Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-13
OLD GOLD AND SILVER.
flow 1t Is Fought by Those Who Follow
 the Business.

hoW It IS fought ny ThOS6 Who Follow tho Business.
 Recently reporter sat during half an hour in a gold refiner's office and saw about dozen people come in with old gold and silver to sell. They repre- sented nearly every condition of life save the more prosperous. The counter was screened like one in a bank. Behind it stood keen-eyed young man, who seemed to possess the ability to deter mine the quality of metal at a glance Two young men of doubtful appearance entered and offered for sale gaudy breast pin. The clerk glanced at it and said: "Plated; don't want it. The young men left, and the clerk turning to me said: ''We don't buy stolen prop erty."
 The next to enter was an old man who offered an old silver watch for sale. The clerk took out the movement and then tested and weighed the case. ''Eighty-six cents," said he.
 What almost shrieked the old fel- low. 'Only eighty-six cents? That's a swindle. Give me back that case. Eighty-six cents for silver watch case, indeed,'' and he left in high dudgeon.
 ''Silver watch cases contain so much alloy, sometimes, that there is very little silver in them, and we value iewelry only for the bullion we can get out of it," said the clerk, in answer to my in- quiring look.
 A young lady and half-grown girl came in. They were both nicely dressed and seemed to be in good circumstances. The young lady looked around mod estly, and then hesitatingly drew out of handbag an oxidized silver hairpin, & thin bracelet of the same material, and still another little silver trinket.
 ''What are these worth, please?" she said, passing them to the clerk. They were soon undergoing the tests of the truth telling acids and scales. Fifty four cents, ma'am," said he. 70, my! is that all?" the woman asked in tone showing great disap- pointment. Isn't that pin real silver?'' ''Yes, ma a'am," said the unsentimental clerk, "but it's very light
 Well, give me the money, she said, blushing. ''We found so many pretty things in the stores that we forgot to save enough money for car fare." And tossing the coin which the clerk gave her into her handbag, she left. ''Now, there is a case," said the young man. If she had been of the same sort as a good many people she would have gone to pawnshop. She probably wouldn't have got any more, if as much, as gave her, but she could have re- deemed them. We make only actual purchases. We pay very nearly full bullion value, and every thing we buy goes into the crucible, for our customers l are chiefly jewellers
 We often get things in that way from people who do not want to disgrace themselves, as they think, by going to a pawnshop." Just then seedy old man came in and gave the clerk lace pin In a husky voice he said he had just found it.
 ''Don't want it." said the clerk.
 ''Honestly, I found it. Won't you give me enough to get drink with?' 1 appealed the ''bum.''
 "No, it's brass" replied the crue1 clerk.
 "Just my luclz,' whined the tramp. as he shuffled out
 And so they kept going and coming with gold and with dross, each seeking to convert some old symbol of pleasant regard or vanity into that which would procure actual necessaries or gratify ap petite.-Jeweler's Weekly.