Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-01

who is yellow-faced are somewhere in Phil
adelphia today Matching plots against hu-
4 man lives.
This Is the consensus of opinion of a band
OF gypsy fortune tellers. They are believed
10 be members OF so-caed gypsy for
tune-tellng trust" At least 5000 persons,
II Is estimated visit the studios" OF the
gypsles daily. The revenue taken In daily
at the store homes" of these gypsies IL
problematical. Some place the figures at
$4,000 or more daily or close to $4,000
week.
The gypsy fortune telers, most Of whom
are pretty young women, arrived here
within the last few weeks Some of them
i Speak flve Or more languages Their
studios" are located in the residential as
wsll as business sections of tho city. They
ply their trade often almost under the
hoses of POLICEMEN and detectives All this
has been going on In face of law enacted
n this state a long time ago The law pre-
s scribes a prison sentence as well as fine
upon persons who read palms.
IN HEART or CITY
One OF the studios is located at the
northeast corner of Seventh and Market
streets. Two gypay women are there. One
OF them is about twenty-five years old
Her eyes are dark and her cheeks have
bright bronze color Her companion, who
ts midde-aged. sits alongside her younger
companion. Both sit on a little bench which
4 is located in a little shed The bench is
q short distance from the curbstone The
wooden, walls are placarded with sheets
and posters. On these appears the an
Il nouncement that the past and future is ex-
planned. And the price is only ten cents
90 the two women announce to passersby.
Come in. mister--we tell your fortune
come on n--ony ten cents" the young
woman almost shouts.
AS the visitor enters the little shanty
with a traffic squad policeman standing
less than fifty yards away he is asked to
walk behind a red curtain. The curtain
is drawn over Once this is done the visitor
is not visible to the outside world. He Is
there with the bronze-complexioned gypsy
The middle-aged, gypsy remains on her
bench outside.
'sit down and let me see your right
hand" she says.
'.Mr. .Phiadelphian" or visitor to this
city displays his right hand. He is asked
TO take coin out OF his right-hand pocket
He obeys. But IL the coin he brings forth
Is of small denomination he is asked
10 bring forth everything. The money
Is taken from him. He is asked to blow
a. the coin. The coin is being held by the
fair gypsy Again he obeys
EXTRACTION OF THE COIN
But the orders--or commands from the
gypsies do not come to an end here lie
n asked TO unbutton bis coat or oyercoat.
open your pocketbook and take out ali
the money and let me hold it," announces
the gypsy. Sometimes the visitor obeys IL
he doesn't he is warned that devils are
around. But the gypsies know that as
rule those who belong TO the League of
6upersttious Persons always give in.
While the twenty y-two-year-old gypsy
girl holds the wallet. coin and paper money
In her right hand. she begins her task---her
task OF driving the devils away and read
ing the fortune OF the visitor This Is
good luck says the gypsy. as she places
her right hand on the chest OF the inno-
cent.
Go away bad heaith--come back good
health--come back good luck" she whis-
pers. Sometimes her voice becomes loud
Sometimes all her words are spoken in a
low but distinct voice.
The gypsy continues her message then
with these words.
There is a man who is dark--many men
who dark and man who has a yellow
face--he is going to harm you--dont feel
afraid"
'All right, thank you. here is ten cenul,''
says the visitor
I'm not through. mlster--don't be
afraid Of mel am poor lady and good
lady---iook my dress overland see how
dirty Il is--if bad woman I have nice
eress--but am poor Never be afraid Of
Door woman"
Give me my money" says the visitor.
n What do you want--money, misery or
Me-" answer the gypsy.
"Money and life. replies the visitor.
"IIa, my dear friend you can't have botn
~. can have only one thing, SO pick your
(, suddenly the curtain is drawn aside. The
tiddle-aGed gypsy appears. She urges the
visitor to mako only one wish. She Keeps
en urging. The visitor Is bewildered lie
olarts 20 say aos11efhInr. buf he A. i,t.r