Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-07-04
Aa Evening at "a London Fawm-
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HOuSS, WHICH, CTOdtCu COuSIueThDl6 lnI6reSI
in England at the time of its appearance
has published In the February number OF
London Society an account of a Saturday
evening passed by him in the shop of a
London pawnbroker. This description is
full of mOurnfUl interest, as our mind
Wanders from the actual scene and follows
the retiring guests to their homes of misery
and vice. " 1t Is corner house, and the
shop, which faces the high street is an in
nocent jewelers. shop, and nothing more.
There are neatly written cards in the win
dow, variously inscribed, 'jewelry re-
paired, 'watch-glasses fitted ladies ears
piered,' ect.; SO that even though one
should happen to be seen entering Mr.
Gawler's shop-nay, even though an in
quisitive brute should be mean enough to
spy from outside, and see one hand his
Dent to Mr. Gawler, and receive in ex.
change for it neatly folded bit of pas! e.
board-the evidence of the paWning would
be anything but complete; watch-glasses
will come to grief, and watch works need
repair, and it is the commonest thing in
the worl,' for the matchmaker to give the
owner memorandum, as security for his
property" But it is not on watch and
trinket pawners that Mr. GaWler relies
for his business. Cup the street, by the
side Of the innocent looking jewelry shop
"a longish way up the streets mean
looking doorway that might be the en-
trance to back yard. That it is something
more than this, however, may be at once
perceived by the stone threshold worn
through to the bricks beneath, and the
door post, paint rubbed and grimy of elbow
grease This is the poor pawners' entrance
On Saturday night, when the laborers re-
ceive their pay for the weeks work, this
shop becomes scene of unusual activity
Many of the articles pawned during the
week are redeemed, to be again paWned
when the earnings of the week shall have
been expended. In long line of little
boxes the applicants stand concealed from
view, save their hands, which are thrust
through small apertures to deliver the tick
cts and receive the goods. 1t was an odd
sight to see this long row of grimy fists
and tattered gown and jacket and coat
cuffs all poked toward the shopman and
reckoning him coaxingly. Beginning at
box number one David began the collec-
with both his hands, and hand over hand"
as one may say, with dexterity only to
be acquired by constant practice, crying
while. By the time he had perambu
lated the length of the shop, and called
at all the boxes he had gathered as
many tickets as his fists could hold and at
once turned to back counter where stood
John (the other shopman). The tickets
were then sorted and the heavier articles
brought from the cellar, the lighter from
the garnet, and, 1eWe1ry from the strong
room, and delivered to the applicants as
speedily as possible. Redemption was the
order of the evening; still there were nu-
merous cases in which it was necessary to
barter rather than by ready money pay
ments. AS, for instance, Mrs. Brown, be-
ing a laundress, has found it necessary to
pawn the table-linen belonging to one of
her customers, and not having money at
her command to redeem the same, she feels
it convenient to put away the shirts of
another customer, and thus make matters
square. On Monday she will redeem the
shirts of customer number two by pawning
the sheets Of customer number three. Or,
again, as, for instance, the Browns are
are asked by The Greens to come and have
a bit of dinner tomorrow, and have ac-
cepted the lnvltation, but Brown has made
a bad week has not earned enough, indeed,
to get out his Sunday coat and the chill
dren's frocks. Brown is man who doesn't
like to look little He won't want his
clothes till Monday, and as they
will be from home they won't miss the
hearth-rug. Again, there are exceptions
to the rule altogether. Saturday night is
q ticklish time for poor mother. No work
this week-last Week-the week before
Not single penny No dinner tomorrow
no dinner on a Sunday! Mother does
not care. Father does not care-much;
but the children 1t is all very well to
rub along all the week with bread and
5reacle for the midday meal, or, at pinch,
with nothing between breakfast and an
early tea but it is difficult on Sundays.
has dinner on Sunday even in
Whitecross street alley; the atmosphere is
hazy with the steam of bakings,' and by 2
o'clock YOU won't find little pinafore that
IS not dinner stained. Its of no use,' says
Door mother, a bit of hot DINNER must be
got somehoao' So she waits till dusk and
hen, slipshod in old slippers, carries her
;ound shoes to Mr.. Gawler's and places
hem on the counter. Still, in fiocked the
until there was no more door
lamming, for the boxes were crammed and
trimming over into the passage, and the
lumber of ticket grasplng fists that threat
med over the counter was enough to appal
my but such tried veterans as Uncle Cav
er and his crew. Then the uproar Small
voiced women, of the better sort, begging
nd entreating of David to take their
ickets, at the same time pouring into his
dler ears the various domestic business ON |
which their need of haste was based. Shrill- |
DICED women of the worser sort, dirty |
aced, baby bearing, in-hiccuppy slatterns,
pushing, driving their elbows
nto other peoples eyes, and trampling on
heir feet y