The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1893-11-03
R'ATTEN ON POVERTY.
sad Scenes ct the Sign OF tfie
Three Balls.
The Pawnbrokee's shop ~ = Resource Of
People In Need OF Money--A Busi-
meas That Prospsrs IN Hard
Times:

Euuoas
Show much you want for dat
watch?" he asked.
/ handed him a. little silver watch
that 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 figures
could get on It. if /, like so many 9th
ers in this sad city, stood face to face
with want.
''Oh, Idon't know how you do these
things here" J said, "for I have never
uawned anything before"
fyell, 7 gif you two thaler und
halluf."
Mercy on usl'' could not help ex-
claiming. - conldn't part with Il for
that"
left the place and turned into the
next one, for there are plenty Of them
down there. There are some in tie
Bowery, 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 pawnbroRer, 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" / heard her say,
s'and Haven't enough to bury him."
I thought Isdetected twinkle in his
| eve, 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 Ss5 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
S125 for that ring and gave it to me
when we were engaged. / would
starve rather than part with it, if it
were for myself. but he must be
buried"
I Poor thingl she was doubtless one
among many unfDrtunates 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 all
sorts of things One Of them pawned a
pretty pair of shoes, worth 81 or S5 for
SO cents.
There was a 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 want7" was his
first utterance.
/ .oh, I don't know, how much will
you giveP"
'sWell how mach do you want?'
ST think ought to get S25 for it,
my father paid $50"
'sI'll give you s5," and she took it.
While I stood watching, mar
peeped in rather sheepishly, saw tht
crowd OF women, and went out. HI
n had 8 large grip in his hand, and
I wondered what he was after, so fol
lowed him. didn't have to go far
for, as I expected, he turned into an
other pawnshop, opened his grip ant
took out one thing after another
"Say, uncle, what'll you give me TO-
| this coat?n
The pawnbroker took it, laid i
} down, turned 1t inside out and felt o
it, then said it was out of style and h
would give 81 for IT.
ssHoly smokel' cried the man VIII
was down ON his luck. 'sWhy, pai
$50 for that Prince Albert. "
sit makes no differ, dot coat va
only wort one thaler to me-" Audi
stuck to it.
: Then the man offered his watch. !
was perfect beauty. It's works wer
jeweled all through, and it was soil
gold. 1t must have cost $3.50, but b
got a 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. I guess the governor woul
c feel pretty rocky if he knew Twas gC
ing to hang this up. How much TO
n it2"
seTree tfaler und half"
sob, well, I'll keep it then, for 'th
+ governors sake. Ard he picked up hi
treasure and went out.
After he was gone I ventured to as
the pawnbroker how much interest b
charged2
: "Tree per cent. mont"
e While was questioning him won
an came in and took out q pawnticke
= and roll OF bills He produceda larg
diamond earring and they began t
i, dicker about the interest. Their tai
Z was IN German, but managed to r.
member that calf monaten" mean
g eleven months, and CLEANED that sf
Is had borrowed sos. She therefore pal
u Ss1.e5 interest. II she had kept it
= year she would have paid $3A2O, mol
s than one third Of what she borrowe,
Harde Yes; but all the same I'll
pawnshop is the only resource of pot
people out Of work and out Of money.
Never, they tell me, not in recei
ss years, at least. have the pawnbroke
done snch rushing business as #
the last few months. They are Il
banks OF the unfortunate. They tit
over many a bitter periodsof stress
sh the lives of those in sight ofwhose do
the hungry wolf always fingers.