St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-11
THE PAWNBROKER.
Some Points About an Interesting
Occupation. Ea q
Articles the Impecunious Most Often
Use to Raise the Wind.

1.-THE pawnbrokers' business? On, about
as active as ever" said we'll known Cen
trail avenue uncle when Intercepted
yesterday as TO the status of trade in his
peculiar line. 1T is always busy with us,
but just now more so than ever. The over
coat season is on. 'Bennies' are coming in
droves. The sudden return of the cold
snap has interrupted the procession for the
past two or three or four days, but still at
our place here we are taking in from
three to half dozen daily. What
do they get on them. Well, that depends,
of course, on the gu atty and amount of
wear. L should place the range at from
so cents to SIS, the amounts running all
along between those limits. Here is a
light spring affair that is for S15O. while
this beaver over here represents loan of
SIS. The amount advanced rarely runs
beyond that. Some of the booys
thought the warm weather had come for
good, and are how shivering aud
gnashing their teeth. OF course. with the
warm weather, the benny be-
comes useless article of the young mans
wardrobe. Besides, the pawnshop is a
good place to put il away until next winter.
They are carefully laid away and precau-
tons taken to prevent the moths getting to
them-in fact, the owner secures a safe
place of deposit where his benny can
remain intact until the cold weather calls
it forth again. Very many single men
utilize their uncle just for that purpose"
What are the staple articles of spout
ing?"
I'VE probably get more watches than
anything else. They are of every kind and
value. Some have heavy gold cases with
fine works. OH which we readily advance
$50 TO $50. Then there are the silver time
keepers, looking like heirlOOms i'm the fam
lily, handed down from grandfathers.
On these we rarely loan more than
81 or 81. Revolvers are another standby
of the hooking fraternity. We receive
large numbers of these. On the finest we
advance 81 or So, while the cheaper vari-
cites, bulldogs and the like. are
pledged for from so cents to S1.5O. Rings
are also very frequently put up, aud are
OF more kinds than any other class of
pledges. Every sort of clothing is offered
TO us. from an entire suit to a vest, pair
of unmentiOnables. or even a shirt. The
women are as prone as the other sex to
seek the aid of the pawn-shOp. as YOU may
see from this collection of sacqueS, circu-
lars, skirts. shawls. dreSSeS-in fact about
every article of feminine apparel. They
never get much-say 81 or 81"
Name some strange articles put in"
"Well, take umbrellas. for instance, they
are very frequently figuratiyelv as well as
literally put up. Here are few things
that you might call peculiar. In this
case a woman has pleged a bolt
of calico for twenty-five cents,
probably just after having purchased
it. This alarm clock also represents %
cents, while this album is i'm for twice as
much. On this lOOking-glass 81 was given.
These roller skates are in pledge for the
same amount Three dollars were
loaned on this old finely-clolOred
meerschaum pipe, and on this trunk
50. This family Bible represents So,
this sewing machine 81, and this baby's
dress 75 cents. The lowest amount adj
vanced is % cents on this razor. Musicians
are good customers of ours. as you may see
from this collection of violins, clariOnets,
piccOlos and other instruments. The sport
ing fraternity are of couIse our best patrons.
Their diamonds find the way regularly to
our safes. A fortunate winning or the
timely discovery of an angel enables them
10 redeem. but the jewelry always comes
back. We get good interest. and sometimes
the time lapses and the stuff becomes ours.
Another frequent pledge is notes payable at
future dates. The holders are not suffi-
GENTLY we'll known i'm banking circles to
get them discounted. and have to pay the
high rate such risky paper demands. Peo'