And the purchaser of any one of
these trinkets had only to persuade the object of his (or her)
affection to wear it, and his (or her) love would at once be
reciprocated.
Had the magnes microcosmi been charged with real, deep-rooted love,
the effect on the wearer would have been highly satisfactory, but
charged as it was with the effervescent and fleeting fancy of a flirt,
the effect on whoever wore it could not be more disastrous. The
sentiments of the hopeful purchaser would be reciprocated for a time,
which would probably lead to marriage--after which the affection his
adored had professed would suddenly decrease, and before the honeymoon
was over, would have vanished altogether.
During the week following the announcement of the sale of these
spells, over a thousand were sold, the applicants being mostly shop
girls, typists, clerks and servants; in the second week the sales rose
to three thousand, and every succeeding week showed a still greater
increase.
In charging the magnes microcosmi, the motive of the purchaser had
always to be taken into account. If the love charm were wanted by a
woman--a housekeeper may be, who desired some rich old man to fall in
love with her, in order that she might come into his property; or by a
woman--a companion probably--who, having wormed herself into the
confidence of some eccentric old lady, was anxious that that lady
should leave her all her money--Hamar took care that the magnes
microcosmi should be charged with a lasting infatuation; and the sale
of this love spell--the spell that was sought solely that the
purchaser might inherit property to which he (or she) had no
claim--far exceeded the sale of any other spell.
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