The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-16
PAWNED HIS TEETH,
An Unusual Incident Witnessed By Re>-
porter In n Pawn shop.

AH UNUSUAL 1ncldenc witnessed " y ~
porter In n Pawn shop.
The ancient chap who exclaimed
''Mine honor is in pawn" was double
discounted and beaten by the man who
entered a pawnshop on South Clark
street, near Polk. last week and threw
upon the showcase set of false teeth,
saying:
"What'n You give me on these?"
The obliging pawnee. which appella--
ton he should not resent, scrutinized
the teeth with the cold eyes of q man
of business There was n good deal OF
gold filling in them-the teeth, not the-
eye.
"a dollar" he said.
30, come now. That's not fair
Those teeth have SIS worth of gold in.
them at least, TO say nothing of the
teeth themselves. Make it five and I'll
leave them"
''Once more for all tell you that we
never loan more than that on teeth. L
have 4 whole showcase full of unre--
deemed molars. any set of which YOU
can have for fifty cents"
80. rats! Gimme the dollar"
The money was handed the impccu--
nious and toothless one. who departed
mumbling between his denuded jaws at
the heartleSsness of the world in gen.
eral and pawnbrokers in PARTICULAR
The pawnee said:
I'VE have some trade in that sort OF
IL "A H,,t l.. l. R,.l
uaredeemed ones. rs told him. / never
knew of but two pawners who didn't
redeem their teeth. One was a woman.
Queer pledge? Well. rather. but we
have them stranger than that. The
other day man ran in here and sat.
down in that chair at the end of the
counter. Before l could ask him what.
he wanted he pulled up his trouser-leg
and began unscrewing an artificial leg.
| had only known of one other case
where such pledge was given at -
pawn-Office. That was by 4 soldier at
the close of tine war. The man who
came in here carried crutch in his
hand, and was determined to raise a
loan on his leg. got it for 81 and the:
customary 10 per cent. d month. He
redeemed it last night On another
occasion man tried very hard to ob-
tain loan of S25 on glaSS-eye of u.
very peculiar shade. He had had it.
made especially for him so that it would
match MS other eye. but that very fact.
of course, reduced the chances of our
doing any thing with it in case he for
feited the pledge. 1t is both amusing
and affecting To observe the cha~rin
and disappointment exhibited by people
who try to raise Il considerable loan on
articles whose value has been raised
in their estimation through long use
or loving association. Old heirlooms
which are almost priceless within
the family circle are comparatively
without value in the pawnshop. Not
long ago an old German lady came
in here with two solid brass kitchen
utensils-old-coun make. L don't
know what they were for, but they
would delight the housekecper's heart
She expected TO realize sum nearly
equal to what the articles must have
cost when new, and when | told her
that l could loan nothing at I'll on them
she was terribly insulted. Another
woman brought in an immense collec-
ton of family photographs. which she
imagined could be hooked for a tidy
sum. A certain line of heirlooms. of
course, we can find room for-thOSe
such as might find 4 bayer on account
of their utility and aesthetic quality
bat the vast majority of things of that
sort are absolutely without exchange
value. have seen some terrible scenes
in nv time. | have seen men and
women, crazed with hunger or drink,
strip off every stitch of clothes they
could decently spare in order to obtain
money to satisfy their hunger or thirst
have given many dollar out of my
own pocket rather than take necessary
clothing from person really in need,
and l haye refused to take the gar
ments from person whom L knew
would spend the money for drink. L
remember seeing IL man pawning -
cradle and blankets in the front of the
store. in order to get money to drink,
while his wife, with the babe ut her
breast, was in the rear trying to raise
money on some household treasures to-
procure sustenance for herself and
child. There is great deal of noto-
riety brought to the pawnbroker busi--
ness by disreputables and blacklegs en-
gagged in il, but it can be carried on in
legitimate way just as any other call
inO is Chfcn7O Times.