Free Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke Page B

about a person through touching their hands, for example, their state of health, how nervous they are, how much physical activity they engage in. The discussion that precedes the casting of a person's horoscope, plus the person's reaction to the predictions, tells me a great deal. From that knowledge, I can do a better job of giving them advice, whether it is over a personal matter or a financial one."
    "But if you don't believe in these things, why do you do it at all?” said Nate. “Dressing up that way, it seems so demeaning. Why not just ask people what you want to know and then give the advice? If you are half as good as your father supposedly was, wouldn’t people be knocking down your doors without all the fakery?"
    "Because, Mr. Dawson, people, men in particular, would rather trust their lives to the stars than to the advice of a woman.”
    She knew she sounded harsh, but he had probed an unhealed wound. "Don't you think I tried a different way? When I came to San Francisco, I wrote to several brokers on Montgomery Street, men who knew my father, asking for any sort of position. I would have been glad to start out as a clerk, work for free, anything to prove myself. Do you really think that one of them would take me seriously? Would you have?"
    Annie saw Nate wince at the anger in her voice. But if he were honest, he would admit she was right. She went on as Nate stood staring at his feet. "I thought not. Well, finally I met Mr. Stein. He was one of my uncle's oldest friends, and he also knew my father. First, he and his wife moved into my boarding house, which of course was of great help. Then, when it became obvious that I needed some additional source of income, he supported my decision to set up as a clairvoyant. There are already several mediums in town who specialize in business predictions, so he knew a market existed."
    Nate shook his head slowly from side to side, wide-eyed, looking for an instant quite like his uncle. "I still can’t understand why you would agree to take up such a strange occupation!"
    They again moved forward, crossing over to O'Farrell to walk up towards Annie's home. As they reached the sidewalk, Annie replied, "You see, I had done something similar before in New York. After my husband died, I was dependent on his family for support, passed round from branch to branch until I finally found a more permanent place with one of my husband's aunts. She is a kind person but much addicted to spiritualism. So to please her, I began to conduct séances for her and her friends at home. It seemed preferable to letting her get into the clutches of some of the unscrupulous mediums in the city. She developed a great faith in my nonexistent powers and appeared to have a wonderful time. I, in turn, found I had a talent at giving all sorts of advice and that people would take that advice more readily if I pretended it came from some supernatural source."
    "But why the odd get-up? I mean, do all clairvoyants look that way?"
    "No," she replied, "but I found that if I looked slightly exotic it seemed to reassure people, kept them from thinking about who I really was. Anyway, I think that from the time I was a child I have always enjoyed dressing up and playing a part."
    Annie slowed her steps. Playing a part, she mused. Perhaps that was the answer to the problem of getting to know the people in Matthew's family better. Annie turned to Nate and said, "Mr. Dawson, you said that there was only one servant in the Voss household the night he died. How could that be? They must have more servants than that?"
    His confusion at the shift in topic showing plainly in his voice, Nate said, "Yes, of course they do. I believe the servant who was in the house the night that Mr. Voss died was Mrs. Voss’s personal lady’s maid. There is also an old Chinese male servant, Wong, who doesn't live in, and a young parlor maid, Nellie, who was also away, since it was her night out. Evidently, this Nellie has already given