The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-25
: in to transact business during any twenty

in TO transact business during any twenty
four hours.
IN the better class of these places where
ample protection IS given TO property left
in trust and where the borrower is cer-
tain to recover the security he has de-
posted whenever his pecuaiary condition
IS restored to its proper equilibrium. there
are few of the instances of sorrow and
sadness which are daily features of life
in those places of the much commoner
type in. the neighborhood OF the poorer
parts OF the city
Christmas time and the habit that the
American people have developed into a
national trait Of giving presents TO friends
and relatives along about the close OF the
year IS largely responsible for the added
accumulation of watches. rings. charms
toos and other articles of personal adorn-
inent or the like. which is found in the
vaults Of those who hire out their money
Young men working on weekly salaries
and with board bill start-.g them in the
face every Saturday nigh. find il exceeds
inSly difficult in times like these 10 pre-
serve their social standing and nav that
t@aen e.iss,. OF devotion to their young women
slty in the Yuletide. The recourse is
found in the pawnsiop and a loan OF suf-
hcient Siz., is negotiated without trouble
.'fovided that the collateral has the fine
hess ana weight which the lender deems
sufficient.
BEARABLE SEPARATION.
temporary separation from a family
heirloom possibly or the gift which his
parents sent him the year before is NOT
nara TO bear when the result is A sparkla
OF the eye and flush In the cheek OF ones
laGy love on Christmas morning
True. the JOY ana pleasure are nossib,v
temporary, and after he has been for a
lew. lew hours 10 ., from under the hypnotic pres
ence e OF her" even though the exclarna-
ions OF pleasure and delight at the mag
nihcence OF his Christmas gifts arc stil,
ringing in his ears. that indescribabIe sem
5dtiSH bis 9Is, Is already res, ", running up and down
1t asks: How are you going 10 get thai
watch out of soak?''
Perchance the angel of his dreams takes
notice that familiar article OF his per
Sanal adornment is among the missing
Lhen IL is his to get his inventive bowers
INTO action. and describe some accident
OF calafn;tF which has compelled the lew
article FOR a few days '--e
II is related of one young man who was
being tossed upon the financial seas that
nothing, stood between him and very
distressing predicamcnt in which a Con-
stable and Justice court promised 10
pay leading roles but magnificent soli-
taire diamond. which had been given to
him by his father when the young man
!eft his country home to make his fortune
in the city.
ne was at last forced to negotiate a loan
with paWnbroker. who. after much ar
gument. was induced 10 advance $40 on
the diamond, worth at least Si25 The
same night the young man received word
to come home thar he might be present
when his father was peLfecting some de-
knew that he had to go. and he also
knew that if he appeared at the old home
without that family heirloom there would
oe a distressing half hour for someone
UNEXPECTED WINDFALL
Suddenly the thought struck him that it
might be possible to find a "phony' which
would be sufficiently like the real thing to
one which filed the bill and left him inst
enough cash TO pay his homeward fare.
When he arrived, his father was settling
UP his estate in the expectation of passing
from earth in short order Another son
had taken the notion that he would like
to have the diamond, and in the course
OF the arrangements 1t was decided that
the solitaire be turned over to Number .
and that Number ] should receive in its
place & handsome gold watch of his fa-
thers and the equivalent in cash for the
diamond. which was estimated at sl25.
The first place that the city lad struck
after returning to st. Louis the next day
was the pawnbrokeE's shop where the
sinner glistening in his shirt bosom a
good watch in his pocket and SS5 in cash
rolled up in his wallet. which was pretty
good business for two days.
These cases are not frequent, however,
and by. far the majority Of borrowers
leave their treasured possessions within
tEe grasp OF tlle paWHSnOp Keepers, Know
ing that they viii not be able to pay the
monthly interest, much less ultimately re-
cover them. This may not be the case
with those places patronized by the sala-
ried classes, who leave their things with
the pawnbrokers but a few hours after
their weekly stipend has been secured
With the average class, which is living
bevond its income, and which gets its nay
at the week end, Tuesday or wednesday
finds ii making the weekly call to the
sign of the golden balls, and Saturday