St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-12

piouSHl ny any DCuy from anywhere and
received with no great amount of i'm
pertinent curiosity as to whom any part
of it may belong. The shop is usually
loW-broWed. ranlShackle, weather.
beaten building, dirty and uninviting
IN appearance, with a crazy, dilapidated
awning dropping over its sagging en-
trance door. The outside front has an
array of rusty, faded and threadbare
old clothes suspended in suits on dunn
mics. suggestive of an extensive execu-
ton of disreputable offenders for CAPT.
tai offenses. The
WINDOWS ARE OPAQUE
with CRIME and dust, precluding the
possibility of any view of the interior
from the street and letting as little
daylight into the shop as is consistent
with the absence of artificial light dur
ing the day. Inside are counters and
shelves packed high with what seems
TO be chiefly the troover of the rag
picker. in nothing so assertive as its
apparent worthlessness. Near the
front of the shop are showcases of
cracked and dingy glass, containing
old silver watches, frowzy hair chains.
rings and pins that CLINT with a brazen
efrontery regardless of their bastard
o~ig1n, rusty out-of-date reVolvers, iso-
lated items of silYerWare, with the pew
ter hallmark on them, no doubt. if one
rear is a dimly defined block of black
which the eye, grown accustomed by
degrees to the dusk and gloom of the
place, presently discerns to be a huge
safe with the doors sedulously closed
and locked against the prober after
It's secrets. From the street the squat
roof, sunk and settled down almost to
the level of the caves of the shops
one-story, forbade any hope of loft or
attic; now, however, a couple of I'M
wholesome looking gaps in the ceiling
pointed to by rickety ladders show
space and that there are more of the
pawnbroker's belongings up there, with
a hint of the possibilities it affords in
the way of convenienceS for a thiefs
fence" which such places often are
Picture the proprietor in keeping
with his surroundings, rusty, dirty and
uncommunicative; a stolid look on his
face, except for the cunning CLEAN in
his half-closed eyes; cringing and rub
bling his hands over each other in a
propitiatory way if you are prospective
purchaser; disdainful, curt and disa-
greeable if you are seeking accommoda-
ton in the way of loan. Last
month a wretchedly clad, thin-faced
woman with a slight figure
LEFT HER WEDDING RING
there in pledge for wherewithal to buy
food for her little ones. She obtained
a trifie, perhaps a dollar on it, and
went her way with the sad knowledge
that she had probably parted with it
for good. Where would she find money
to redeem it? She did not find it, and
the time is out and it is now ticketed
for sale in the showcase, it's value
strangely enhanced four-fold. under
these changed conditions.
1t was another sort of customer that
left the gaudy-looking brooch which
lies beside it, for as L am making
pretense Of examining the varied stock
of watches with a view, not to pur-
chase, but to gain opportunity for OBJ
serVation, its former owner comes in
and asks to redeem it. She is evident
ly no stranger there nor is it difficult to
place her in her proper social scale, if
app Nrance and manner indicate any
thing.
MY dear, de time vas out for re-
demption; you should come yester-
day." says the pawnbroker, with
shrug of his shoulders.
mo you don't, old man." retorts the
lady of the brooch. Il was in last week
an give you a half for three days eX-
tension. You just bring out that there
PIN
'Extensionsw exclaims the pawn
broker in assumed amazement. 81 don't
remember such a ting; you vas dream
ing my dear. 1t wasn't on der ticket.
You gives me fifty cents additional /
let's you have it.
The girl grumblingly pays the re-
demption money, together with the in
creased demand, secures her prop erty,
and then laughs in the pawnbroker's
face as she tells him the extension plea
was only plant" of her own, where
upon he appears to be very angry and
Iretends to think himself cheated. But
after the girl leaves, his features relax
into a shrewd smile as he says, half
to himself, half to his assistant, who
is waiting on ne. "She comes back with
der pin next week again; it was good
investment, key"
Suddenly my attendant scoops up the
assortment of time pieces [ have been
looking at, restores them to the show
case, and eyes me with illnatured de-
rision. Whats the matter?" L ask.
You don't want to buy no watch
he replies you are
ON THE WATCH:
that's how it vas Vere's your shtar?"
laughing scornfully.
No need to puzzle over what he
means. The police department of the
city through its detectives has been in
vestigating the pawnshops recently, and
laying little traps to catch the nefar-
unlawful practices; and / am mistaken
for one of the sleuths of the forcei I
am overcome with the honor implied by
the supposition and withdraw without
correcting keys erroneous impression.
Such distinctions do not fall upon me
every day.
Endeavering to procure information
from active pawnbrokers concerning
their business proving of little avail, 1
applied to a graduate of that school
one who had retired after long and
successful career in it and had no mo-
tive for reticence. TT is business of
a very peculiar kind, is pawnbroking,"
said he. "It has rascals in it, like all
trades, you know; but it is a mistake
that people make, to call all pawn
brokers rogues There are plenty of
honest men among them as the world
goes. OF course, their percentages are
high and those who borrow from them
MUST PAY HEAVILY
for their loans. But they can't get
money anywhere else and what should
they do? Then the pawnbroker has
many risks and not a rev losses. He
may be as careful as he can, yet some
times he will get taken in; not on the
value of the pledges If he knows his
business, button property which Is stolen
and which he must give up when it is
found to be stolen. People come in who
look all right and answer all questions
promptly and clearly, yet they are
thieves and the articles they pawn
thieves plumber. The broker cannot