Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-09
UNREDEEMED PLEDGES.
OF A PAWNBROkER
 PUT UP AT AUCTION.

A Curious Crowd in a Chicago Street.
 dr. Pickwick and Mir. Jingle as Auction.
 ecrs-A Bleeding Heart-some Pretty
 Tall ssories-sentiment.
 The street was moro crowded than usual The auctioneers had a house clearing. All the watches, jewelry, scarf pins, opera glasses. pocket pistols which Mir Wilkins Micawber, Gent, and others who were waiting for some thing to turn up had confided to the care of a south aide pawnbroker, were to be sold under the hammer Mir. Micawber attended the ceremony. So did Mrs. Micawber So did throng of bargain hunters. The street was packed with them The suctioneer was elderly, bald and benevolent He wore spec, tacles. He bore 6 general likeness to Mir Pickwick- He was assisted by Q young gentleman of rapid and disjointed utterance who resembled Mr. Jingle, and he was always calling attention to his Pickwickian philan thropy, the purity of bis motives, the "square ness" of his conduct In his vindication Mir Jingle aided him volubly.
 The sale began with a pair of solid gold mounted earrings Somebody bid @
 1.-Two dollars" sang out Mir Pickwick Two dollars and quarteri Who says quarteri Quarter, quarter. quarter. will you make itr
 Property of prominent society lady," cried MT Jingle Husband speculated- caught in wheat deal-couldn't come to time went to board at night-hung himself from gallery-cut down in morning-wheat rose immediately-would have been millionaire sad case-very."
 My only reason" said Mir. Pickwick, "tor parting with these precious relics is the pawnbroker's stern command Gentlemen, k,@&r I sell My heart bleeds to dispose of these ear rings, but guarantee them Now who says quarters Quarter, quarter, quarter. shall make itr
 The crowd was now dense. Two or three heavy faced, beetle browed men stood near the auctioneer, and whenever he urged them to make 1t 0 quarter" they generally mad, 1t quarter. A suspicion that they were in sympathy with the vendors made their ueighbors fight rather shy of them, and whenever they showed much disposition to pile up Quarters" they generally had the bidding to themselves Once or twice Q wo man at the back would tinidly raise her finger and secure ring or brooch. The professionals would turn with a laugh, and regard their unprofessional sister with scorn A handsome Newfoundland dog strayed ip from the street, lay down on the edge of the throng, and regarded the proceedings with philosophic loftiness, What form of human chicanery Is this3" he demanded, blinking his big brown eyes in the sun.
 Here is watch" said MT. Pickwick with a solid fourteen carat gold case"
 "An immense bargain" added Mir. Jingle Stem winder," said Mr Pickwlck Key winder," said Mir. Jingle Perfect order" said Mir. Pickwick. "Case alone worth the money" said Mi Jingle
 "Gentlemen," said MT. Pickwick, beamine through bis spectacles, "this is not my sale This is the pawnbroker's sale You know the pawnbroker, He is as benevolent as 1 am His heart bleeds when circumstances compel him to sell the forfeited pledges of the needy Twenty dollars are bid. Who says quarter Quarter, quarter, quarter, shall make itp A thIrd auctioneer now made his appear I ance He was more violent than his part l ners He wns revolutionary in bis doctrines \ and was for smashing things" A ladys ] gold watch was produced Break 1t to pieces, gentlemen" cried the revolutionist Grind it to powder. The gold dust to which you reduce it will be worth more than you 1 bid for 1t"
 Remarkable watch," cries Jingle, Ire :narkable history-lady eloped-notorious scandal-thought she eloped with German baron-no baron at all-only footman-
 hadn't cent-everything sold-watch l pawned-curious story-very." Gentlemen" says Mir. Pickwick, "hers is | a ladys lace pin; star and crescent; nine diamonds; worth tS15O."
 Formerly property Of Hattie Blackford, i" l says Jingle-''daughter of Philadelphia par l son-went to Russia-called herself Fanny 1 Lear-not grand duke-grand duke all broke up-robbed grandmothers shrine-gave &l> I IL l bounced her-hed to Paris-went broke ! sold this lace pin-odd creature-very." "Worth S150." says Mir Pickwick- "Who | bids for Fanny Lear's lace pinf Ten dollarsi 1 Thank you, sir. Quarter, quarter, quarter | shall l make it7"
 Here Is Tssot watch," says the revolu- tionist "Smash 1t with hammer. Screws are solid gold. Tear em to pieces; rip lem up; pulverize lem; and a pawnbroker will lend you $75 on the fragments. Whats the bida Six dollarsi Why. the glass is worth more"
 "Watch belonged to Bearded Lady," says Jingle Great attraction-dime museum manager presented watch-token of esteem -envious rival-took scissors-approached
 Bearded Lady in bed--cut off beard-never grew again-Bearded Lady busted-manager | fired her out-presented another watch to envious rival-sad calamity-very." Mir. Pickwick got rather jealous of Jingle's
 tales. He even attempted to spin yarn or
 two of bis own He tried to pass of gold
 headed cane as "Tascott's cane" But the
 crowd jeered, the professionals laughed and
 the Newfoundland dog gave an ominous lit-
 tie growL They wanted the original Sche.
 herezade. the authorized teller of tales, or
 nobody.
 In "The Ragpicker of Paris"-that famous
 old play of Felix Pyat, the communicable
 ragpicker sorts out his bag and finds shred of sentiment or humor in every rag. This
 bit of lace was worn by the belle of tho ball
 that scrap of calico came from 6 shirt tha,
 was made by a starving mother beside the
 cot of dying child. So in this pawn
 brokers sale every article had its history Jingle, the romancer, knew nothing about them. The opera glasses in mother-of-pear
 that lie at his side could tell of the nigh, when he and she went for the first time together to the theatre; how she had no eye.
 for anything but the stage, and he had ne eyes for anything but her; and how tha
 opera glasses, having the gift of observation scoS l~l-- AA~A Al