Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-08
A PAWNBROKER,S TREASURES.
A Glimpse Behind the Curtain i'm 8
Loan Office.

A Glimpse Behind the Curtain i'm q
Loan Office.
THE PRoPRIEToR's OBSERVATIONS UPON THE
CHARACTER OF HIS PATR0Ns-TINsEL. CROWNS,
oyERCoATs, AND FLNT-LOCK PIsToLS-A NOT
LEYCoLLEcrIoN OF ODDS AND ENps-TR1suREs
THAT WOULD MAKE MIsER wup-BusHELs
OF JEWELS AND GEMS.
s'The pawn business il full Of interest" said a
successful receiver of pledges to STAR reporter.
He was the proprietor of loan Office
around the corner from Pennsylvania avenue
that waves its three brass balls in the air, beck
oning to the penniless wretched and desperate
''My shop is mystery to me, even," he said, Il
don't know what / have in it. We receive
curious pledges from odd people who tread
peculiar walks of life. We see much of poverty
and misery. even profligacy. but it is not devoid
of romance, and even pathos. There are men
and women who come in regularly. They are
slaves to gaming or to drink. They come in
here every once in while, some with a careless.
detected air; some with a half-starved. blood
shot eagerness in their eyes. They pawn any,
thing. everything they have of any value and
are of like shot. Then for while they are
lost sight OF. Sometimes they get Strengthened
up-s0me friend comes TO their rescue or their
appetites are burned out, and they return,
shame-faced; and redeem their pledges There
is another class. Those who have never before
drank so deeply of the cup of misery or who
perhaps, have never tasted the bitter draught
those who have never looked into pawn shop
who come pale and trembling, and don't know
how to ask for what they want. What story
of want and despair some OF these may have to
tell! But we never ask their histories. They
pledge their jewelry-sometime it is something
old and very valuable-and get out of the 'slIop'
in great haste, never looking back nor stopping
to get breath until they turn a corner But
this is the most inexperienced class There are
many people of good standing who come here
as they would go to bank. Some even deposit
yaluables with us for safe keeping. Come and
l shall show you something Come" And he
led the way, followed by TIE STAR man, into
the dark interior of the shop.
THE CONTENTS OF THE PLACE
The room was very large. but made dark and
stufy by the immense pile of goods reaching
nearly to the ceiling and leaving scarcely room
for the customers to stand in front of the little
patches Of counter near the show windows on
either side OF the door,
"All these are pledges" he said with wave
of his hand at the hotch-potch. which got thicker
and blacker as he led the way deeper into the
room. In the show windows and the glass cases
that covered the little patches of counter were
hustled together glass beads, diamonds, old
shawis of heavy fabric and rich patterns, flint
lock pistols with revolutionary cast of couu-
tenance. an old brOad-swOrd-a double-hander
the royal purple of some playhouse queen, and
a flimsy crown-pawned by some ruined actor
an impecuniOus king! On the wall hung an oil
portrait of st. Peter by King, the Washington
artist OF years ago; next it was a laughing siren
IN the gay colOrs of cheap chrOmo lounging,
with slight and insufficient covering upon a
red, blue and green couch, in wanton voluptu-
BUSINESS. In one corner on the glass
case stood painting from the brush
OF one endowed with more Imagination than
art. representing candle resting upon a Bible.
an index hand pointing to the candle. and a very
reprObate-looklng snake, who has lost one Of
his crowns, while the other is cooked on one
side of his head in a rakish manner. and
on his Satanic cOuntenance look of utter dis
gust. In one corner was pile of violins some
OF them rare instruments of great age Twisted
and tangled and piled together were rich ball
dresses, overcoats. shawls. hats. articles of fur
nlture bedding, wigs. books, mantel ornaments
underwear and what not. On, one peg hung a
rich dress; next 1t hung heavy pair of shoes.
eS. men sometimes pawn the shoes off their
feet and the coats off their backs" parenthe-
slsed the proprietor, as he caught THE STAR
man drawing contrasts. They even offerto pawn
their socks. Way in the back part of the .'shop''
stood the old spindle-legged piano which was
faf1led OIL just at the close of the war for the
benefit OF the soldiers hospital. On it and near
IL were plleu many hundred OVercOatS.
"Those will begin to go out, now that winter
is coming on" said the proprietor. waving at
tention to the pile. Light clothing will come
in Ha, ha. You haven't coat here? No. I
don't remember your face
BUSHELS OF JEWELS AND JEMs
There" he said, leading the way into
little crowded side office off from the main
room and placing his hand on the combination
OF an immense iron safe. ''There is something
valuable. That would interest you. You like
Jewelry-oid jewelry? There are vauabes rep
resenting many hundred thousand dollars i'm
tnat safe. have four safes altogether but this
contains the most valuables. Time-lOck, see?,
And he swung the huge iron doors open. What
sight! miser might have fallen on his
knees and, running his arms up to the elbows
into jewels and gold. have died of JOY. There
were at least two bushels of handsomely set
rings bracelets. brooches diamond studs. pins.
and gold watches, some of Old and some of new
design. Some Of the diamonds and other
precious stones were exquisite. There were
diamond rings Of antique and curious pattern.
and there were settings of rubies, carbuncles
and other precious stones. There was one ring
set with cluster of very large diamonds which
hiled the reporters finger up to the first joint
and was so heavy as to be uncomfortable There
was jeweied necklace of hammered gold.
which was worn by one of the favortes in the
court Of Louis XIV. and pair of Truscan gold
earrings OF me nimy texture more than two
inches long. which We're once worn by an en-
press. So the proprietor of the "shop'' assured
lHE STAR man, and their appearance bore ont
his statement. Then there were MANY many
Old gOld Watches some OF them very curious
There was one little hunting-case watch of ham,
mered gold hand made. not more than an inch
ana quarter In diameter and about as thick
one way as the other-a unique and curious
little thing which THE STAR man was assured
belonged to Martha Washington, having been
made present to her by some notable in Eng
land. In another safe were collected trinkets i'm
still greater quantities. but of less value. Hun
dreds OF silver watches were thrown together
in heaps with silver spoons mugs and drinking
cups, some of antique pattern. In yet another
safe was a collection of George Washinrton,s
plata full silver dinner set, very heavy with
the letter wv" engraved upon each piece-and
very large drinking cup marked .sB. W."
which belonged to Bushrod Washington This
washington silver" the proprietor told The
STAR man. he held in pledge for $3.50 loaned to
the lady who owns it, an heir of the Washing
ton family. Its intrinsic value, he says is about
$500, but its value by association is of course
much greater. There was also in one of the
safes an immense Bible on vellum giving the
scriptures in twelve different languages. 1t is
several hundred years old. The clasps are of
heavy parchment or leather
Saturday Smiles.
show is it, FOgg, that you are ALWAYS adyis-
ing everybody to marry and yet you show no
hurry about taking wife YOURSELF" Fogg-
Because my boy. I'm too much of gentle
man to help myself until everybody else is SUD-
plied."-BOStOn TRANSCRIPT