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The witches of New York
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This is an OCR edition with typos.
Excerpt from book:
CHAPTER III. Wherein are related divers strange things of Madame Bruce, the " Mysterious Veiled Lady," of No. 513 Broome Street. CHAPTER III. MADAME BRUCE, "THE MYSTERIOUS VEILED LADY," NO. 513 BROOME STREET. The woman who assumes the title of " The Mysterious Veiled Lady," is much younger in the Black Art trade than Madame Prewster, and has only been publicly known as a " Fortune-Teller" for about six years. The mysterious veil is assumed partly for the very mystery's sake, and partly to hide a countenance which some of her visitors might desire to identify on after occasions. She confines herself more exclusively to telling fortunes than do many of the others, and has never yet made her appearance in a Police Court to answer to an accusation of a grave crime. She has many customers, and might have a respectable account at the bank if she were disposed to commither moneys to the care of those careful institutions. It may he mentioned here, however, as a curious fact, that although all the " witches " profess to be able to "tell lucky numbers," and will at any time give a paying customer the exact figures which they are willing to prophesy will draw the capital prize in any given lottery, their skill invariably fails them when they undertake to do anything in the wheel-of-for- tune way on their own individual behalf. No one of the professional fortune-tellers was ever known to draw a rich prize in a lottery, or to make a particularly lucky " hit" on a policy number, notwithstanding the fact that most of them make large investments in those uncertain financial speculations. Madame Bruce is no exception to this general rule, and the propinquity of the " lottery agency " and the " policy- shop," just round the corner, must be accepted in explanation of the fact t...
This is an OCR edition with typos.
Excerpt from book:
CHAPTER III. Wherein are related divers strange things of Madame Bruce, the " Mysterious Veiled Lady," of No. 513 Broome Street. CHAPTER III. MADAME BRUCE, "THE MYSTERIOUS VEILED LADY," NO. 513 BROOME STREET. The woman who assumes the title of " The Mysterious Veiled Lady," is much younger in the Black Art trade than Madame Prewster, and has only been publicly known as a " Fortune-Teller" for about six years. The mysterious veil is assumed partly for the very mystery's sake, and partly to hide a countenance which some of her visitors might desire to identify on after occasions. She confines herself more exclusively to telling fortunes than do many of the others, and has never yet made her appearance in a Police Court to answer to an accusation of a grave crime. She has many customers, and might have a respectable account at the bank if she were disposed to commither moneys to the care of those careful institutions. It may he mentioned here, however, as a curious fact, that although all the " witches " profess to be able to "tell lucky numbers," and will at any time give a paying customer the exact figures which they are willing to prophesy will draw the capital prize in any given lottery, their skill invariably fails them when they undertake to do anything in the wheel-of-for- tune way on their own individual behalf. No one of the professional fortune-tellers was ever known to draw a rich prize in a lottery, or to make a particularly lucky " hit" on a policy number, notwithstanding the fact that most of them make large investments in those uncertain financial speculations. Madame Bruce is no exception to this general rule, and the propinquity of the " lottery agency " and the " policy- shop," just round the corner, must be accepted in explanation of the fact t...
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1859
About the author
Q.K. Philander Doesticks
21 books5 followersMortimer Q. Thomson was an American journalist and humorist who wrote under the pseudonym Q. K. Philander Doesticks. He was born in Riga, New York and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Michigan University in Ann Arbor, but was expelled along with several others either for his involvement in secret societies or for "too much enterprise in securing subjects for the dissecting room." After a brief period working in theater, he became a journalist and lecturer.
For his published writings he used the pen name "Q.K. Philander Doesticks, P.B.", a pseudonym he had first used in university (the full version is "Queer Kritter Philander Doesticks, Perfect Brick"). A collection published in 1855, Doesticks What He Says, reprinted many of his pieces. In 1856 he wrote Plu-Ri-Bus-Tah, a parody of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha.
As a correspondent for the New York Tribune he wrote a report on the Pierce Butler slave sale in Savannah, Georgia in 1859 that was subsequently published as a tract by the American Anti-slavery Society and translated into several languages.
Thomson died in New York City on June 25, 1875. In 1888, when his short piece, "A New Patent Medicine Operation", was anthologized in Mark Twain's Library of Humor, an introductory paragraph described Thomson as a figure whose "dashing and extravagant drolleries" had quickly passed from fashion.
For his published writings he used the pen name "Q.K. Philander Doesticks, P.B.", a pseudonym he had first used in university (the full version is "Queer Kritter Philander Doesticks, Perfect Brick"). A collection published in 1855, Doesticks What He Says, reprinted many of his pieces. In 1856 he wrote Plu-Ri-Bus-Tah, a parody of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha.
As a correspondent for the New York Tribune he wrote a report on the Pierce Butler slave sale in Savannah, Georgia in 1859 that was subsequently published as a tract by the American Anti-slavery Society and translated into several languages.
Thomson died in New York City on June 25, 1875. In 1888, when his short piece, "A New Patent Medicine Operation", was anthologized in Mark Twain's Library of Humor, an introductory paragraph described Thomson as a figure whose "dashing and extravagant drolleries" had quickly passed from fashion.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 5, 2020
This book is stupid.
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July 25, 2019Learned about this book in a fantastic lecture by Mary Carter, tour guide and lecturer with BOROUGHS OF THE DEAD in NY... I had to have it, and I was so lucky to find a modern printing for 7 dollars... original copies go for much much more...
However despite the fact I enjoyed so much the description of the apartments and the geography of New York in 1858, I had underestimated the hate Q.K. Philander Doesticks has for the women he describes... It is almost unbearable... It oozes between the lines... It made me sick physically... I tried to reason myself that he was not raping, killing or cutting to pieces the women, I still felt nauseated by his superiority and meanness
I had to read this book in small increments!
However despite the fact I enjoyed so much the description of the apartments and the geography of New York in 1858, I had underestimated the hate Q.K. Philander Doesticks has for the women he describes... It is almost unbearable... It oozes between the lines... It made me sick physically... I tried to reason myself that he was not raping, killing or cutting to pieces the women, I still felt nauseated by his superiority and meanness
I had to read this book in small increments!
June 23, 2021
Interesting topic however, the author was far too self-indulgent and self-righteous. Reading this was like walking through knee deep mud. I wanted the information he was presenting so I kept reading but I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing with exasperation as the author continuously described person after person with disparaging and offensive commentary. The irascible man is insufferable and yet his documentation of this time in New York history is fascinating.
June 8, 2023
Frustrating. The topic: wildly interesting, 100% recommended. The author's voice: unbearable. Conceited, holier-than-thou, self-righteous, and all too happy to make fun of people living in abject poverty.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews