Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-25
Our New York Letter.

NAAS hNhth bA AutbhiD luht VI bAh "
Simpson calls the momentary attention of all
New York to the immense pawnbroking bus
mess which is carried on within her boundar-
les, and of which the dead man was the most
venerable and honored representative. Mr.
Simpson was an Englishman, but came here
when quite young, and at once entered the
employ of Walter Stevenson, his uncle, who
was the founder of this peculiar business in
America. On the death of the latter, young
Simpson inherited the business, which grew
rapidly and steadily with the growth of the
city, until at last the name Of Simpson be
came thoroughly identified with the three
golden bals, and he himself was "my uncle"
to the whole metropolis. Several of his rela-
uves and descendants have at various times
entered the family business so that the asso-
citation of the name remains to-day stronger
than ever. Mr.. Simpson, beside being n dig
nifed and broad-minded business man, quite
demolished the pawnbroker of fiction, having
very tender heart of his own, and extend
ing not only sympathy, but more substantial
aid to many of his customers whom he found
deserving. Notwithstanding such exhibitions
of a sentiment which is usually thought en-
tirely incompatible with his occupation he
amassed n large fortune, leaving a great deal
VI Ithl tblhlt anu one OF lllt nuIuhOllobL anu
best appointed suburban residences in the
State. The firm from which he retired few
years ago receive something over hundred
thousand pledges a year, and loan about ST.
OOO,O 600. Mr.. Simpson was n genial man and
full of anecdote, and frequently related with
great 2est some of the queer stories that had
come to his notice under the three golden
balls. And odd enough some of them were,
too; for a man who lends twenty-five cents
to tramp one minute, and $50, 600 to a mer-
chant the next, necessarily leads n curious and
an eventful life.
Everybody has heard or read more or less
about the quaint medley that forms the con-
tents of large pawnshop; but no one can
imagine it who has not seen the sight for
himself. In no other place in the world is
there such a strange combination of merchan-
disc. Here he will find precious gems of the
purest lustre and cast-off clothing fit per-
haps only for the rag-bag; oil paintings in
gilt frames, and musty-smelling bedding tied
up in greasy quilts musical instruments of
every description and a miscellaneous collec-
tion of boots and shoes statues and bronzes
and oljets ddrt, and instruments of all kinds,
both for professional and mechanical use
books in all languages, bibles and albums,
crockery, china and glass ware silver plate
and cutlery, opera-g glasses and umbrellas, vel
vets and laces, blankets and sheets. These
miscellaneous articles, and many Others are
all systematically arranged, every pledge be-
ing labeled by itself and assigned to its place
according to the nature of the article the
date of its entry, and other considerations.
Were it not for this system it would be i'm
possible to find the articles when they are
needed for redemption. AS it is, the position
of every pledge is so we'll known that it is
found without difficulty. l don't know as |
ought to let this opportunity pass without
giving your readers the benefit OF little NOR
alizing on the subject of the pawn-shop-its
mysteries and its miseries, and all that sort of
thing. 1t strikes me, however, that have
read something of that sort before and that
in all probability your readers have too. So
think will restrain myself. Beside, if l
have much more to say on the subject, some
body may begin to draw unwarrantabe con-
clusions regarding my own ultimate relations
with ''my uncle" Let me hasten then to as
sure you that all visits to the institution in
question have been made strictly in the inter
est of news-loving public.
Gilmores Garden, the arches of which rung
with the six days cheering of the late inter
national walking match, and still more re-
Gently with the fainter hubbub which attend
ed an equally protracted but very tame con-
test among dozen women, has this week
been vocal with the multitudinous bowling Of
q thousand or 80 aristocratic dogs, whose
presence there was due to the ambition of
their fond owners to capture prize at the
third annual bench show of the Westminster
Kennel Club. The two previous exhibitions
of like nature were highly successful, and the
one just closed has been still more so. The
attendance has been enormous in point of
numbers and of such a character as to leave
no doubt of the interest which the best socie-
ty Us well as the lowest, feels in these ami
mails Every day during the continuance of
the show throngs poured in and out of the
Garden from the opening of the doors until
nightfall, and every evening Madison avenue
was so full of liveried carriages up to 10 o.
clock at night as to give stranger an idea
that n fashionable ball was progressing inside
The dogs exhibited embraced nearly every
known species. and were divided, for purpos-
Of prize giving, into about one hundred
classes. In almost every class the distinc-
tions awarded were first and second (and
sometimes third prizes, very highly COM
mended" and "highly commended :" and as
the owner of each contestant felt entirely con-
viuced that his or her entry was entitled to
the highest honors and was anything but
backward in expressing that opinion, the
roses. The arduous labors of these gentle
men were finally accomplished, however, to
the general satisfaction.
Perhaps it is hardly the thing to refer to
the Talmage trial in Brooklyn in juxtaposi-
tion to the account of dog show; and yet
there has been enough in the character of
those proceedings by the reverend Presbyter-
ians concerned to furnish some excuse for so
doing. Not only have the witnesses who
have testified thus far damaged the reputa-
tions of both defense and prosecution as well
as their own (as frequently happens in eccle-
siastical courts) but the grave theologians
on the opposing sides have betrayed such an
amount of personal bitterness, and made
such succession of un-lawyerlike blunders
in the conduct of the case that the court room
has several times been the scene of hilarious
merriment among the crowds of spectators,
and the whole affair has come to be looked
upon as a disgraceful farce. At this writing
MIR. Talmage's accusers have rested their case
and the testimony for the defense is about to
ha hagun RADIN