FORTUNES-TELLING. THE MYSTIC ART IN AUCKLAND. A REPORTER HAS HIS FUTURE FORETOLD. Auckland, May 8.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 367, 11 May 1889, Page 3

FORTUNES-TELLING. THE MYSTIC ART IN AUCKLAND. A REPORTER HAS HIS FUTURE FORETOLD. Auckland, May 8.

Very great interest has always? been manifested by every grade of society, more or less, in anything approaching or portaining to the eupornatural, and matters "not undcrstanded,of the com - ino/n people," more pavciculaiiy in that occult '.'.science " whose favoured disciples profess to possess the power- tn divine tho past history of individuals, and to forotell events in their future lives}! One would think that in the fresh life of theeo growing colonies thero would be a comparative freedom from Old-Woild supei'&titionp and beliet in mysterious hidden arts,, but evidently these feelings ' are ev'erywhero extremely difficult to eradicate, more especially in the hcaits of the weaker sex, lor the curiosity innate in human natuie and a desire to peer, it passible, into futurity and ascertain what •' fate " may have in store for them, impels many people to endeavour to obtain a knowledge of what lits befui'e them in life. As in bygono times, fortune-tellers— " wise women " who proicos to be able to guago a person's past and future by the arts of palmistry, by cards, or sometimes by the texts ol the Bible — aio stiil consulted by people, mainly female?, ot certain^ clasaes, and even in Auckland we ha\e one piofes-sional character and tortuno teller -" Madame Wine," who advertises her business in the public pros?!, and who has established quite a ycod " connection "' or " practice," and iin'ds the exposition of the mystic art a fairly lucrative calling.

THE INTERVIEWER. With a view to obtaining some insight into the mannei in which these sages of modern times assume to reveal the hand of fate to their customers, a Stvk reporter, v>ico(j»ilo, called on Madame Wine on Saturday evening last to learn what Fortune he was destined to meet with ere he quils this vale oi tears. Jfe found her reeidence in Lower Hepburn-street, in the' - western portion of the city, close to the bottom of Wellington street, tho house being the centre one of three small ordinary - looking one - storied cottages, standing on a bank overhanging the gully leading down from Newton into Freeman's Bay. A brass plate on tho doer bearing tI)C legend "Madame Wine"' notified the identity of {he place. The reporter down a descent of rickotty steps from the road, and, on knocking, was admitted by Madame herself, and ushered into a small, .cosy sitting-room.

-THE HOUSE OF SECRETS. There was nothing in the least' uncanny or supernatural-looking; about either the revealer of hidden mysteries or her dwelling The room was comfortably furnisher!; an uniting lounge leposed in one corner, and a small centre table covered with photographs, the majority being rather queer-looking male " physogs," in another. Thick window-curtains prevented proceedings inside being revealed to the prying eyes ot curious pa&Feih-by. On the mantelsholf an alaim clock with the minutehand missing ticked away eneigelically, and close beside it hung a small picture of a pretty girl in tights and a couple of framed lcpresentations of well-known actresses, balanced or. the other side by one of Professor Hugo's phrenological charts of delineation of character. On the walls around hung a number of oleographs, and a large picture oi our gracious Queen occupied a, conspicuous oosition.

MADAME WINE. v The " wise woman " herself was a fairly well preserved person ot apparently about fifty years ot age, somewhat under the medium' height, with 1 rather spare figure, dark - brown hair, slightly grey-strea N ed, small regular iealures, rather sallow complexion, no.se inclining to the Romanesque, and small dark beady eyes. She w ore a dress >of some dark brow n material, white starched apion fastened at the breast by a small jet hand, and displayed rather a prolusion of silver necklets and a large silver locket. In speech she was voluble — very voluble — and might have been characterised as a person of a " poweriul determination of words to the mouth." Moreover, in her holdingfoilh she showed a charming disiogard for the commonly accepted English grammatical rules, and took such liberties with the unfortunate letter " h,'' entirely ignoring its claim to be " haspirated ' in its accustomed place, besides coining a wealth of new words or fearfully and wondei fully di&boiting the old ones in the mo&t matter-of-fact way, just as the pleasant fancy seized her, that it was almost worth crossing her palm with the needful silver for merely listening to her interesting specimens of " English as she is spoke." Her mysteriously worded and involved sentences impiepsed the scribe intensely, for never before in all his reportorial experiences had he the pleasure of hearing such examples of what our good oIJ mother tongue can become in the verbose lips of a lady lecturer and expounder.

THREE TIMES MARRIED. Boiore proceeding to "diagnose," Madame Wino first detailed somo portions of her life ioi the edification of her \ isitor. Crossing her yellow but well-formed hands on her lap, she told how she had been three times mamod, and how her present "good man " was absent in " Australy." "Hi married my first man — oh, he mc^ a dear man — in Berkshite, hin Hingland, when I v/as honly sixteei* yeais and &ix months -old, an'd 'c was eighteen. Well, at tor we was married in the chapel I went 'ome, but 'my lather ho soon found out about the wedding, and you bet -I run away; 'I was "afraid of par. Oh, nay par was a wonderful man, 'c's dead long ago, but 'c 'ad the gift, and 'c told tho neighbours of many and many a misfortunement to happen on 'em, and they hall come true, hall come to pass. Oh, yes." Madame here produced a photograph of her lamented. patornaL parent, a stern-looking, longhaired old gentleman, with bushy eyebrowshade.& orb's of a rather dovbtio'nal cast upwards. She" 1 says she inherited her "gift" from him, lor. -he" was, it seomp, a mighty " medicine, man " in tho prophetic lino of business, and his friends had to keep sharp on the alort when hs foretold disasters to their crops O) 1 cattle or themselves. Her first husband, after serving through the Crimean war, left this mortal vale in ]Slew Zealand, and was replaced by another, who, however, also died ,in a few yeais. The disconsolate widow, nothing daunted, married again, and her third husband is still in the land of the living. " Oh, wasn't it strange, though, sir, my two dead 'usbands — oh, such dear men they were— both had light-blue heyes and Hi mariied 'em both in November and buried 'em in August. Oh, hit was strange, hand I'ad a presentingment first previous to it all-

THE "GIFTIE." " Now, young man, about my gift. Jt'sa wonderful thing, and it does a groat deal of good. " No, I'm not a Sperribualisl, but 1 don't conduce a hun belief in ftpivits altQgother.

There's somebhink in it— aomeihink in ifc, there are may haps sperrits flyin' in the air but if the sperrits of my dead^ 'usbands — oh, they were gt'and men — came and'spotfe*'' to me I wouldn't bo afraid. ' Oh,* no. I don't toll the future result of' people* by the cards, nor neither by the Bibl'eJ but I like to go to chapel or the Tabernacle ot a Sunday for the quiot restingfulness," and here Madame branched oil" to a warm eulogy of Mr Thomas Spurgeon, the worthy pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle, and his brother, the llev. Charles ; ' both grand men, wifch such a haction. in the pulpit,'"' she avcired, and inquired eagerly of., the reporter if *tho two divine brethren wero twins. 'The visitor was floored by the query, not having come prepared with a full and correct account of the ] natalcvent of the eminent preachers, but ! ju&t then Madame excused herself to attend a bevy of Salwition A-umy lasses at the door,on some jbcnevo!en ( t errand. Returning', the burst/into discursive praise ot the Salvation Army, describing how she had been taken up with it since she saw the first two " halleluiah '" orators. — "Such eavenly lookin' men, just like they 'ad fell -&tt .light' down' from 'eaven." After some timo Madame returned trom her rhetorical eulogies of the Army to the subject of her "gift." "Now, young man, about my gitt. [t's a wonderful thing, it's a great gift, and it does a great deal ot -good to the people who come to mo to have "th-em&clves told indicatedly by the head -and the hand. By it they can find what 'their future is, and likewise w hat places they are to visit, hand the partners they will 'aye, male and female, for lite. You can|t escape your hordained destination-; you 'aye to meet it and nothink else. You must," continued Madame impressively, " &ay ropcatively to yourself .inwaidly, Hi ham what [ ham, and I mustn't go contrary to the fate. Oh, yes. And you 'aye to know if you can which it is your fated result, hordained as your destination. Oh, J tell people's destination tortityin' correctly by the readin' of them, and I've had lots ot testimonials from persons, 'male. hand female, a& 'aye gone ttvo v hall the places which I .said where they would, and 'aye met with unpleasantments and troublesomness in many ways, in money and in other matters, Just has I said they would, and 'aye met their future wives and'usbands the same- which I told them."

HER TESTIMONIALS. Madam© Wine showed the reporter a number of her " testimonials," written her, she said, by people who appreciated her powers of prophesy. Some of the lebters weie curiously alike as regarded the handwriting and wording, while others diffeied 4 in caligraphy and construction. One may, serve as a sample :— " Dear Madame Wine, — Menney things 1 which you, said would happen to me did come to pass, and I went away to other plaises as you .told me. I" will see you again. — A.T.C."

PHRENOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. \\ hon the reporter had duly expresse s his wonder at the numerous testimonies to the truth and accuracy of her prognostications, Madame indicated an arm-chair in the centre of the room. "Set th,ere, young man, and I'll proceed to^'tell_ your 'ed indicatedly and connccthelyh'as to yoiu character standing now at present." With sundry misgivings as to iher dreapVftil revelations to follow, thesciibe took thereat and the lady phrenologist, for she combines, the scienccof "telling the 'ed, "or indicating the mental and moralqualitiesof her patrons,; with the art of palmistry — started to genily' examine the various bumps of his hig/ilyinteUectualcranium, deli vei'irfgher diagnosis of character all ' the while in'an almost incessant flow of eloquent verbosity, stopping occasionally fiom shcei -wart 1 ' 6i-breath'.*- " You 'aye a fitie "ed, a very-fine 'ed, young man," and the phrenologist -paused to allow the complimeutary statement to take full effect. " Your determinativeness is in a condition ot good development, and your opinuation"' (presumably what other phrenologists call self-esteem) "and dignacy, bein' moderate strong, w iiL.dispose to propel you upwards connectedly to the heighth of your hambition. You have Irr possession indicatedly a good deal of inquisrtiveness, .wanting to find out things "you ( are carious about " (the-vi-epprter * ssniied, ia -solitary, wan- smile aC this portion of -the "bumptelling " process), " but you are not prying — oh no. Connectedly fiom the horgan ,of rcveration " .(veneration '!) " you have a respectable and revercntious conduction towards people that acts the duties ot patentees ; and then you 'aye a good liking to any person you may take a strong haflection foi." After dilating on the rep.'s great " discrushion " (most probably discretion "was "indicatedly" intended) and other high qualities, Madame rather damped his mental self-congratulation by observing impressively that) "hall wasnot good, there's seme bad — pome bad, in dilicration from the other, young man."

THE MYSTIC SCIENCE OP PALMISTItY. The "young man" waited expectantly to , heat his classic lineaments eulogi&tically characterised as " hextremely sandsonte," but Madame passed on with a grim smile, and commenced her investigation of the future through the " gift " of palmistry. Taking in turn each ot his " maulers " in her own, she scanned the lines of the palm intently with the aid of a small magnifying glass, and then going over them ajx«in by Ihe eye she proceeded to deliver judgment. " Youiirj man " (emphatically), '■ the fates promise you an hextensively long life, indicated by the line of life, which comes 'igh hup, dyer see, on the 'and. You won't live 100 long in life, nor yet, likewise, you're nol fated to die before it comes your time. You will die moderately peaceable — nob connectively by violeiicy of fate, bufc peaceful ; you h understand me, don't you ? You will ha^ eapro&perousli'fe,lairin prosperity the lines say, but some unplea&antmenfcs will come to pass before^yovj reach your ambition, which you" will do hultiinately at last." , \ So far the" prophecy of the reporter's future was satisfactory/ Madame wont; on to say that there were so'uie letters lined in his dexter, digit,, "-a.-Jili -and a .Hee mixed, with g, J and a X ..with, another "Hi, which is made in the old style of" people's writin', in old' letters, which is to show the writin' of the personsof your family, beforstimes, which you connecfcive*lygenerate back to has I might say." As it was pretty conclusive that the reporter did "generate back" to his ancestors, who might have formed their letters- in the style \aguely described by the prophetess for all he knew to the contrary, ho took all in as a matter of faith and waited for what was to come.

THE GOODS OF THIS, WOELD. "You will be more settled in life than you are now, but you may drift off to other shores. Now," said Madame impressively, emphasising her prophecy by gestures of her hands, "the lines say that before long you will receive a letter from a long way off — not a small letter, but a larger letter, which it will be beneficial to you, with good news, and yet, p'raps with money. " (The reporter fervently hoped so ; in fact, he wouldn't object to receive more than one single '"beneficial' 1 registered letter from any distance.) "You will likewise, receive fiora a long way

distance, in a time indicated by the lines, not long.j..' and yet not short, •a^certajn^quantity of money from friends of *your I fam'ily'*in Vt a relative way, butit won't hall come to y^pu,'-.ior*it will 'aye to be 'divided betwixt ja maje relation and a female relation of yours." "This is decidedly not at all bad," thought the reporter. " Prospects are improving."

THE FATED LIFE-PARTNER. " Now, young man," continued Madatne, more impressively 'than ever, " the lines tell about the. young person which hit is hbi-dained in fate that you have to combine up with 'to marry lor a partner for your lite. You hunderstand me, don'b ypu ? Well, the line which it is to the effect that you will marry about the time hand period of twenty-eight years or. maybe, twcnCy-.se.ven, accordin' to the time i\ hieh s it will be. You will meet the young lady — oji, yes she'll be young — in a period ot time more or less not longer nor yet not shorter than whac his hordained. She will meet you, and you and her will spontaneously and- ■ peWiscuously know and find which you**' "are fafced for each Jhother, one fpr • the bother which as how it is. She will be connectively interested with money, and mayhap she will 'aye money bringing with her to you." "So much the better," "thought the reporter, as he listened for the description of the one who would prove his " fate."

DESCRIPTION 'OF 'THE BRIDE. " She will boyoungish, not older nor ye** not younger than what she was fated for you, she will have light-grey heyes, not too dark-grey nor yet too light — light-brown hair likewise, which i&isn'ot too light. Her statue will not be of tall "a heighth, and net too short, but just nuddlin' nice — a little longer in statue than myself. She will be plumpi&h liinclined, but rather slenderish too — not too much to one or the other—a nd long, harms.' Good-looking? Oh yes, good-looking, young man, pretty niceish, with a style about 'er and retineish like ; abla to play the pyano beautiful and do , other accomplishments in 'er duty of life. She will be a 'young person of a hopen, haffectionate 'cart, and steadfastly combined up with you. . But you and. 'er will have lots of little ditferations of opinions, and she'll be sometimes perty and then 'aye it all over. You will be 'appy in your marriageous living, and you will 'aye a good family, but the lines don't speak much. Oh yes, young man, you will live very 'appily in your future."

THE PROPHETESS'S "" CONNECTION." '' This fair promise concluded Madame's prognostications, somewhat 'prolix in parts, of the fortunes of the reporter, who inwardly congratulated himself on the prosperity the kind fates had in reserve for him, and of which he felt assured, for had not the prophe'tes& with the great, gift, -Madame Wine, told him that he would meet it without fail? So, wearing his best smile, before wending his steps homeward, he •asked Madame about her "practice" and the success she attained in it. "Many people come to have their fortune told ? Yes, bless you kindly, yes, scores of 'em, day and night. And folks of real style couaettp,sornetimes,haU t sortsof people, 'and they find, they do,, that as my telling about things comes true, ancl I always tell -'em. exactly what I seu-'.ftite.ivill bring, and not anythink just to plea&e them. A few ago, about the timerhof the Chri&trnas 'olidays, three young ladies which was r scltool-teachers in ,^he town^came to me to be told what young mcii *tihey would be intended to marry. So I told 'em. Now honly a little while ago, a sbprt period as 'to»thne. I might say, two of these same indicated young, ladiess called on me again and,', told me tjiey was married and 'appy, and as that they.' had tooloup with the very indentical young gentlemen which as how l 'ad told them thjjy was meanb foi\ So there now, young man, you see what it is. 'And then there was others I told, and once not long ago at all I got a big wedding cake — part Of one leastlike — anda big tin of cream — so nice of her — f rom ayoung wumman in Porisonby whichhad got -married to the young man she was indicatedly meant for to" combine up with. Law me ! why, sometimes young ladies — — the most beautiful young ladies — comes to me crj'in', with .little children in their harms, and ha&ks me what their fate is, when their 'usbands has gone and deserted them to Sydney* or Australy or somewhere, and says howsh'e can have a good home it she will honly •go with hanother male person as would like her to come with 'im. So 1 tell to her, '-Young-wumman, young wumman, go back, tovyour- mar, go back to your ma,r ; if you, take up with the person which wants you ? you'll .be fated to go 'eadlong to 'ell.' Oh, yes, and she goes back, and she says afterwards I was right. Oh, yes, 1 get letters from people often which lias been me j with the results in the fate what I told 'em." •Just at this time ' the front door of the house was opened, ' and two well-dressed girls entered with smothered gigglings, and were taken to another, room. .- " Youngladies what have appointments with me to be told by the hand," said Madame Wine confidentially, and the reporter rose to take his leave. Shegentlyrcmindedhim, "Myteesare, hordinary gentlemen five sliillin's, ladiesfour to five shillin's accordin' to character," and feeling that he could hardly lay claim to be considered other than a mere-" hordinary gentleman," the visitor crossed the wi&e w Oman's palm with the necessary colonial "Roberts, slid gracefully down the slippery tront steps, up ditto at the gate, and sped away, filled with amazement that in this nineteenth century, with free education she •law of the land, there should be any class of persons so deficient in intelligence as to be'imposed upon • by such wretchedly poor twaddle as is retailed by this professed vendor of occult wares.