The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-07-22
Time IS HERE TO
PAWN 0VERCOATS
All Phases Of Human Nature
Seen at Pawnshops.
MAN WHO LOANS MONEY
TO THOSE WHO MUST HAVE
READY CASH, TALKS INTER-
ESTiNGLY ABOUT
PATROLS.

"You may think it Is all joke-abou
overcoats being paaned for the sun
mer AMI taken out for the winter,
said the little pawnbrok2r with tn
soiied red necktie and the kind of
nose that delineators Of character dt
scribe as commercial says the Kar
sas City Times. But Ii isn't
bit. 1t is one of the recognized phase
of the business and one of che mos
difficult to handle Why? Because fo
his own protection the pawnbroke
must keep his clothes from moths anl
in good condition. People know thi
and very often bring us their over
coats or winter clothing in the sprinG
because ii is easier to pay us littli
than to pack them and look after then
| themselves all summer,
1T is the same with women's furs
| We have regular customers who bring
4 their furs in every spring exchange
| them for little pink ticket and e
away secure in the knowledge that We
will not dare let anything happen tc
them. But in the higher class pawn
shops there is very little trade dons
in women's clothing. Oh, of course
a woman may come in some time and
raise a little money on a silk petticoat
or a jacket or something of that sort
but regular day after day trade in
women's clothing as we have in mems
we scarcely know
The pawnbroller is really a walk
ing calendar and that without going
out of his shop. He can tell holiday
just as quickly as though ii was cried
in the streets. People, the people who
pawn, must celebrate holidays and to
celebrate adequately they must have
the price. That is where our part
comes in. Many people who pawn do
not do it for the necessities Of life,
but for what they call good times.
They pawn TO drink and do about
everything else, but they do not often
pawn to eat. The seasons really make
very little difference with us except
for short time in the spring and
short time in the fall, when, as | have
told you, We do rushing business
in clothes. Saturday half-holidays
make little difference in our bust,
ness for many of the places that give
them do not pay until Monday and the
employees need a little ready money
for over Sunday. That too. is usually
spent celebrating. Christmas makes a
difference with us. both in sales before
and pawning afterward. We do a big
business in Christmas presents but ii
Is rather the reverse of what other
shops do.
DO we ever have queer things
brought in here to pawn? Well, I
should say so. Just name most any
hing you like and | can tell story
about 1t and hard luck story too, as
a rule. A man once brought dog In
here and wanted s. on him II was a
pretty good dog and worth the money. |
but | figured that II would cost more |
% keep him than | could possibly |
make out of it. so had to send him |
away. would like to have had that
log. though.
The funniest thing a woman ever
ried to pawn with me was the switch
nut of her hair. She came dashing in
lere one night just before closing
ime and | could see that she was in
roat excitement about something or
'ther. She had TO have SIS, she said,
nd she had TO have it that night. She
lad couple of cheap rings, a plated
7atch chain. q light weight silver hair
rush and a pair of gold spectacle
rames. The whole outfit wasn't
rorth nearly SIS and told her so. I
bought she was going TO have a fit
light then and there. She cried and
rent on, and begged until was on the
oint OF letting her have the money
lst to get rid of her. when suddenly
happy thought struck her. She put
p her hands to her head. filed her
louth with hairpins, gave a few quick
asses, put in the hairpins again. and
lrew down on the counter in front of
he thick blonde switch. It was
VI ~ Ahc hlbutgs all itBhts KNEW
nough for that, but II wasn't quite in
~ line and ] had to pass it up. I
ave often wondered If she ever got
er $15.
j have heard of people who tried
} pawn wooden legs and false teeth,
ut | never had any in my business
ere and must confess do not want
ny.
Il had an experience once when I
as comparatively new To the bust !
ess that taught me lesson. A man
inc in with some baby jeweiry. t.
here was little chain and some
ms and a silver mug and one or :
70 other things-none Of them worth
uch. He told me how his wife had {.
ed. that It had taken all the money |.
had to pay the funeral expenses. &.
d that now he was trying to raise
orgh to send his two motherless ;
tie girls hack to their grandmother. I.
2 told it wen and probably IL he had I.
ked for twice as much he would !.
We gotten IT, That night a. I was ;
ing home ! saw him with a friend. :
IN drunk and both celebrating on =
2 money he had wrung out Of me. :,
Human interest N this hnsfnass2 >.