apoleon, she has no equal. She will tell
the name of the future husband, and also the name of
her visitors. No. 373 Bowery, between Fourth and Fifth
streets."

The undaunted seeker after mystic lore rang a peal on the
astonished door-bell that created an instantaneous confusion of
the startled inmates. There was a good deal of hustling about,
and running hither, thither, and to the other place, before any
one appeared; meantime, the dainty fingers of the damp customer
performed other little solos on the daubed and sticky bell-pull,--and
he also amused himself with inspection of, and comments on, the
German-silver plate on the narrow panel, which bore the name of
the illustrious female who occupied these domains.

At last the door was opened by a greasy girl, and the visitor was
admitted to the hall, where he stood for a minute, like a
fresh-water merman, "all dripping from the recent flood."

The juvenile female who had admitted him thus far, evidently took
him for a disreputable character, and stood prepared to prevent
depredations. She planted herself firmly before him in the narrow
hall in an attitude of self-defence, and squaring off scientifically,
demanded his business. Astrology was mentioned, whereupon the
threatening fists were lowered, the saucy under-jaw was
retracted, and the general air of pugnacity was subdued into a
very suspicious demeanor, as if she thought he hadn't any money,
and wanted to storm the castle under false pretences. She
informed him that before matters went any further, he must buy
tickets, which she was prepared to furnish, on receipt of a
dollar and a half; he paid the money, which transaction seemed to
raise him in her estimation to the level of a man who might
safely be trusted where there was nothing he could steal. One
fist she still kept loaded, ready to instantly repel any attack
which might be suddenly made by her designing enemy, the other
hand cautiously departed petticoatward, and after groping about
some time in a concealed pocket, produced from the mysterious
depth a card, too dirty for description, on which these words
were dimly visible:

+----------------------------+
| c N |
| e o |
| 5 n MADAME PREWSTER . |
| 0 t 411 GRAND STREET. |
| s 1 |
+----------------------------+

The belligerent girl then led the way through a narrow hall, up
two