She is a Fortune-Teller, an Astrologer, a profession which was quite developed in the old times - it still is! - and the idea was of course to do anything, just to get some money out of these suckers.
She uses this long cane to transmit her message - and make it more magic? - talking about planets and stuff. Nothing so really different of how it works nowadays.
The Fortune Teller usually ends up her predictions with a sort of disclaimer:
"Gl'Astri il mirar non dà cosa sicura:
Evidenza non ha, chi congettura."
"Looking at the Planets
doesn't give a sure result:
There is no proof, only speculation."
