ''I'm one of these myself and don't care to be enlightened on it.'
 ''Well,'' said the lady, turning tu, leave. 'palmistry is science as old as the pyramids, and the time will come, though 1 may not live to see it. when the test will be applied to every person seeking a position of trust. The profession is an honorable one, but of course some who professed to demOn- strate it trailed it in the mud, and for this reason people who understand the science and can prove their skill in the profession are often mlSJudSeu- can take the palms,
 The chief becoming more and more impa tent: Madam, what do you want me to do-keeD others out and let you practice? Your an intelligent woman and as such you must know that | have no option in the matter.
 The woman appeared quite f1attefed at the chiefs reference to her good judgment and left, delivering this lit tie address as she headed for the door: s'That's true. sir; I told Mrs Mason the same thing this morning. l thank you.'
 It was q pity that the palmist could not get q license to hang out a shln- gle. She looked like one that could do what she said. She was a capital talker and the chief was sharp enough to see this and wisely refrained from debating the good or bad points of The law with her.