The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-14
BozENAN, TERRITORY III uRsDAY MARCH n 1s72

'OZEM. AN MONTAN
The Pawnbrokers, shops-rIiser,
VI End Extortion.
a week or two sinee had occasion ID yis
several pawnbrokers' establisfme u In tl,j
city TO redeem some articles pledged by
friend who had once seen better days. Il
a brief mention Of my experience may b
4 Instructive as well as entertaining. The ID
deinption Of my friends tools tlle was q me
Eciianic) was accomplished after no it'll
trouble IN visiting the principal estabIi bIishnsent
+ polng business under the sign Of the s.'Thre
Golden Balls, = in q certain street, and re
Edeeming qne Of two articles here, anothei
Il there, and third or fourth somewhere else
Il had been told Of the system OF uniyersa
cheating which the proprietsrs 81 these place. i,
lpfactice, and the enormous exactions made ii
grinding the faces a the poor. had heard
Edescribed their dexterity in the substitution
of coloreda glasses and crystals TOR gerns
i while pretending to examine articles brought
I for pledges, and was prepared to encounter
all that was sinister and heartless. ~. TIL
half had not been told me, and II soon found
! that my previous conceptions fell far short
Of the reality. was detained at each place
which had occasion TO yisitby the delays in
finding the articles 4 was I'M search Of. and
for which the holders doubtless thouaht no
Inquiries would be made. The press Of husi-
iacss at all Of the shops was another cause Of
delay. As recovered my trends articles
one by one. it appeared that the most out
| rageous system Of extortion had been prac-
ticed IN every instance. The sums advanced
had been pitiful in amount, and the rates of
interest charged exorbitant beyond belief.
At every one Of the dsns crowd OF victims
was collected-a motley company, indeed;
blacklegs and would be gentlemen the
cheater and the chea ed; the widow parting
Wish her disposabse article OF dress to pro-
cure one more meal for her furnishing chill
dren; con umptise girl with the hectic
flush upon her cheek. The grasping miser-
sometimes a womall--read the condition of
the sufferers from their countenances with
cool calculation. The pickpocket, the thief.
aud the purloining servant were. received
with equal readiness, and the spoils were di-
vided with the fullest understanding that no
questions were to be asked. *{3s.s
$50 AT. ME- UScLEs.',' a 85x 81.
had scarcely made my business known at
the first OF .smy uncle's,, establishments,
No. ---- street. TO which I had been directed,
when = middle-aged man entered with a bum
die OH which he asked small ADVANCE, and
which on beins opened was found to con ain
a shawl and Two or three other articles OF te-
male APPAREL. The man was stout and
sturdy, and. rs judged from his appearance. !
q mechanic. but the mark Of the DESTROYER
was upon his bloated countenance. The
pawnbroker was examining the offered
pledge when a woman. with pale face and at /
form. came hastily into the shop, I
and with the single exclamation, 10 Robert" I
darted rather than ran. to- that part of the /
counter where the man was standing. Her
husband, not satisfied with wasting
his own earnings, and leaving her to starye
with her children, bad plundered even her
,canty wardrobe. and the pittance received
vas to be sqtlandered at the run shop. A +
blush of shame arose even upon his degraded I
ace, but it quickly passed away; the brutal
appetite prevailed.
''Go home, !, was his harsh exclamation;
what brings you here, running after me with
our everlasting scoldings Go home and
mind your own business
ssOh, Robert, dear Robert, answered the
Unhappy wife, ~don't pawn my shawl. Our
hildren are crying for bread, and have none
0 give them; or let me have he money:
Hive h11e the money, Robert, and don't leave
IS to perish =
watched the face Of the pawnbroker.
Twelve shillings OH these things he said,
Dssing them back to the drunkard with a
ook Of indifference. Fl
.Only twelve shillingsr' murmured the
eart-broken wife, in tone of despair; 20
.obert, don't let them go for twelve shil- ,
ngs. Let me try somewhere else. - It
!" "Nonsensense,' answered the brute, sits
5 much as they are worth. Here Mr.. --,
i've as the change The money was placed
efore him, and the bundle consigned to q
rawer.s The poor creature reached forth her
and towards the money. but the movement
rs, anticipated by her husband. ..There,
Iary,v he said, giving her half q dollar, !.
there. 20 home now, and don't make fuss.
"a going q little way mp the straet, and per- !.
aps I'll bring you something from market !
hensI come home.', f
The hopeless look of the poor woman, as
le meekly turned to the door, told plainly !; !.
4-.,1tx II &l< y