[84]
[84] It appears that this is allowable in New York. The
explanation of the perverse prosecution was, that the young
gentleman did not 'fee' the worthy policemen, according to custom
in such cases.
Thereupon I said--'Why, the French lady's card-prediction on
board came to pass! Don't you remember what she said about two
constables being "after you"?'
'Now I remember it,' he said; 'but I had positively forgotten all
about it. Well, she was right there--but I am sorry to say that
nothing else she PROMISED has come to pass.'
Doubtless all other consulters of the cards and of astrologers
can say the same, although all would not wisely conclude that a
system must be erroneous which misleads human hope in the great
majority of cases. In fact, like the predictions in our weather-
almanacks, the fortune-teller's announcements are only right BY
CHANCE, and wrong ON PRINCIPLE.
FORTUNE-TELLING FORTY YEARS AGO, OR, THE STORY OF MARTHA CARNABY.
A certain Martha Carnaby, a tidy but rather 'unsettled' servant
girl, some forty years ago went to an old fortune-teller, to have
her fortune told, and the doings on both sides came out as
follows, before the magistrate at the Bow Street police-court.
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