New-York tribune., 1890-04-20
HlrE.HOCR IN THE PAWNSHOP.
,,oy PEOPLE GET LOANS AT PER CENT A
MONTH" SIZING MAN Up.

MONTH" SIZING MAN Up"
you never have been in pawnshop' Weil' IL
,sr,t nIacs where people like to go. But no doubt
,o ho arc forced TO go there dislike to make tie
,,, ,oro than those who fortunate enough to be
h,c N keen their skirts clear Of such places lut II
Won care to see people who upon entering room look
a. II they expected to be kiciei OUT ana WHO upon
leaving the same room wear the expression OF one VINO
has been Kicked ont, 60 to pawnshop. Ana II you
visit one OF these establishments uot oces te pro
nr,o,ors call them you will find that you enter the
main room through narrow hallway. In this passage
~ o, moot one or more pair Of push pull" doors.
rh re supnoscd TO aid in conccaling your entrance
rh, effect is 10 make you feel as sneakthef should
feel. ., , -- -.
Behind a long counter, worn smoo'l anu GREASY pS
many thrcadbarc sleeve, IS snort iat man. "i'H
droopIng mnsache and small gray eyes-eycS that are
III. tcrrcts: they never look directly at man. but
., . o, ,rbo stands before them knows instinctvey
... thcv b,ve taken him in from head 10 FOOT nave
chow, Che pawnshop keeper how sorely money is
uoodod how much spirit IS left III the "borro"er'"
sizing man upv IS the pawnshop phrase for 1t.
non,t sav ANYTHING by way of introduction. There
l., 40 mood 10 sav anything He knows that you have
not come there to lend money to him Take out your
watch say aad lay 1t on thc sh'hil3 oou'e''
.uow much ~ he asks indihernIly.
pc has picScd it up and is looking at 1t contempt
,os,v 81 that Won see that hc does not consider IL
,ror,h - And that watch cost you $3.50 perhaps
..rhIr,v evc dollars-about,7 hazarding a guess.
~cant do IT," shortly " thirty
avery we'll. then. VIC can't make bargain
rhis civos him a cue He takes little coupon
and begins 10 write ON IT, -
Thlrty he asks If there were no doubt about IT,
mo,
Thirty -two1' softly.
Oh no. not thlrtv-two.'
ue has finished his writing Going to drawer
he mills forth fonr bills. one i've ana three tens
Iavinr the coupon on them lie pushes them toward
you reaching for the watch
@Wait minute. think want $40
4oh pshaw. $40 1t isn't worth S35. but I'm
willing 10 accommodate you with thirty live no
more .,
,ounc man "a at your side nervously tapping
the counter with pair OF opera siasses' anu ''o 9"
ewes shoot swift glanccs at HIN.
How much grully
Five dollars"
Five nothing; two
81 rot five for them last Tine
arftieth time I'VE heard that to-day. Never were
here before In yonr He
"Three then doubtfullv.
"Two.9 is the sharp response
"oh, very we'll" says the cowed young man III
despair "Twor
mt he IS so confused that he seizes his coupon ana
darts throu sh the door. leaving his - on the counter
uuumnh- grunts the man behind the counter:
q erst cxncriencc at this sort OF business
The vounc man rushrs back. crying breathlessly
aNv ao, left IL on the counter; where Is IT
nvha. so1p says the other, looking at him with his
restless gray beads OF eyes
"oh give II 70 me- cries the poor wretch almost
with a wall.
Here's your money. young man says the pawn
broker with a smile which 4, almost coodnatured' u
thought vou might miss II. so ! took care oi II lot
vou. Yon ought 70 be more careful about money
matters And the young man goes out shaneiaoed
"a ~ hc had accepted almsalms Mt per cent month";
4 young gil who has quietly slipped Ill drops
= r,,o On the counter. she carried II In her clo,eo
hand Perhaps she drew II from her nhser I Ius.
ierre she entered the front door >he n'cps iVt II y -
turned from every one. her hands remOsc an" e' HP
are bOodlcs>.
"nh. ANYTHING" she says, in low tone.
"Thrcc dollarSl' 49,, -, l., 10. ha,,
DIcs- as she ncrvously twists the ring IN hcr Snah
ING nnccrS You can almost hear her eaten her
hrca-h n, she reaches the door - -
Veil crhe fcrrctcyes have flashed over you
again Thirty avci"
- 80. think said
"Thrty-sevcn "
"NO.T H.. =
well forty" suddenly. for you have started FOR the
door.
.Torty.Gvc~ cry follows YOU Into the narrow nan,
way nut you are The street. ana the ar aheau
a, Won look. bright and inviting. ana as YOU sltP Oh
,he sidewalk vonr lungs feel refreshed ~ i p,,"N
an, IN sec people in the street They seem moro INC
men and women than the unfortunate creatures VINO
trembled before the pawnshop keeper