The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-12-02
FATTEN ON POVERTY.
Sad Scenes at the Sign OF tho
Three Balla.

Three BallaL
rhe Pavnbroker's Shop - . Rssonrcs e
People In Need Of lGoaay-A Bust
mess That Prospsfs In Hard
~ TiHesc
How much you want for dHt
watch?" he asked.
l handed him little silver watch
that l paid twenty dollars for, writes
Annie Woods in the New York Re
corder. had no notion Of pawning it,
but was curious to know what hguresz
could get on it, If 1, like 70 many 9TH
ers in this sad city. stood face to face
with want
''Oh, don't know how you do these
things here,- said, 'sfor have never
pawned anything before"
Veil. ! gif You two thaler ind .
Mercy on us!" could not help ex-
claiming. II couldn't part with it for
that"
left the place and turned into the
next one, tor there are plenty of them
down there. There are some in the
Bowcry, and on Grand street, hut they
are as thick as beehivcs down on Park
row and Chatham square. AS entered
the door a woman in black passed me.
She walked up to the pswnbroker. held
up a 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" I heard her say.
''and 1 haven't enough to bury him"
l thought detected twinkle in his
eye, for he knew she would have to
take less money rather than keep the
stone, and it was beauty.
That stones not worth much" said
the pawnbroker. "You couldn't get
more than s35 for it, and that's all it's
worth"
The poor woman was nearly dis
tracted with grief and could stand the
strain no longer. my husband paid
sl25 for that ring and gave it to me
when we were engaged would
starve rather than part with it, il it
were for myself. but he must be
buried"
Poor thing. she was doubtless one
among many unfortunates who were
wrecked in the last financial storm.
/ could bear this pitiful sight no
longer, and went on to the next shop.
Here found lot Of women, with ali
sorts of things. One OF them pawned Z
pretty pair of shoes, worth q or IS foz
! SO 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 hi.
first utterance.
''Oh, don't know, how much vii
you give?"
well how much do you want?"
II think l ought to get S25 for it
my father paid $50"
''I'll give you S5," and she took it.
While I stood watching, a mar
peeped in rather sheepishly. saw the
crowd of women, and went out He
had large grip in his hand, and
wondered what he was after, SO fol
lowed him. l didn't have to go far
for, as I expected, he turned into an
other pawnshop, opened his grip and
took out one thing after another.
Say, uncle, what'n you gite me TO,
this ecat?"
The pawnbroker took it, laid il
down, turned it inside out and felt OF
it, then said it was out of style and he
would give 81 for it.
Holy smoke," cried the man whs
was down on his luck. "Why, I PAID
$50 for that Prince Albert"
/ la$
only wort one thaler to me-" Aud hs
stuck to it.
Then the man offered his watch. 4
was perfect beauty. Its works were
jeweled all through, and it was solit
gold. 1t must have cost $3.50. but b,
got loan of $50.
"Now here's q ring" said the hard
up man, (which once belonged to Ros
coe Conkling. He gave it to my II
ther. 1 guess the governor would
feel pretty rocky II he knew l was go
ing to hang this up How much fol
it?.
Tree thaler und halt"
'.Oh, well, I'll keep it then, for 'th,
governors sake" And he picked up hi
treasure and went out.
After he was gone ventured to asl
the pawnbrolSer how much interest h
charged?
Tree per cent. mont"
While l was questioning him WON
an came in and took out a pawnticke
and a roll of bills He produced larg'
diamond earring and they began tt
dicker about the interest. Their tall
was in German, but I managed to re
member that 'alf monaten" mean
eleven months, and CLEANED that sh
had borrowed sos. She therefore pai
s3I.65 interest. II she had kept it
: year she would have paid s34.2O, NOR
than one third OF what she borrowed
, Hard? Yes; but all the same tn
pawnshop is the only resource of poo
people out of work and out Of money.
Never, they tell me, not in recen
years, at least. have the pawnbroke-
done such a rushing business as TO
the last few months They are tn
banks of the unfortunate. They It'd
over many bitter period of stress il
the lives of those in sight of whose doc
the hungry wolf always fingers
No wonder pawnbrokers never clos
down.
Rare Tropical Flower.
A flower lately discovered in tn