Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-04
THE THREE BALLS.
THE MELANCHOLY INTEREST A
PAWN6ROkER'S SHOP POSSESSES
The Visits of Customers Described by an
Eye -Witness-A Dresry aud Gloomy
Procession First Expert
ence-Romance. Tragedy.
New York Sun |

sonal property" thrown together in the
same confussl, dusty, neglected jumble.
There is the same triple row Of watches Of
every description, gold. silver. nickel and
brass, some with chains attached and some
without IN all stages OF diSrepute and unre-
pair hung across the rear of the window.
There is the same assortment Of violln'. dusty
and diSused hung up at the sides, and in
the heap at the bottom OF the window there
is almost everything-rings. match boxes.
accordionS pipes opera glasses, carved
cigarette holiers, decorated fans, reyOlvers,
hatirons padlockS. tch-chainS, bracelets.
necklaces, lamp standards, fanciful ink bot
ties, scissors, eyeglasses, paper cutter, sill
yer cups. prize medals steel handouts, sets
OF silver plated forks, gold penholierS
knives Of every conceivable de Scriptiou,
raEorS, cigar cases, mu>ical Instruments
mechanics tools of all trades and endless
trinksts and bric-a -brac.
A DREARY PROCESSION.
Stand near the door OF any one Of these
shops and watch the men and women who
go in and out IL is not very strange, but
il is an index to the character Of the place
the fact that the greatest number OF Gus
TONERS come Just about dusk They dislike
70 go in in opsn day when they may be de-
tected on the steps; and neither do they de-
sire to enter st night, when the lights inside
make them conspicuous from tn street II
is q dreary and gloomy processt IN that en-
tsrs the portals under tine gilded BALI.
Want has brought the great majority OF
them there and poverty has stamped their
features How familiar are the types OF
destitution, and how hackneyed their de-
scription sounds A woman with pinched
and saddenei features, wearing fadei
shawl and carrying underneath Its folds
package done up in a newspaper, enters the
door with which she is too familiar, and
goes up TO the end of the counter where a
big man Of a Semitic cast Of visage stands
serene and ma jestic in his shirt sleeves A
young man, whom nature has stamped as
his son, is at his side The woman draws
the package from under her shawl and lays
il on the lunter Father and son pay her
no attention. but continue a conversation
relative to the respective merits Of the
black cigars they alternately place between
their lips and then withdraw to contemplate
the color OF the ash at the end.
The woman opens the paper and dlscl 'seS
a neatly folded brown dress Of some woOllen
material and then waits wearIly until the
younger man suddenly jerks it toward him
and inquiries:
~How much YOU wantI
"Can you give me 81, she asks
Fifty cent" says the older man, with
one glance at the garment
The Younger man looks at it m1re care
fully, and then say: Forty cents The
old man mods approyingly and turns To his
papers
@Au righ,.' he woman says, knowing
from bitter Experience that no amount Of
pleading can make one penny difference
in the re ,ult
The young man to sse< the dress to one
side, makes out two tick is at the desk,
pins one to the dress, reaches into a drawer
that Sounis an alarm bell when it is openel,
and to,ses the other ticket and 40 cents on
TO the counter
HIS FIRST FNPERIENCE.
young man Is lie next us'"mer He
has sauntprad uD the street w':s' ling, viii
an overcoat on his arm, as il it were t"
warm to wear it, though the air i. -hsrl
ami biting. He stop; care.e s-ly at the
pawnbrokrr', wiaIow and looks in at th-
triple row Of watches, whosa hand, all
pointing tn different times Of day, give |
an air OF recklesSnsss and imprOvidence To |
the interior that seems well suite Il to its dis |
NAL usage< The Young man looks in for |
some time at the window, not because he is |
undecided what cuurs. to pursue. but in |
order to wait until the other young man, |
who seems Interested in the scrutiny Of
pair Of duellIny pistols has gone |
away. Then tue young man with the |
overcoat glancaS hastily ab ut and |
enters the door. He throws the overcoat |
down at the nearest end of the counter and |
waits for one Of the black eyebrowed gen
tleman 10 come and look at it He waits |
for several minutes and then carries it up |
30 their end of the counter. 1t is obviously |
his first experience with the money lender. |
The young man with the prominent nose
looks curiously at the coat and says: @Two |
dollars"
"On, no" says the other young man with
q forced smile, with which he intends to |
convey tine idea that he is not TO be taken
in. u paid SIS Tor that coat and I've only
worn il a little while want IS on it
The young man behind the counter gives
the garment a push toward its owner and
turns calmly away. The other Young man
waits two or three minutes for him to turn
and take it back, but as no indication of
any such action is evinced, he inquiries
mildly:
"WeIl, how much will you giveF
He OF the prominent nose turns and says
har,hly: Il toll you s. If you don't want
to take it pick up your coat and git out of
the shop"
The young man does pick up his coat and
walks rapidly toward the door He is
biting his lips, and can it be possible that
be is trying to keep back tears-weak,
effeminate tearsl He stops at the door with
his hsni on the knob and then turns about
and walks back t. the counter.
Couldn't you give me S3'" he asks
timidly.
did you hear me say l only give you SER
demands the pawnhroker's son
"All right" responds the other meekly,
and the same rapid transfer Of tickets
coat, and money is made in the former
instance.
ROMANCE, TRAGEDY, CRIME.
Perhaps the rext customer is a ragged
child who obtains OF 10 Cents upon a fat
iron, and then bent and aged mechanic
enters and with trembling hands places a
chisel or hammer upon the counter and re-
ceives trIhing amount of coin with the
ticket At some Of the shops one might
chance to a gilded youth enter and OBJ
tain IS upnn a han isome gold watch,
which he will redeem when he receives his
allowance; OF perhaps a lalys maid comes
in with c pair OF diamond earrings or a val
liable jewel, upon which the owner will OBJ
tain a temporary loan to tide over do
mestic crisis 1t is possible that the we'll
DIRE sed gentleman who obtains a large ad-
vance upon the expensive jewelry he brings
in is a thieves go-between. and it may be
that the jewelry the pawnbro is care.
fully packln away has been obtained at
the eI pense OF a human life.
Recipe for the Production of Goitres.
Lisbon baggars have special recipe for
b ing prima fscie claim t. the attention
Of the charitable. the professional pOrdiosero