Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-21
IN THE PAWN SHOP.
A LITTLE GIRLS MISSION AND HOW
 SHE PERFORMED IT.

His Unfortunate Customers-''Timonds
 Arc Way Town''-"Doin' of It Agin."
 Heavy Interest Charged.
 In the afternoon of one of the coldest days last week little mite of girl puffed and wheezed laboriously 1p one of the east side streets She was remarkable for the artistic way in which her face was soiled and for big red shawl that was wound about her. One end of it swept the sidewalk several feet behind. A big basket was on her right arm, and that it was much too heavy for her was proved by the way she hitched it up at ire quent intervals. A dirty little boy on the opposite side of the street stopped rubbing his ears long enough to shout:
 ''Are you doin' of it agin?'
 The little girl laughed as broadly as her frozen face would permit, and nodded at the basket on her arm. In course of time she had puffed her way up to dingy building ornamented with three gilt balls above the heavy door. She placed her back against the door, and, by pushing with all her might, forced it open and slipped behind it. Then she was in small, square space, and was very uncomfortable in little knot of very poor persons
 ALL MANNER OF BUNDLES.
 There was @ short counter on one end of which stood little desk, with tall, ground glass back that obscured the business done upon it from the persons ill the store. Just in front of the other end was a little incloS- ure like sentry box, that was for the use of customers who were ashamed of being there A range of shelves behind the counter, that reached from the floor to the ceiling, was loaded with all manner of circular bundles that bore upon their exposed ends little squares of brown paper. But by far the most prominent thing in the place was 8 gigantic safe that stood with gaping doors near the desk.
 A tall, heavily built man, with eyeglasses and a Hebraic cast of features stood behind the counter wrangling with a good natured Irish woman. In the mans shirt bosom and on several of his fingers glittered big dia- monds. On the counter between him and the woman was pair of girls shoes but slightly worn, a white skirt and sheet.
 'Come, now; be good natured," she was saying as the little girl entered, "and give mo $2. Shure, I'll be afther taking them out again on Saturday. Me man has steady work now"
 ''I py me dose new for two dollar. I lose money of gif you von dollar, but you vas a goot customer, und so tont gare.''
 Then he swept the articles out of sight, wrote few words on 8 ticket, and passed it to the woman, together with silver S1.
 ''Vell!"
 The remark was addressed to a weak old man with mass of unkempt gray hair float ing about his face. He tremblingly drew from his pocket a we'll worn silver watch and thin silver chain and placed them in the clerks hand. The latter licked open the cases, stuck a jewellers glass in his eye, and, after a minutes inspection, said:
 ''TwO dollar"
 The old man bowed.
 The door opened letting in rush of cold air and a slim young man, who darted into the little box and rapped imperiously upon the counter. The clerk hurried to attend to him, for the proceedings smacl1ed of dia- mond transaction. This is what it proved to be. The diamond was a large one, set in ring and the young man was heard to say $50, as though he expected to get it. But among the many rules that govern this busi- ness is one that says the first request must never be granted. This rule was strictly atl- hered to on this occasion.
 ''Timonds are way town," said the clerk
 "And they are bound to go up again, as you very we'll know" was the sharp reply: "but if they were down lower than they ever were before that stone would bring $75 any, where.'
 "I gif you $40"
 ''Make it $45 and let me get out of here'
 The clerk made it $45, and the young man hurried out.
 OF DAILY OCCURRENCE.
 Then little dumplng of a woman pro- duced from the voluminous folds of a quilt big gilt volume, and laid it, together with the quilt, upon the counter The clerk glanced at them in a cursoly way, and asked
 ''Von tollar!"
 ''Two, ave it's plaisln' to ye," was the mild reply.
 "Twelve shilling?"
 'Al right, sir"
 Then the little girl forged slowly up, and, with an effort, raised the basket and set it on the counter. The clerk lifted the lid and pulled out pair of flat irons and a well worn dress.
 "Me mudder says will ye give seventy five cents?"
 "Forty cents" said the clerk
 ''Me mudder says she'll take them out sure on Saturday, and will ye please do it?'
 ''Forty cents."
 The little girl raised herself on her toes and began snutfling.
 'Feefty cents."
 The little girl burst out into wild vail
 "Feefty-fve cents and no more."
 ''An right sir" piped the little girl, grow. ing suddenly calm.
 Then having 'done it again." she took hel empty basket on her arm wound the shaw about her and walked out.
 These are a few samples of the scenes that daily occur in the pawn shops. There are SC many of these places in the city that it is { wonder to many how they are supported. Il can be safely said that the liquor stores anc the pawn shops live through one another to great extent, and much of the money thai passes over the counter of the pawn shop finds it's way into the till of the liquor store that, ill their turn, impoverish so many anl force them to the pawnshops for help Tn, pawnbrokers charge 25 per cent year o1 the money they lend, or 3 per cent. a montl on fraction thereof. This is heavy inter est to pay, especially where there is really n' risk. It is true that goodly portion of tn articles pledged are never redeemed, bu these, after certain lapse of time, are solt at action or by private sale and much prof is reaped from them.-New York Sun.
 forthcoming American Rooms.
 Americans are too often credited witt originating booms, but enterprises of that class have always existed Even take Ger many, that home of conservatism, you vii find times when the people were crazed over all sorts of bombastic schemes. Strassbourg the famous European railway builder, swim | 1lzl |. nonD