Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-08-30
PAwn-snop CUSTOMERS.
Stylish People In Distress and Impecnniou
s.sarfs So.fs


Stylish People In Distress and Impscnnious
sports of All sorts.
II you want to study human nature
don't go to Il police court. but take a
day off aud spend it behind the counter
OF a pawnbroker's shop.
There is no more favorable place,
and II you don't find out something
about the weaknesses and foibles OF BIZ
peds there it is because you have not
the faculty for learning.
The faithful friend OF the impecuni-
ous. my uncle" is found in all the
great cities OF THE great country, and
You can not mistake his place, for
wherever are displayed the three gild-
ed balls. beacons to the stranded way
farer. even there is he, "a bejeweled
ind vidnal. who often doles out pitiful
loans on collateral two or three times
more valuable than the amount loaned.
In New York piwnshops are seen
with painful frequency. Hardy a
block on the East Side is without one,
and each has its regular patrons.
The profits OF the business accounts
for the large number engaged in it.
and this may be easily reckoned by
glance at the law which regulates the
interest which may be charged. The
statute reads as follows: ION sums OF
800 or under. per cent. per month
for the first six months, and 2 per cent
per month thereafter. On sums over
500 per cent per month for the first
six months and per cent. per month
thereafter"
No wonder "my uncle is prosper
Gus. Is Respondent with jewels. owns
lands, houses. etc. With view to
learning something OF the class who
enrich him. Il reporter called at Il we'll
known Bowery shop and stated his OBJ
ect:
'lf you choose to- stand here in my
shop for a day." said the proprietor.
you will see some queer people. with
queer notions about the value OF the
in some cases valueless-articles
! they want me to lend money on. We
have regular customers, the same as
In any other business. There is one
who earns good wages as mechanic
and spends his earnings in drink, who
has nothing In his pocket regularly
every Tuesday For the last six
months he has every Wednesday
morning pawned his Sunday suit here.
and as regularly redeemed it every
Salurda' night. He is an odd chap.
and although earning good wages. out
OF which he might lay by money each
week, he persists in his visits to me-
"A few nights ago man came in
here. we'll dressed. even handsomely
dressed; he had no jewels to pledge.
he said, but he wanted to get an old
suit for the new one he wore and the
difference in cash | need hardly say
l refused to accommodate him. This
| Is by no means an isolated case, or
even an unusual one. The abject poor
are not our best customers, who come
from all ranks and the four points OF
the compass.
''There is constantly steaming into
this great city an army of people. SOL
diers of fortune. in search of employ
ment or wealth in other channels
Failing in their quest they are com
PEELED to part with their watches, say,
or their rings, or any other article OF
value; for they must live.
"Then we derive great profit from
class which is not suspected of need
ing our assistance hight toned people.
who pledge their jewels periodically,
to tide over temporary embarrass-
ment.
Then. too. the sporting element
among us is source Of profit. To-
day the gambler may be ''well-heeleG
as they say, and tomorrow broke, ant
then he comes straightway to us. In
the racing season he meets with losses
on dead sure winner. and. in order
to wage more war. up go his diamond
rings and studs. and every thing else
that will fetch him money."-N T.