The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-02-26
THE SIGN OF The THREE BALLS.
Friend of the Impecunious Who Spout
Diamonds to Fight Fortune.

Diamonds to Fight Fortune.
IF you want to study human ma
ture, don't go to police court, but
take day off and spend it behind the
counter of q pawnbroker's shop.
There is no more favorable place,
and il you don't find out something
about the weaknesses and foibles of
bipeds there it is because you have
not the faculty for learning.
The faithful friend of the impecu-
NOUS, my uncle, is found in all the
great cities of this great country, and
you cannot mistake his place, for
wherever are displayed the three
gilded balls, beacons to the stranded
wayfarer even there is he, bejewel-
ed Individual who often doles out pitt
full loans on collateral two or three
times more valuable than the amount
loaned.
In New York pawnshops are seen
with painful frequency. Hardly a
block on the east side is without one,
and each has its regular patrons.
The profit of the business accounts
for the large number engaged in it,
and this may be easily reckoned by a
glance at the law which regulates the
interest which may be charged. The
statute reads as follows: "On sums of
500 or under, 3 per cent per month
for the first six months and per
cent. per month thereafter. On sums
over 500, 3 per cent. per month for
the first six months and l per cent.
per month thereafter"
No wonder my uncle" is prosper
GUS, is respondent with jewels, owns
lands, houses, etc. With a view to
learn something of the class who en-
rich him, a reporter called at a we'll
known Bowery shop yesterday and
stated his object.
IF you choose to stand here in nv
shop for a day." said the proprietor,
you would see some queer people,
with queer notions about the value of
them some cases valueless-ar articles
they want me to lend money on. We
have regular customers, the same as
In any other business. There is one
customer of mine, for instance, man
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 Saturday 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, well 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
| 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 streaming into
this great city an army of people,
soldiers of fortune, in search of en-
plOyment 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 a
class which is not suspected of need
ing our assistance-high toned peo-
pie, who pledge their jewels periodi-
cally, to tide over temporary embar-
rassment.
''Then, too, the sporting element
among us is a source of profit. Today
the gambler may be well heeled, as
they say, and tomorrow broke, and
then he comes straigktway 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 everything else
that will fetch him money."-New
York Star.