Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-08-07
IN THE PAWNSHOPS.
QUEER INCIDENTS NOTED BY PRO-
PRlETORS OF LOAN OFFICES.

An Insignia of the Legion of Honor Often
"Soaked"-Trying to Pawn Glass Eye.
The Secret Which Few Half Inch
Boards Kept Dark.
The pawnbrokor, the banker of the
spendthrift and the unfortunate, the
custodian of family skeletons and the
receiving teller of hard luck stories,
runs across deal of the pathos of life
mixed up with not little that is strik-
ingly ludicrous.
Stories of former opulence and present
need of reckless speculation, of dissipa.
ton, of oppression, are given over to
his safe keeping, along with valued
keepsakes and family heirlooms. Some
of these heirlooms have strange histo-
ries
In the vaults of Clark street pawn
broker is bit of soiled ribbon that was
once pinned ON the breast OF a gallant
general by no less person than Napo-
leon. The ribbon is soiled and crum-
pied, but from the bottom of it, bright
as the day it was first worn, hangs the
insignia of the Legion of Honor. Along
with it are papers giving the name of
its first holder and the fields of battle
on which he achieved the right to wear
it. How it made its way to Chicago is
unknown history, but time and again
has it found its way into the vaults of
the broker, only to be redeemed again
and brought back. A few doors away is
deposited belt of fine gold and silver
interviewer, the last relic of once dis
tinguished Russian family.
Not long ago woman, past the prime
of life, tall and stately, and with the
dark, imperious eyes and naughty hear
ing of a Castilian, called on Clark
street broker. She said she was of a
Spanish family which had been COM
PEELED to leave its country for political
causes. She would not give her name
eff did, she said, "you would be in
credulous. Then she handed the clerk
a casket of jewels-tiaras, bracelets,
pendants, all set with gems of the first
water. She wanted $50, 000-for only
short while, she explained. Not cent
less would be of use to her. The jewels
had doubtless cost a great deal more
than this sum, but the broker feared he
could not realize that amount ON them,
and the woman left and never returned.
A few days ago a well dressed, digni-
fed man walked into this same estab-
lishment and said he would like to Sc
cure loan of Il few dollars. On being
asked what security he had to offer he
gave the dapper broker fit of nervous
prostration by calmly removing a glass
eye.
"This is remarkably fine eye," he ex-
planned, leisurely wiping the dislodged
optic on his handkerchief II have been
told it becomes me better than my own,
but if you would let me have a few dol
lars on it l think could get along with
the other for day or two"
The broker admitted that he had once
assisted i'll putting pennies on the eyes
of a deceased relative, but couldn't see
his way clear to place dollars on the
glass eye of live man, and the visitor
secured the address of second hand
clothes dealer, replaced his eye, bowed
stif1ly and walked away.
In the higher class of pawnshops-
those that restrict themselves solely tc
diamonds, watches and jewelry-tho
place loans are negotiated and goods re.
ceived are separated from the front show
room by a partition. To give greater
privacy to customers there is little row
of stalls along a counter. These are fitted
with spring doors, giving them the
appearance of a line of telephone boxes.
Into one of these person can step and
transact his or her business unseen by
any save the clerk behind the counter.
Last summer, about holiday time, a
fashionably dressed woman was in one of
these stalls i'll down town brokers' of
fice She wanted to borrow $50 ON q
ring. "It's my engagement ring" she
explained, land l wouldn't have my
husband know for the world.'
While this was going on man in the
compartment next to her was dickering
with another clerk over loan of $50 Oh
watch. The owners initials were on
the back Of the watch, and as this less
ened its selling value the clerk hesitated
in advancing so much.
ION, that's point in your favor, -
explained the would be borrower. "My
wife had those put on there when she
gave it to me, and I'll be bound to re-
deem it shortly, for if she knew I was
soaking her present there would be in
somnia in our family till 1 brought it
home.
By this time the woman in stall No.
l had secured her money and departed.
After a little delay the man did like
wise. When the usual list was made
out for police inspection, it was found
that the names and addresses of the two
tailed, and that they were, in fact,
man and wife. The ring and the watch
have long since been redeemed, and
neither guesses that only few hall
inch boards stood between two awful
revelations -ChicapO Record