The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-10-25
The pAwNsRokER,s CLERK.


Seasons Incidents.
In long conversation with de pawn
brokers' clerk the reporter CLEANED
much information as to his business AS
the clerk himself said, there was no other
calling in which one could view SO many
phases of human nature While almost
every article that is manufactured. even
to the most inconceivable things, is
pawned, there is also a certain regularity
in the business at the various seasons.
For instance. in the spring the winter
overcoat is taken to ''uncle's, and there
it remains until the chilly winds of No
yember arrive. when 1t is redeemed and
the summer clothing takes its place.
One popularity was learned about winter
clothing that is pawned. and that is that
the pawnbrokers' stores in the more FASH
ionable portion of the city have lively
custom in sealskin sacks, which are
pledged in early spring and by people
who do not need the money.
'.How do you account for this?" was
asked the clerk
"Well, many of these women who
own sealskins seem to prefer bringing
them to us instead of taking them to a
regular furrier's. We handle them and
keep them with as much care as they do
in those stores, and we give good value
on sealskin, as good article is always
| marketable. The women get the money,
and / think they imagine that if any
thing should happsn that the store should
| be burnt, or SO on, that their loss would
not he SO great"
1t is in the poorer districts of the city,
| hO1rnvar xxybora v,ovorfv Co., sxlx~x
| the pawnbrokers do a thriving trade.
There are numerous families whose Sum
day clothes are taken out of pawn regu-
larly on Saturday night and pledged again
on Monday. 'It is always the woman who
brings the bundle" continued the clerk,
sand am SO well acquainted with doz-
ems of them that never open the bum
die. They get the same amount with
unfailing regularity. For such pawn
bundles the loan averages from So to $40,
rarely more. The poor people bring
everything to us-clocks, irons, wash
boards, rolling pins, dustpans-almost
every article you can imagine Of utility
in house. Sometimes they are in the
most battered state, and it is only be-
| cause they bring a number of them
that they can get any money at all on
them. Banjos, violins, accordions, cor
| nets and all kinds of musical instru-
ments are brought to us. Jewelry and
watches and chains are also objects
which are pawned with the greatest fire.
quency. Do we loan fair value on themi
Well, hardly. After all, jewelry and
| gems and diamonds are harder to sell
than most people imagine, so that we
have to have tolerably big margin on
the safe side. Now, on solid gold orna-
ments or chains you can get nearer the
intrinsic value than on anything else you
take to pawnbroker's. You see, the
carat or quality of the gold is known,
and then it is simply a question of the
weight, and we can venture to loan more
on this class of goods than others because
the gold can always be turned into
money.
81 knew SWELL said the clerk, 'sor
rather would be swell--he was a clerk
with a down town firln-who pawned
his signet ring and watch and chain with
me every Tuesday for two years. On
| Saturday afternoons he would redeem
them. Sundays he would disport him
self in them, and, curiously enough, also
on Monday, but on Tuesday they would
have to go to his 'uncle's.' He would
also redeem them to wear on general
holidays, such as the Fourth of July,
Christmas and so on. That fellow, in
the two years, am almost certain.
nearly paid us the full value of his ring,
watch and chain in interest.
''It is also mistake to imagine that
it is the poor people who are the most
frequent patrons of pawnshops. People
who are well to do, who would be
shocked at the suggestion of their
uncle visit us, l assure you, quite
often. They always enter the Office
stealthily and glance around furtively as
if afraid they might be recognized.
Even people who are reputed extremely
wealthy resort to the pawnbroker's on
more occasions than you imagine.
Sports arc good customers. They always
indulgH iayishly in diamonds and jew
elry, and, strange as it may seem, they
never part with them. They will not
sell them outright, but if they get broke
they put them in soak They are good
customers of the pawnbrokers, are sport
ing men. Yes, sir. New York Press.