The Star Tribune of 2008 is appalled by the racially insensitive terms used by the Star Journal of 1940 to describe the two women in this story. Consider yourself warned.

WANTED: GYPSY TO ‘BLESS’ JAIL CELL

The gypsy who unfolded the fortune of a 28-year-old Negro woman here neglected to tell her the experience was going to cost her something over $200.

The woman told her story to police last night after the gypsy failed to return from an expedition in which she was to “bless” a rug, radio and clothing.

The gypsy came to her home July 27, she said, and offered to tell the woman’s fortune for a quarter. She would have none of it. But the gypsy woman kept on talking, letting drop certain facts about her intended victim’s life.

When she mentioned the victim had had marital difficulties, and she knew what to do about it, the woman agreed to a reading.

The gypsy told her, among other things, that two men were desperately in love with her, and advised her which one to accept.

Then she asked for money to bless. A quarter was tied in a silk handkerchief, “blessed” with a sprinkling of salt and considerable mumbo-jumbo, then suspended around the victim’s neck

THE NEXT DAY THE GYPSY RETURNED, LOOKED OVER THE QUARTER, FOUND THAT THE BLESSING WAS REALLY HOT STUFF AND SAID SHE HAD TO HAVE MORE MONEY TO BLESS.

The victim produced $13, which was tied up in like fashion and blessed in the same way, then suspended around her neck.

* * *

The gypsy returned again the following day, grunted again in satisfaction at the way the blessing project was working out, and said that for the business to be really efficacious, some larger, more valuable articles should be brought in for blessing.

* * *

The woman bought a $32.50 radio and a $150 oriental rug, both on time, and the gypsy woman examined them with satisfaction.

FOR SUCH FINE ARTICLES, SHE SAID, NO ORDINARY DOMESTIC JOB OF BLESSING WOULD DO.

They would have to be subjected to an extra special blessing project at a location where the gypsy woman hangs out (a detail which police today would like to know).

The victim helped the gypsy load the rug, radio and $14 worth of clothes into a taxicab to be taken away for some Grade A blessing operations.

When the gypsy failed to return the articles the next day, the seed of suspicion was sown. When she failed to return also the day afterward, it sprouted.

The victim untied the silk handkerchief with the $13 in it.

No $13.

There was only some old cloth and a sprinkling of salt.

* * *

Her loss amounted to $209.50, a large part of which she still must pay on the rug and radio.

Police are going to ask the gypsy woman, when they catch up with her, to bless a jail cell, a very intricate and long-drawn project.

Sometimes a fortune teller can’t get a word in edgewise. The woman having her palm read in this 1940 photo appears to be recounting her entire life story. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

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