The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-13
HAGAR OF THE PAWNSHOP

property Of Jacob Dix during the alb
sehCe OF the rightful heir. She had full
cohtroi or everything by the terms of
the VIII. Jacob had made many good
bargains in his life, but none better
than that which had brought him Ha-
gar for siave-Hagar, with her strict
sense OF duty, her upright nature, and
her determination to act honestly even
when her own interests were at stake.
such a character was almost unknown
among the denizens OF Carby's Ores
cent.
Vark. the lawyer thought her a fool.
FIRSTLY, because she refused to make a
nest egg for herself out of the estate:
secondly, because she had surrendered
hne future to benefit a man she
mated; thirdly, because she declined 20
become Mrs. Vark. Otherwise she was
sharp enough-too sharp, the lawyer
thought; for, with her keen business
instinct and her faculty for organic
Ing and administering and understand
ing, he found IL impossible to trick her
IN any way. Out of the Dix estate
Vark received his due fees, and no
more, which position was humilfating
TO a man of his intelligence.
Hagar. however, minded neither Vark
nor any one else. She advertised for
the absent heir, she administered the
estate and carried on the business of
the pawnshop. living in the back par
Tor meanwhile, after the penurious
fashion of her late master. It had been
q shock to learn that the heir of the
bAu was none other tnan
Goliath, the red haired sutton who had
forced her to leave the gypsy camp.
Still her honesty would not permit her
10 rob him of his heritage, and she at
tended to his interests as though they
we're those OF the man she loved best
IN the world. When Jimmy Dix alias
Goliath, appeared TO claim the property
Hasar intended to deliver UP all TO him
and to leave the shop as poor as when
she entered it. In the meantime, as the
months went by, Hagar minded the
shop. transacted business, and drove
bargains. Also she became the heroine
If several adventures. such as the fol-
lowing:
During June twilight she was sum
moned TO the shop by a sharp rapping
and on entering she found young man
waiting to pawn a book which he held
I'm his hand. He was tall, slim, fair
haired, ana blue eyed, with a clever and
intellectual face, lighted by dreamy
eyes Quick at reading physiognomies
Has gar liked his appearance at the first
glance. and. moreover, admired his
good looks.
IL wish to get some money on this
BOOK said the stranger i'm a hesitat-
ing manner, a flush invading his fair
complexion; could you-that is. will
you" He paused in confusion and
held out the book, which Hagar took in
silence.
II was an old and costly book over
which a bibliomaniac would have
glOated
The date was that of the fourteenth
century. the printer a famous Floren-
tine publisher Of that epoch: and the
author was none other than one Dante
Alghieri, a poet not unknown TO fame.
In short. the volume was a second edi-
lion of ia Divina COmmedia." ex-
tremely rare and worth much money.
Hagar, who had learned many things
under the able tuition of Jacob. at once
recognized the value of the book. but
with keen business instinct-nOtwith-
standing her prepossession concerning
the young man-she began promptly to
disparage il.
Il don't care for old books" she
said, offering it back to him. why not
take il TO second hand bookseller"
Because l don't want to part with
II. At the present moment I need
money, as you can see from my ap-
pearanCe. Let me have s. on the book
until i can redeem it
Hagar. who had already noted the
haggard looks of this customer and the
threadbare quality of his apparel laid
down the Dante With a bang. Il can't
give you S." she said. bluntIy. "The
book isn't worth it,'
shows how much you know of such
things, my girl. It is a rare edition OF
a celebrated Italian poet. and il is
worth over E1O0.''
Really" said Hagar, dryly. "Ir
that case, why not SELF"
SIS"
NO; four is all that I can advance
-Four ten" pleaded the customer
Four" repeated the !nexorable Ha-
gar. "Or else
She pushed the book toward him with
one finger Seeing that he could ge
nothing more out of her, the yOuns
man sighed and relented. GIVE me thu
81 he said gloOmily. Il might have
guessed that q Jewess would grind m,
down TO the lowest"
II am not jew, but a gypsy" re
piled Hagar making out ticket
a sypsyl" said the other, peerins
into her fact. And what is a Roman,
lass doing in this Levitical tabernacle p
That's my business retorted Ha
gar. CURLY. Name and address,
EustaCe Lorn. A. Castle road" saiC
the young man, giving an address nea1
{ hand But I say-if YOU are tru,
Romany, YOU can talk the Gallo jib'
II talk II with my kind. young man
Dot with the Gentiles."
But I am a Romany Rye"
I'm not fool, young man, Roman,
Ryes don't live I'm cities for choice"
Nor do gypsy fnaidens dwell II
pawnshops, my lassi'
-Four pounds said Hagar. takin,
no notice OF this remark: there it is
in gold; your ticket also-number eigh
hundred and twenty. You can redeem
the book whenever you like. on PAWN
per cent interest. Good night"
But l say" said Lorn. as he slippe
money and ticket into his pocket, .
want to speak to you, and"
Good night. siri' said Hagar. sbarp
~ and vanished into the darkness a
the shop Lorn was annoyed by he
curt manner and his sudden dismissal
but as there was no help for IL. h
walked into the street
What a handsome girll' was hi
first thought; and WHAT a spitfrei
was his second.
After his departure Hagar put a wa
the Dante, and, as it was late shit n
Il
parlor TO eat her supper-dry bread an
cheese with cold waier--and 10 thin