The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-27
PUT e IN HOCK."
Interesting Articles
In Worcester's
Pawnshops.
PRIZE MEDALS GALORE.
How the Broker Works His
Little Profit on
45 Watches.

Worcester pawnshops have not gen.
orally become known as places in
which. the confidence of the public is
represented by dearth of household
articles and wearing apparel, yet local
pawnshops are not far behind for YER
sstality.
Every man has an uncle" as the
pawnshop proprietor is referred to by
those with whom business is frequently
transacted. When a man visits his
uncle and gets 80 on $50 watch, he
cannot but admire the business sagacity
OF the pawnbroker, and when the watch
gets beyond redemption the original
owner is willing to fatten the Golfers of
the broker by paying more for the
watch than anyone else would, simply
because the broker knows the man
wants it, and insists on stiff price.
In one local pawnbroker's salesroom
is collection of medals, which win
ners have sold for few dollars after
the flush of victory has worn away. A
S. bill would seem a trife to the win
ner Of q masquerade ball or costume
carnival, yet after a general display of
the $40 medal the five sheet is sought.
Here is a medal" said the pawnbro-
ker which was made-three years ago
and offered as prize for the best cos
tune at ball in one of the county
towns.
"A few weeks after the medal had
been won it was sold to me for Sc. /
had a chance to dispose of it at a fair
margin of profit the following year. and
it was again offered as a prize in a
similar competition. The winner kept
it until he had an opportunity to come
to this city, ana it fell into my hands
again for few dollars. l sold it to a
dapper looking chap, who pinned 1t on
his vest at once and went into the
street with his prize, prouder than
though ne had won it.
Well, here is the medal again, and
unless it falls into the hands of a per-
son VINO can resist the temptation to
turn 1t into cash, the chances are that
| will have 1t back again. 1t is an easy
matter to sell medals offered for the
best dancer" champion waltzer" and
similar events, because there is seldom
any other inscription. Unless the name
of the winner is engraved on the medal.
the public does not recall the fact that
John Smith ever won a medal
One of the funniest incidents in
medal bartering that has come under
had medal inscribed: First prize,
Waiting. contest" A young man with a
dress suit case and the air of a Vaca-
toner, called and wanted to look over
my exhibit. The dancers medal attract
ed his eye, and he inquired the price.
After haggling awhile he went away
with the medal pinned on his outing
shirt. e,S @
Il went into the country for a few
days, short time later, and stopped at
a resort where there was swell hop
The young man who bought the medal
was one of the nattiest looking fellows
on the floor of the dance hall. He was
the cynosure of all eyes, and it wasn't
because he was graceful, either. When
ne slipped and fell, there was general
tittering among the cotAEie of young
ladies', and the young man was I'M
mercifully guyed. His coat flew open,
and on his breast the medal could be
seen. The inscription seemed like mock
cry, and I'll wager that the young man
packed his grip and left the next day.
The chances are that some other dealer
will have a chance to buy that medal
at roekbottom price, or the young
man will take a few lessons.
There is not a. branch of athletics.
with the possible exception of goif
which has not contributed its share to-
wards the local collection of cast-off
prizes. Occasionally one finds in the
local pawnshops, a medal less valuable
than the athletic and ball room SOU
venirs, but to the thoughtful observer,
the modest medal is of greater inter
est. In one local salesroom is a medal
given for general excellence in school
work. lit is dated 1888" and is of the
best quality of gold. Unless buyer APP
pears within few months, the medal
will be converted into old gold, and sold
as such. For short time the medal
may have been worn and then, with the
name rudely scratched off, it went the
way of other medals, and the reward
for proficiency was replaced by green
backs 20 @
No pawnproker is unwise enough to
announce who his regular customers
are butaa day spent behind the counter
Of the brokers' salesroom is filled with
incidents which tend to increase the be-
wilderment in knowledge of the ways of
the world 1t takes years of experience
to make the pawnbroker an adept, and
then confidence is placed in no one.
The buying and selling of metals is
but small spart of the thrifty pawn
brolyat,c hIGt0ass5 and hundreds of men