A FEMALE FRAUD.

NZ Truth, Issue 127, 23 November 1907, Page 6

A FEMALE FRAUD.

The ■" Bumps " Prolessoress.

Anionn: the' man y awful frauds, that are gulling thte Christchurch public just now— and they are numerous— is a woman who is travelling round with a .medical work of some kind, and professes an overweening desire to read the bumps of the child en at every family house she " encounters. The fee is a bob a time, and the female phrenologist is apparently making a good thing out of it. She impresses on the housewife the almost absolute necessity of knowing what her offsprings are fit for m the battle of life, and the bob or bobs are forthcoming. Then follows a great eulogy on the futifre of • the youngster. It would never do to tell the fond, loving mother that the boy would be a wastrel and a criminal, and would grow up without the grace of God ; or that tlie girl, will be no better than she ought to be. There would be no oof, and the heart of the 'mother would be as sad as a funeral. After the nomadic bump traveller has finished her task, she makes some notes of a shorthand character— or what appears to be something mystic m that line— and says that she will send a full delineation by letter later on. Madam struck the house of a' policeman the other day. and manaeod to .i/iduce Mrs Policeman to part a shilling to have the boy's tbp-?piec« , analysed.

The promised letter, though', never came to hand. However, he isn't going to be a copper like his father; he ' ..-■■'.

WILL" BE A GREAT STATESMAN, ami rule Maoriland, and play sheol with existing institutions and all that sort of thing. He is going' to he much greater than a chimneysweep at all events. The mother was delighted, as a matter of fact, and told hubby when he came home. Now, hubby 'being an alert and energetic slop, wan-fed a description of the petticoated fraud, and got it. Trust a woman for. not sizing another woman up accurately. Here it is. The hair mauler is about 45 years of age, is sft. high, brown hair, of slight build, of fresh reddish complexion, wearing a black skirt, red coat, white silk blouse, gem hat, blue veil, and white gloves. What sort of stockings she donned isn't stated. When the woman grew confidential she said her husband was m Christchurch with her, but only, for a holiday ; he had a big shop— a double-windowed affair—in Wellington. No name was vouchsafed. however/ and, it is pretty 1 safe to say that this woman's tongue is longer than it should be. Her invariable practice m Christchuroh has been to suddenly glance at her watch after receiving oof, and to ward off nasty <-|,uestions about herself, and to exclaim that she really has only : a few minutes to get to Coker's Hotel, where she has to read the heads of a family of children. Of course, this is all flam. '-'Truth"* has ascertained that. The woman is a blasted adventuress. and the public is warned against the thief who gets money )>y false pretences.