The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-03-02
All Evening at Il London Pawn
brokers'.


The author of 4 Night IN Il Vorkhouse
which created considerable interest in Eng
land at the time Of its appearance, has pub
lishcd in the February number of London
Society an account Of q Saturday evening
passed by him in the shop of London
pawnbroker. This description is full OF
mournful interest, as our mind wandcrs from
the actual scene and follows the retiring
| guests to their homes of misery and vice.
! SIT is corner house, and the shop, which
faces the High street, is an innocent jewel
lcrs shop. and nothing more. There are
| neatly written cards in the window, various.
! " inscribed, 'jcwclry repaired, watch
! glasses fitted, ladies ears pierced, etc;
50 that even though one should happen to
be seen entering Mr.. Gawlcr's Shop-nay,
even though an inqusitivc brute should be
mean enough to spy from outside, and sec
| one hand his Dent to Mr.. Gawler, and re.
cevc in exchange for it Il neatly folded bit
! of pasteboard, the evidence OF the pawning
would be anything but complete; watch
! glasses will come 10 grief. and watch works
need repair. aud it is the commoncst thing
! in the world for the matchmaker to give the
owner a memorandum. as security for his
property.
But it is not ON watch and trinkct pawn
ers that Mr.. Gawler relics for his business.
81 u the street by the side of the innocent.
looking jewellers shop--a longish way up
the streets NEAL looking doorway. that
might be the entrance to a back yard. That
tits something more than this, how.vc may
be at once perceived by the stone threshold
worn through to the bricks beneath, and the
doop,0St pant.rubbcd and grimy of elbow
grease. This is the poor pawner' entrance. "
On Saturday night, when the Iahorers re.
ccive their pay for the weeks work, this
shop becomes the scene Of unusual activity,
Many of the articles pawncd during the wccl,
arc redeemed, to be again pawned when the
earnings of the week shall have been ex.
pended In long line of little hoxes the
! applicants stand concealed from view. save
their hands which are thrust through small
apcrturcs to deliver the tickets and receive
the goods.
= 1t WIS an odd sight to ser this long row
Of grimy fists and tattcrcd gown and jacket
and coat.cun's all poking toward tho shop.
man and bcckoning him coaxingy. Begin
ming at box number one David began the
collection of the little squares of pastcboard
with both his hands, and hand. baud,
as one may say, with u dcxtcrity ouly TO be
acquired by constant practice, crying Out
Tickets tickets tickets all the while
BY the time he had pcrambulatcd the lcugtl
Of the shop and called at all the boxes he
had gathered as many tickets as his fists
could hold, and at once turned 10 back
counter where stood john tthe other shop
man.
The tickets were then sorted aud the heay
Tor articles brought from the cellar, the light
er from the garrett, and icwelry from The
strong room, and delivered 10 the applicant:
as speedily as possible.
Redemption was the order Of the even
ing; still, there were nUmcrous cases If
which it was necessary rather by way Of bar
for ,h,p hv rc,Lv.m,,o,. noymcnt< As
c,r ;,s,,r.n Mr. nro,., Lc;,% loun.lro. :
has c,und !, necessary to pawn the table
,;,o,, Lo,o,o;no ;, an. NJ hor cnsioncr.
and ma, boyino Nancy ut her command +,
nodoo,, ,ho .,mn she feel. il c,,vcnieni +,
nut away the shirts of another customer
and ,bus make matter, sanore. On Monda,
,l,o will, rodccm ,ho shirts Of customer num
hor t,yo NV n,wnino the sheets of custome
number three. Or. AGAIN. AZ for instance
tho Browns are asked ly the Greens to com
and b,vc hit Of dinner to.morr,w an,
hovo oocc,toJ ,ho ;nvi,o,;,, hut Erow,
h,. ,e5o had wecL. has NOT oorno,
o,o,.h indeed to sect ont, his Snndo
! am, o,l ,l,o nh;la.o,., rro,k. n,ov, :,
,,a., ,.ho 1,osr.t lilo $40 1ooL li,,lo, II
l,;.wa,,,;,o ,I,,h,s ,;u No,dor
and 49, ,bav will he from, homo. thov won
r,;,, ,ho Lo,rtb.rn Ar,;, thcrr ara ox
ccn,;ors ia tbc rulc Altogether Saturda
,;',,, t;.LI;sh far noor mo,bor Va vor
l. ,l;s woc,,-,ost week tho week hocoro :
Not s;,o,c nc,,v. \, dinner to.morro,
d;onor ., , sy,Jov, Matthew 1o,
80 o,,o r,t,or doos ,ot ,,,o,,oh i,
u a., o,,11n, !, :, all ,or,, ,rol, ., s.,
Il Man., oil n,n wool. with hroaJ and ,ro,ol