Detective Fiction Weekly. Vol. 62, No. 2, October 3, 1931
- Автор: Энгланд Джордж Аллан, Philips Judson P.
- Год: 1931
- Язык: английский
- Год: The Red Star News Company
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Detective Fiction Weekly. Vol. 62, No. 2, October 3, 1931». Краткое содержание книги:
Ann gave him a three-hundred-dollar draft on her savings bank, and her bank book so the Atlantic City bank could arrange the transfer of the funds. And they had a glorious time.
Back in New York they picked out an ideal little apartment and furnished it on the installment plan. Things seemed to be moving along nicely. Ann blessed the Swami daily.
One evening after they had been married less than a month, Charlie told Ann he didn’t believe in a wife having money in her own name. He pointed out that it should be in their joint names, “so if either died, the other could draw.”
Ann agreed and gave Charlie her bank book to open the joint account.
Once or twice afterwards she mentioned money matters to Charlie, but he kissed her and told her “not to worry her pretty head about money.” Ann worried a little about this, as the collectors from the installment furniture house were calling to tell her that the last two installments were due, but when she mentioned the visits to Charlie, he flew in a rage and left the house.
He never returned!
Ann went to the firm where he was employed as a “cashier” and found that Charlie had been a shipping department clerk. She went to the bank to see about the “joint account,” and found Charlie had never opened one, and that he’d withdrawn all her balance in cash. She went to the office of the Swami with her story, saying she’d never have married unless he’d advised her. The Swami had even forgotten he’d ever talked to her. He wasn’t interested in her.
A child was to be born. Absolutely penniless, heartbroken, and unable to work now, she tried suicide by leaping from Spuyten Duyvil Bridge. The attempt failed. While recovering, Ann told her story to an attorney, who brought the story to the attention of the Society of American Magicians.
Mulholland investigated the Swami’s method of fortune telling. He gave the result to the proper authorities, and the Swami was arrested and fined. He left New York, but probably is back in his nefarious trade in some other city under some other name.
V
Let us learn from Mulholland how the Swami knew that Ann was a widow, that she was in love, and that she had come to him for aid in solving her problems. She had spoken not a word in his presence, or in front of his attendant; she had given no hint of her past.
Mulholland pointed out that all the Swami had to do was rely on his wits when Ann appeared, and he says almost all fortune tellers’ wits are exceedingly sharp.
“When Ann came in,” Mulholland explained, “her costume consisted of a dark dress, a hat of last year’s style, and new shoes. She wore a string of beads and a wedding ring, no other jewelry. From this, the soothsayer told her ‘fortune.’
“The wedding ring showed that she had been married. It was a better kind than the dress or hat she wore. The dress looked as though it was the type worn for ‘second mourning.’ He deduced she was probably a widow in reduced circumstances.
“Her shoes were of a brand widely advertised to help foot troubles; hence she was working at a position that kept her on her feet, obviously something she never had to do when her husband was alive. The beads looked like a gift, they were so new. Naturally he figured a gift of that type had come from a man.
“She would not have come to him if she had not been in doubt about something. What else could it be that worried her than the question, ‘Should I remarry?’ Figuring and partially correct in his surmise, that the widow did want to remarry, he told her to. Why not tell her what she wanted to hear, he reasoned.
“He had no interest in whether she did remarry or not, all he wanted was to tell her something that would convince her he was a marvel. It is in these ways of making deductions and giving advice that the fortune teller, intent on nothing but making money, is a menace to society.
“Even men carry marks of identification that give the seer a chance to make deductions and make statements that puzzle the smartest people.
“Men do not need to wear fraternal order buttons to furnish the fortune teller with clews. Their rings, watch chains, cut of their hair, clothes, shoes, even speech or mannerisms are sufficient to tell him a number of obvious things, which, when translated into his flowery and strange words, make it all seem very impressive. And on these reputations are built his fortune, for as his fame spreads so do his fees go up.”
VI
Helen Nolan was a rabid radio fan. She listened in every spare moment. She was in her early thirties, unmarried, a schoolteacher with much time to herself as she rarely went out, and lived in Los Angeles.
Early in 1930 she heard a certain astrologer give a talk on the radio about the stars and their positions. He invited the listeners to give the date of their births, and mail them to him for a “free reading.” Miss Nolan sent for everything offered on the air, whether it was baby food or literature on the latest automobile. She wrote the astrologer, giving her birthday.
A few days later she received a reply which was most vague, although it did give certain characteristics that Miss Nolan felt were hers. Inclosed with the letter from the astrologer was an offer to send a complete horoscope to her for one dollar. It would give a complete history of all those born on the same day, as well as a complete analysis of a character. As an added inducement, a dream book would be sent free, which would explain in detail anything that the reader ever dreamed.
Miss Nolan hastened to send the dollar. Within a short time the dream book and the horoscope came. Miss Nolan carefully studied it, and found that, according to the book, she was totally unfitted for teaching school. And even though she had been in the school system for thirteen years, because the horoscope told her that she was cut out to be an actress, she resigned her position within a month after receiving the book!
She registered at the casting office which supplies Hollywood motion picture studios as a “type,” and waited over four months before she was even called for a test. Elated at what she called her “success,” she made an appointment to see the astrologist personally. After paying a fee of one hundred dollars she was ushered into his presence.
After studying the signs of the Zodiac, and deliberating for some time, he asked her if she had any inclination to act. Miss Nolan earnestly assured him that she had. The stars were right and the seer began to outline her great future.
Although Miss Nolan did not hear from her screen test she kept going back faithfully to the astrologer for private readings. He continued to tell her that she would be successful, and to have patience.
Several months had passed from the time she had resigned her position as a teacher. The constant drain on her resources had practically beggared her, and the constant strain on her mentality had gradually broken down her health. The principal of her former school saw her on the street one day. Aghast at her apparent ill health, the principal stopped and questioned Miss Nolan.
She poured out the story of her attempt to become an actress and the part the astrologist had played. The principal immediately took action. He reported the case to the district attorney of Los Angeles County, but it brought no action, because astrologists asserted that their predictions are based on absolute science, quoting the fact that the United States Government employs astronomers and that “the work is similar” — a ridiculous claim.
The principal, however, took such an aggressive stand against the broadcasting station that the station banned the astrologer.
Miss Nolan left for the back hills of California, where she stayed several months recuperating. On her return to the city she started a campaign against all seers and soothsayers which proved most successful.