The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-31
FATTEN ON POVERTY.
Sad Scenes at the Sign OF the
Three Balls
The Pawnbroker's Shop as . Resource OF
People In Need of Mcney-A Bush
ness That Prospers In Hard
Times.

Glow much you want for dat
| watch?" he asked
| | handed him little silver watch
that I paid twenty dollars for. writes
Annie Woods in the New York Re-
,order. had no notion of pawning it,
( but was curious to know what figures
could get on it. if I. like so many 9TH
ars in this sad city, stood face to face
with want.
''Oh, l don't know how you do these
| things here" l said, '.for l have never
| pawned anything before"
We'll. gift you two thaler und a
halluf''
Mercy on u.s. could not help ex-
claiming. Il couldn't part with it for
that
/ left the place and turned into the
next one, for there are plenty of them
down there. There are some in the
Bovery. and on Grand street, but they
are as thick as beehives down on Park
! row and Chatham square. As | entered
the door woman in black passed me.
She walked up to the pawnbroker, held
up beautiful diamond ring, and asked
how much he would give her on it. She
said she had to have fifty dollars. My
husband lies dead" l heard her say,
land | haven't enough to bury him.
I thought l detected a twinkle in his
eye, for he knew she would have to
take less money rather than keep the
stone. and it was a beauty.
That stones not worth much" said
the pawnbrolser. You couldn't get
more than $50 for it, and that's all it's
worth"
The poor woman was nearly dis
tracted withsgrief and could stand the
strain no longer. My husband paid
,Sl25 for that ring and gave it to me
when we were engaged. l would
.starve rather than part with it, if it
were for. myself, but he must be
buried"
Poor thing! she was doubtless one
among many ,unfortunates who were
wrecked in the last financialstorm.
l could bear this pitiful sight no
longer. and went on to the next shop.
Here found lot of women, with all
sorts of things. One of them pawned
pretty pair of shoes, worth 81 or So for
90 cents.
There was pretty girl there with
her sealskin cape. She had it on, and
the broker turned her around to ex-
anime the fur.
How much do you want?" was his
first utterance.
''Oh, don't know, how much will
you give?'
well how much do you want?"
81 think l ought to get S25 for it
my father paid $50"
I'll give you S." and she took it.
While | stood watching, man
peeped in rather sheepishly, saw the
crowd of women, and went out. He
had a large grip in his hand, and
wondered what he was after, so fol-
lowed him. l didn't have to go far,
for, as 1 expected, he turned into an
other pawnshop, opened his grip and
took out one thing after another.
Say, uncle, what'll you give me for
this coat?"
The pawnbroker took it, laid it
down, turned it inside out and felt of
it, then said it was out of style and he
would give 81 for it.
Holy smoker cried the man who
was down on his luck. why, I paid
$50 for that Prince Albert"
sit makes no differ, dot coat vas
only wort one thaler to me-" And he
stuck to it.
Then the man offered his watch. It
was perfect beauty. It's works were
jeweled all through, and it was solid
gold. 1t must have cost $3.50. but he
got loan of $50.
Now here's ring" said the hard
up man, (which once belonged TO Ros-
coe Conkling. He gave it to my IA
ther. l guessf'the governor would
feel pretty rocky if he knew / was GO
ing to hang this up. How much for
it?''
Tree thaler und half"
''Oh, well, I'll keep it then. for the
governors sake" And he picked up his
treasure and went ont.
After he was gone | ventured to ask
Iut paw NOV hc
charged?
Tree per cent mont"
While l was questioning him worn-
an came in and took out pawnticket
and roll of bills lie produced large
diamond earring and they began To
dicker about the interest. Their talk
was in German, but l managed TO re-
member that ''alf mou&ten" meant
eleven months, and CLEANED that she
had borrowed S95. She therefore paid
s31.65 interest. II she had kept it a
year she would have paid $500, more /
than one third OF what she borrowed. {
Hard? Yes: but all the same the
is the only resource of poor (
people out of work and out Of money. +
Never, they tell me, not in recent !
years. at least, hare the pagnbrolers
done such a rushing business as for 4
the last few months. They are the +
banks OF the unfortunate. They tide 4
over many bitter period of stress in I
the lives Of those IN SIGHT OF whose door (
the hungry wolf always fingers
No wonder pawnbrokers never close .
down.
No man can do good as he has OBJ !