rl actually does, perhaps, receive a
present, as the witch predicted; this not only pleases her vanity
and love of admiration, but disposes her to put confidence in the
powers of the fortune-teller to read coming events. Straightway
the deluded girl goes again to the witch, to tell how things have
fallen out, as she foretold, and to seek further light upon the
subject. It is now the cue of the prophetess to describe the
young man. This she does in glowing terms; never failing to endow
him with a large fortune; and the poor girl goes away with her
head more turned than ever."

* * * * *

"Enraptured with a description, or sight of the picture of her
fond love, the deluded girl is now all anxiety to see him in
person. The witch accordingly gives her some magical powder
(price one dollar), which she is to put under her pillow every
night for seven nights, or wear next her heart for nine days, or
some other nonsense of that kind, at the end of which time, she
is told to take the ferry-boat to Hoboken or some such place, at
a certain hour in the afternoon, and somewhere on her route she
will have a sight of the gentleman she is almost crazed to see.
The result is plain, the 'gentleman' is there as foretold, an
acquaintance is commenced, and the girl is ultimately ruined.

"We have been thus particular to give, step by step, the details
of the mode of management pursued in these cases. There are, of
course, many varieties, dictated by the circumstances of each
case, but the general features and the _result_, are the same.

"The incidents above given are the outlines of a real case in
which the end of the conspirators was accomplished; the girl,
however, was rescued by the Managers of the Magdalen Asylum, and
is now leading a blameless life."

The "Individual" has now concluded his labors, and he hopes not
without profit to the community at large.

He has heard it urged that this book will merely advertise the
fortune-tellers, and that they will go on driving a more
flourishing trade than ever. He cannot think that this will be
the case; he cannot believe that any persons who read in this
book the candid exposition of the style of necromancy dealt out
by the modern Circes, will be willing to pay money for any
personal experience of them, and he respectfully submits that
although they have heretofore been consulted by many ladies of
respectability, from motives of mere curiosity, those la