The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-02
HIS OPTIC
A Proposed Pledge on Which . Gus
toner Of B. Bank Once
made Good
The Parting Of Pedro Pete and His
Wooden Leg-Light on
Pawnbroking.

Their right eyes. These are pledges
that people often tender for loans at
pawnbrokers'. But of course, it's only a
joke" says b. Bank of 321 washington
avenue S. Mr.. Bank is a pawnbroker of
many years profits He knows the diff
Terence between g. pledge and joke.
That is, he generally knows.
Once didn't he related yesterday.
"Once an old fellow came up to my
counter when was located out in Trini-
| have on this, Bank? On what?' says I.
Why, on my right eye, of courses! The
old Joke, thought, but smiled just the
same. The older joke is, the more you
have to smile, in business circles.
smiled and says: Two dollars for one eye,
So for two
But it was up to the stranger to do the
smiling that time. He put up his right
hand and simply rubbed his eye out on his
palm, leaving a CORY, red hole clean into
his brain, thought. I shivered and
jumped back. Didn't faze him, tho. He
| Here she is said he, and mighty fine
| optic, too. The man that made her for
me down in Frisco said she'd be regu-
lar mascot. He warranted that he'd give
! me something to please the ladies, and he
| did. Why, caught my wife with that
eye! She thought it was ever so much
handsomer than the other one long be-
fore she knew that / was wearing glass!'
| I'D promised him 50 and 50 he got. I
| thought [ was sold for once, but I wasn't.
The customer never came back. He fell
down a shaft, heard. He'd probably
have broken his eye if he'd been wearing
| It, But the eye was save and he wasn't.
And then few months afterward I sold
| the old mans eye to a tenderfoot that
| wanted a unique watch charm. They
don't make them no uniquer than this I
told him, and he paid me SIS.
| Pedro Pete.
'"That reminds me Of Pedro Pete, the
gambler, and his hind leg Always
| called it his. hind leg, tho naturally it
couldn't be anything else. He meant his
wooden leg. But it was more than that.
It was wood all right, but it was filled
with springs and hinges and everything
that goes with a high-priced artificial leg.
And it was high priced enough out there
in Colorado them days. He reckoned it
| was worth $500, and maybe it was-to
| him.
But when Pete wanted to borrow
money on his limb, kicked. How was I
to sell it If he never come back? But
I'm sure to come back If I'm alive he
said Say, did you ever try to spend
forty eight hours on one Lego I said I
was no sandhill crane, and let him have
| $40 on his patent PIN. He was back with
the funds next morning. A little while
later he got $40 on the leg. I couldn't
put the leg in the safe and stuck it away
in the corner with the mop and brooms
4 Didn't think any stranger was hankerin'
for it.
"And it's fact I got so used to loanin'
Pete money on his southeast corner that
I sometimes advanced as much as s75.
| Whenever I'd see Pedro a-trottin' down
the street inside a pair of crutches
knew he was going to soak his leg. He
had to have the clutches to escape with.
But he always came back.
| Sentiment Factor.
Fact is, it isn't what a pledge is act
ually worth that makes it good but what
! the owner thinks it's worth. I've loaned
hundreds Of dollars on things T didn't
know the name Of. But could see that
the customers hated to part with 'em.
! There was a young fellow brought in a
nickel plated machine last winter Good
maker I asked. Hadn't the least idea
what the thing might be. THE very best,
he says, Just got it from Vienna Well,
when he returned the s. he explained that
it was dingus to do ttree-f1ning' with
cut holes in a mans skull. He said he
| was doctor
| And nobody'd guess how many women
get money of pawnbrokers on fake Jewel
ny without ever learning that the stuff
| isn't genuine. should say that a GER
| tain Kind OF men never give their girls
anything but the cheapest of filed rings.
One of these things, with glass rubies or
diamonds, may be worth Is cents its q
birthday present, the grin say and you
can see with half an eye that she is stuck
on it. Yes, Eli say, very. fine ring; worth
$25, l guess. But can't give you more
than sss.on. 1t. We'll. that's three times
the cost price. But you can stake your
life that she'll redeem the ring. She al
ways does. II I'd said: This is "a cheat
fake; amt worth ST. she'd hate me the
rest of her days and SO would her mash
But she tells him how I praised his pres.
ent and I make two solid friends besides
my commission on the loan. You've go1
to have a little charity, ii you want to Be
a, pawnbroker." 8 g, = =