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
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 credulity the business would go down.

Still, there are many male visitors. Speculators, victims of the gaming
table and the lottery, come to ask for advice, which is given at random.
The woman knows but little of her visitors, and has no means of learning
anything about them. Sometimes her statements are found to be true, but
it is by the merest accident.

The clairvoyants do not hesitate to confess to their friends, in a
confidential way, of course, that their pretensions are mere humbuggery,
and they laugh at the credulity of their victims, whilst they encourage
it. It seems absurd to discuss this subject seriously. We can only say
to those who shall read this chapter, that there is not in the City of
New York an honest fortune-teller or clairvoyant. They knowingly deceive
persons as to their powers. It is not given to human beings to read the
future--certainly not to such wretched specimens as the persons who
compose the class of which we are writing. The only sensible plan is to
keep your money, dear reader. You know more than these impostors can
possibly tell you.

Many of these fortune-tellers and clairvoyants are simply procuresses.
They draw women into th