She  consults  you  on  all  affairs  of  life.  Born  with  a  natural  gift,  she  tells
past,  present,  and  future ;  she  brings  together  those  long  separated ;
causes  speedy  marriages ;  shows  you  a  correct  likeness  of  your  future
husband  or  friends  in  love  affairs.  She  was  never  known  to  fail.  She
tells  his  name ;  also  lucky  numbers  free  of  charge.  She  succeeds  when
all  others  fail.  Two  thousand  dollars  reward  for  any  one  that  can  equal
her  in  professional  skill.  Ladies  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar.  Positively
no  gents  admitted.     No.  40 Avenue."

It  seems  strange  that,  in  this  boasted  age  of  enlightenment,
the  persons  who  make  such  announcements  as  the  above,  can
find  any  one  simple  enough  to  believe  them.  Yet,  it  is  a
fact,  that  these  persons,  who  are  generally  women,  frequently
make  large  sums  of  money  out  of  the  credulity  of  their  fellow
creatures.  Every  mail  brings  them  letters  from  persons  in
various  parts  of  the  country.  These  letters  are  generally
answered,  and  the  contents  have  disgusted  more  than  one
simpleton.  The  information  furnished  is  such  as  any  casual
acquaintance  could  give,  and  just  as  trustworthy  as  the  reports
of  the  "  reliable  gentleman  just  from  the  front,"  used  to  prove
during  the  late  war.  The  city  custom  of  these  impostors  is
about  equal  to  that  brought  to  them  from  the  country  by
444


THE   SECRETS   OF    THE   GREAT    CITY.  445

means  of  their  advertisements.  Some  of  them  make  as  much
as  one  hundred  dollars  per  day,  all  of  which  is  a  clear  profit,
the  majority  earn  from  three  to  six  dollars  per  day.  Servant
girls  are  profitable  customers.  Indeed,  but  for  female  cred-
nlity  the  business  would  go  down.
