The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-06-19
geIette0 Storn.
How Nellie Was PaWned.


How Nellie Was PaWned.
1 don't share in the popular dis
like and contempt for pawnbrokers.
1 look upon the pawnbroker as a
most useful institution. He charges
a high rate of interest, to be sure;
but then look at the pettiness of the
sums he will lend He IS accommo-
dating, l may say universal, in his
charities. Nothing comes amiss to
him. He will disburse on the secu-
rity of a ring worth a thousand dol
lass, or pair of boots worth a dol
lar and a half. Nothing is too small
for him, but no matter how valuable
the article is, he cannot be induced
to lend above certain sum upon it.
This is simply his caution. The ar
ticle may be stolen, or come by in
some improper manner, when, Of
course, he would have to give it up.
He simply protects himself.
But my story.
There is a certain side street run
ming across Broadway, which 1 viii,
with your permission, call Chicory
street. Chicory street is not its
name, but as l am about to relate
some private matters connected with
it, it would not be either delicate or
iudicious if / were to be geooraphi=
cally correct.
In Chicory street resides a gentle
man named Lazarus Levi, Esq,
whose spacious, old fashioned house
is the repository of various articles
Of property belonging to numberless
enlightened but distinguished citi-
zens of the United States. The low
er story is fitted with glass front,
and articles exposed to view in the
windows are but dimly seen. There
are flutes with tar1ished keys that
have been silent for years. The
dust lies thick on each, for the lips
that blew them have been shrunk
into. mere skin long ago, and the
agile fingers that ran over the holes
are now loose bones, that lie here
and there, never to hang together on
earth again.
You can see all sorts of things in
Mr.. Lewis window. California dia-
monds, very rare baDjos, relics of
disappointed minstrels; guns, silver
tea-pots, now black and discolored,
limiting at terrible domestic distress
es in some poor fellows home, and
making you see the thin wife steal
ing out at night to raise money on
valuables to feed the children.
Mr.. Levi is my friend. / have
occasionally mercantile transactions
with him, for I am a literary man
and it often happens that find my
self the slave of a sudden necessity
for five dollars. On these occasions
l travel around my room as NJ. KAY
ier de Moistre may be supposed to
have done in search of some appro-
Ipriate token of esteem, which l may
/ convey to Mr.. Lew, in order to in
L duce him to advance the required
sum. In this choice it is necessary
to exercise discrimination. For in
stance, ] know it will never do to
present my stamped velvet waistcoat
three times running. And that if ]
were to take my little French clock
to Mr.. Levi too frequently the arti-
Gle would pale upon him and my
credit be impaired. Variety is nee
essary to persons of Mr.. Lewis pO
sition. Continual partridge destroys
their appetite. They are epicures
and must be fed with novelties.
Accordingly one day, having neeC
of the traditional five dollars to NEE
the expenses of a forthcoming liter
ary soiree at my rooms, l after som
] deliberation, determined to take my
Indian chess board to Mr.. Levi, IS
token of my affection, and work hi
feelings so far as to induce him t
present me with the longed for '
The chess board was ivory inlalC
The men were delightfully."- orienta
being carved all over, even to tn
: tips of their noses, and, altogether
l had great faith in the article, as
had never before been under Nj
. Lewis charge.
waited until evening. It was
lovely evening for pawning. A thic
fog, damp and threatening rain, hun
over the streets, SO that there wei
but few passengers aboard. Chicor
street was almost deserted.
/ rang at Mr.. Lewis door. Itwa
. a privilege I had earned, both by tt
consistency Of my friendship an
the usually valuable nature of N
presents. A delightful Hebrew ser
ant girl, with a nose massive as 9
Egyptian architecture, opened 4
\ door, and admitted me to Mr.. Levi
privc re parlor. In a few momen
That esGimable gentleman entered.
"Ah! Mister Papillotte," he sal
holding out his hand, show do W
do2 Come again, Ell? Well, VIII
is it this EVENING""
= "a little matter l want you to 9
a range for me-" replied, unrOllil
my silk handkerchieffrom the ches
board. 81 want five dollars on th
for a few days."
"Hum! On my word, Mr.. Pap
! I lotte, am sorry to see such a &c
- tleman like you coming here so 0
en-. It's really to bad!r'
Levi, as l have said before, to
an interest in me, and sometim
talked to me ike father.
"My good Levi" answers
laughing, Adon't take any serio
trouble on my account. I'm
right. You know the best Of us '
get into difficulties occasionally.
.ts the way, would you like to go to