Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-07


Of several good things"
We went over to pawn brokers' place in
the Bowery where a sale of forfeited chat
tells had been announced, the bargains to
be offered without reserve
There was a dense jam in the rooms.
The sale had begun before We arrived. IL
was the usual unloading Of the thousand
and one effects left in an everyday DAVID
shop. The auctioneer offered several
watches, then put up diamond ring.
Dobson examined the ring with his little
microscope and then cautiously bid three
dollars.
Five" said voice in tQe corner.
Five twenty-five" repeated Dobson.
''Seventy-fve.
six"
Ten"
Twelve"
Take it, Mr.. Dobson,' said the auo
tioneer.
Then the broker Did in two gold watches
AT ten dollars each and a chip diamond fol
two dollars more. A cake basket WAS then
offered
Some one bid forty cents. Dobson made
1t fifty, then sixty, then seventy -five, then
one dollar, then quarter more, then II
bali, then three quarters and
And Mr.. Dobson shrewdly dropped out.
for, as he said afterward, some one WAS
only leading him on in I'll e interest of the
house.
Ia half an hour Mr.. Dobson, the broker
had invested about fifty dollars, and in
turn had received four watches, two rings,
gold brooch, three razors, a pair of sec
ondhand trousers, rusty set OF surgical
instruments and violin.
Mr.. DobsOn then withd -ew from the sale.
Later in the day he attended another
foreclosure sale and purchased five more
watches, three rings, two gold chains Il
| marine glass, u dress suit and n set of box
ing gloves and toils. He packed all his
goods in two satchels and started for
home, as it was now too late TO do any
business that day.
Bright and early next morning l went
by appointment to Mr. Dobson's room
and assisting him with one of the satchels.
we started out, Mr.. DCbson to ply his
| strange calling. We trudged along over
| toward the Bowery.
Whist will you give me for this fine
hunting case watch, Felix" asked Mr. Dob
son of ii pswubroker friend near Chatham
square.
What do you want on it," he asked
Thirty dollars
I'm give you twelve"
Take it"
Felix made out a check for the watch.
Dobson offered Felix two rings and \
chain, and utter some bargaining the deal
was made.
In each case tickets Were given
We then passed on to half dozen pawn
| shops. In one we sold the dress suit for
seven dollars, tue boxing gloves and f1ils
went for two dollars more and two more
rings were disposed of ut $40 Tickets
were obtained in each instance.
In the next half hour We had sold three
more watches, the marine glass. the razors,
the clothes-aud ali that remained was the
set of surgical instruments. These proved
difficult TO dispose of To any advantage, but
finally Nh. Dobson let them pass At a close
sacrifice.
| Mr.. Dobson, his goods all placed, dis
! posed of the two satchcls at a fair figure
and was now ready for lis business proper
as a broker in pawn tickets. He eyed them
narrowly, wondering how much profit
there was in them.
! We counted over the tickets and found
! that they were sixteen II number and ag-
! gregayej seventy-fye do lars. face value.
| II was now about O'Clock Com, With
! me, said Mr.. Dobson, Leading the say into
! tenement in Hester street.
What sor,"
! Il have a customer up mere"
| Jake said Mr.. Dubsp IN To a young man
! up stairs ARE YOU still going with Han
| uahE"
"Why?"
! Well, it's nearly time that you bought
! her present. DO you want a chance:"
Have YOU Il bargain, Mr.. Dohson2'
look at this. Here is ticket for a
lady's gold watch, twelve carats fine, good
machine movement, enumeled cases stem
winder. saw the watch myself. 1t IS a
beauty This ticket viii redeem it for
seven dollars Give me three dollars for
the bargain, Jake, and you can make Han
| nah happy"
Jake hesitated.
IT'S only ten dollars, and ! tell You it Is
a real bargain ~
The deal wa, closed, and Mr. Dobson and
] went away.
Next the pawn ticket broker led me to a
saloon where lac was known. There was a
large crowd sitting at the tables Mr.. Dob
son was gone about half an hour, during
which time saw him offer ticket after
ticket, here and there, TO the men AT the
tables, all the while explaining in low
tone the value of his goods.
When we went out he had sold five tick
tts, making something on each, the net
profit being 81 ~.
As we passed along, tine genial broker
never missed mis- opportunity to greet q
friend and offer tickets Ia an hour he haC
, ! sold Two more.
Then business became somewhat de
pressed. In the next two hours only one
ticket was sold.
Mr.. Dobson then Wis ted in quick success
sion half dozen saloons where he wa.
known favOrably
By II O'Clock that night he had disposed
Of the entire sixteen tickets at a profit o
$3.50. / could not but marvel
, 1t is phase Of human nature" said
, the shrewd broker, go try 10 get some
: thing for nothing. Zach man is after q
big bargain and Is willing To pay dollar
or two more TO secure the coveted oppor
tunity- All amounts over and above full
values are of course my commissions"
You live in this ways