Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-24
A PAWNBROKER'S STORY.

AS paWnbroker in a populOus suburb
OF London | have had occasion to see
painful and sometimes not unpleasing
phases OF society. Just to give an idea
OF what occasionally comes under the
notice Of persons in my profession, |
shall describe little incident and it's
consequences. One evening | stepped
to the door for little fresh air and to
look about me for a moment. While
was gazing up and down the road I sd Y
tldlly-dressed young person step up to
our side door. She walked like lady
and let me tell you that in nine cases out
OF ten it's the walk and not the dress
which distinguishes the lady from the
servant girl-and first she looked about,
and then she seemed to make up her
mind IN Hurried sort of way, and in a
moment more was standing at our coun-
ter, holding out Il glittering something in
little, trembling hand covered with a
worn kid glove.
My assistant, Isaacs, was stepping for
ward to take the SEAL when / came in
and interposed. The poor young thing
was so nervous and shy and altogether so
unused to This work that I felt for her as
if she had been my own daughter al
most. She couldn't have been above
eighteen years old; too frail and gentle
a creature.
eff you please, will you tell me-" she
said timidly, in very sweet, low voice,
trembling with nervousness, "what is
the value of this seal?"
"Well, MISS" l said, taking the seal
into my hand and looking at tit was
an oldfashIoned seal, such as country
gentlemen used to wear, with coat-of-
arms cut upon it" that depends upon
whether you want to pledge it or to sell
it outright"
{" | am married. sir" and she said the
words proudly, and with dignity, though
still SO shy, and seeming ready to burst
out crying; and my husband is very
Il-and-and-"
And then the tears wouldn't be kept
back any longer, and she sobbed as il
her poor little heart would break
There, there, my dear" SAID to her
"don't cry; it will all come right in
time" and l tried to comfort her as well
as l could in my own rough-and-ready
way. q will lend you, ma'am," | said
to her at last; "a sovereign upon this
seal; and if you wish to sell it, perhaps
I may be able to sell it for you to adj
vantage"
And so gave her a pound; it was
more than the thing was worth as a
pledge, and she tripped away with a
lighter heart, and many thanks to me
and | thought no more of the matter at
the time
The very next day, the day before
Christmas, there came into our place o
business a very eccentric gentleman, whC
had called upon us pretty often before
not for the sake of pawning anything
though he was generally dressed shabb.
enough, too. But he was collector, on
of those men who are mad upon OLE
china ana curiosities of all sorts.
Anything in my way, to-day, Mr.
Davis?" he said, in his quick, energeti
manner, with a jolly smile upon his face
and putting down the cigarette he wa
smoking upon the edge of the counter.
The Rev. Mr.. Broadman is collecto
of gems and rings and seals, and in fac
of any stones that have heads or figure
engraved upon them, and l had been i
the habit of putting aside for him what
ever in this way passed through on
hands, for he gave US better price tina
we should have got for them at the quar-
terry sales.
"The fact is, Davis, he used to say t
me, ''tnese things are invaluable. Man
of them are as beautiful, on a sma
scale. as the old Greek sculptures, an
some of them even by the same artists
and they are made no longer, you Sc
Tor in this busy nineteenth century {
ours time and brains are too precious
be spent on these laborious tritles."
Now, although l had no stones OF ii