Broadsides; Chapbooks; Street literature -- Great Britain
First consulting his oracle, which consists of an old book written
in unintelligible characters, he took an old pack of cards which he
shuffled several times, and placed them in a form of a circle, and
again consulted his oracle, he then related unto them their destiny.
The enquiring girls wished to know if he could not tell the names
of their sweethearts; he answered in the affirmative, and said, if
they would give him 2s. 6d. each, he would bring them into the room;
the girls said they had not so much, and he told them to raise what
they could, which amounted in all to 3s. 6d. They were then placed
in a ring, and the old man began muttering some words and shuffling
his cards, when three loud knocks were heard at the door. The sounds
appeared to proceed from the staircase. Shortly after the knocking had
ceased, the door slowly opened, and the figure of a tall man with an
unnatural cast of countenance entered the room and took a seat opposite
the affrighted maids. The appearance had a white ghastly head, and
was dressed in the style of a cavalier of the time of Charles II; but
what was most remarkable, the body was a mere shadow, it was a thing
of vapour, for the back of the chair was plainly discernible through
it. It raised its hand three times in a menacing attitude, three times
at the young women, which so alarmed them, that they all commenced
screaming and wildly ran from the room--the house was aroused--the
police was called in--but no trace of the apparition was visible,
unless a curious odour which perfumed the apartment might be considered
so.
Disley, Printer, 57, High Street, St. Giles.
FORTUNE TELLING AND ITS RESULTS.
A True and Remarkable Account of a most Extraordinary Occurrence that
took place IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD.
[Illustration]
A most remarkable and curious circumstance that took place last night
at a well-known house in this town, kept by a person of the name of
Sarah Smith, a well-known fortune teller.
A party of six young females agreed to go to the house of the
above-mentioned woman and have their fortunes told. On their arrival
at the house not one of them could be found courageous enough to lead
the way in; at length one (Emma Logo) more bold than the rest lifted
up the latch and walked in, of course followed by her companions. On
entering, the first thing that met their gaze was the old hag, seated
on a three-legged stool by the fire, with six black cats lying on the
hearth by her side.
The young damsels blushingly told their desire to know the names of
their future husbands, also numerous other questions, to which the old
hag readily complied.
After listening with great attention to the falsehoods and
impossibilities told by this wicked old woman, they said they were
desirous of seeing and knowing the men who were to be their partners in
the great battle of life, asking her if it was possible, to which she
replied, nothing was impossible to her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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