Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-07-21
A Pawn-Broker'S Incident.

II 4 NV III III UhOl - IItluOut.
A. a pawn-broker in a populous sub
arb of London, 1 have had occasion 10
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, i
shall describe a little incident and its
consequences. One evening | stepped
~ the door for a little fresh air, and to
look about me for moment. While |
WAS gain. up and down the road, saw
i tidily-dreSScd young person step up 10
our Side-door. She walked like lady
aud let me tell you that in nine eases out
of ten it's the walk. aud the dress, which
distinguishes the lady from the servant
@irl-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 counter, hold
ing ont a glittering seal in little trem-
bling hand covered with worn kid
glove.
Ny assistant, ISaacs, was stepping for
ward To take the seal, when / came in
aud interposed. The poor young thing
was so nervous and shy, and altogether
- unused to this work, that L felt for
her aS if she had been my own daughter
almost. She couldn't have been more
than eighteen wears Old; too frail and
gentle a creature.
''If You please, will You tell me- she
said timidly, in a very sweet, low voice,
trembling with nervousness, ''what is
the value of this SCALP
"Well. Miss" taking the seal into my
hand and looking at tit was an old
fashioned seal, such a. country gentle
man used to wear, with a coat-of-arms
cut upon it-''that depends upon whether
you want to pledge it, or to sell it out
right"
Il am married, sin" and she said the
words proudly, and with dignity, though
still 50 shy and seeming ready to burst
out crying; land my husband is very
ll-and-and-"
And then the tears wouldn't be kept
back any longer, and she sobbed as if
her poor little heart would break.
"1'here. there, my dear, ,, said to her; {;
don't cry; it will all come right in time; !"
and tried to comfort her "a well as
could in INV own rough and ready way.
81 will lend you a'am," | said to her
at last, sovereign upon this seal; and
Al hpll W l-b lo ~t-tl IT, l''-i tiistN
able To sell it for you 10 advantage"
And 50 | gave her 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 OF
business very eccentric gentleman,
who had called upon us pretty often be-
fore, not for the sake of pawning any
thing, though he WAS generally dressed
shabby enough, TOO. But he was a col
l,.c,or, one of those men who are mad
upon old china and curiosities of all
sorts.
Anything in my way to-day, Mr..
Davis?'' he said, in his quick energetic
manner, with jolly smile upon his
face, and putting down the cigarette he
was smoking upon the edge of the
counter.
The Rev Mr.. Broadman is collector
of gems and rings and seals, and in fact
of any stones that have heads or figures
engraved upon them, and L had been in
the habit of putting aside for him what
ever in this way passed through our
hands, for he gave Us a better price than
we should get for them at the Quarterly
sales.
'erhe fact is, Davis he used to say to
me. ..these things are invaluable. Many
at them are as beautiful, on a small
scale. as the old Greek sculptures, and
some of them even by the same artists,
and they are made no longer, You see,
for i'm this busy nineteenth century of
ours time and brains are too precious TO
Dr. spent on these laborious tritles-
Now. although L had no stones of the
kind he wanted just then, il enteredinto
mv head that | would tell him about the
seal which had come into my possession
the evening before.
told him the story somewhat aS |
have Just told il to you. He listened
attentivelv To all | said. When | had
done, he looked at the seal, and said:
Il observe that it has the heraldic
emblem of a baronet."
He then congratulated me upon the
WAY in which | had acted. He asked,
too for this Young lady's address, which
She had given me quite correct, and then
lac left the shop without another word.
You must give me leave TO tell the rest
al the story in my own way, although II
Iuay be a very different way from that
which the reverend parsonage employed
iH relating it TO me afterward-
Ii seemed that it was runaway
match. A country baronet's son who
had fallen in love with the clergyman's
daughter in the village where his father
lived, and they had run away together,
aud got married. Then they came up
To London, these two poor young things,
FOR neither his father nor hers either,
for the matter of that, would have any
thing TO say to the match-he full of
hopes of getting on i'm the literary and
artistic line; and she, poor creature,
full of trust in him.
The project of living by literature did
not turn out what was expected. The
young fellow, without experience or
friends, spent much time going about