July 31, 2012

Pawnbroker Maxims, 1861


From the Providence Evening Press in Providence, RI on April 8, 1861:


The Pawnbroker's Golden Rule.--"If you expects to get on in this here world," said Mr. Cramp to Lorn, "you must look at both sides of everythink.  Man's natur is prone to deceive.  It ain't the gloss on a coat that makes it new; threadbare clothes is always the shiniest.  Handle folks as if they were the weskits and trowsies they comes to pop; hold 'em well up to the the light, try the strength of their scams and stitches, take care the moth ain't in 'em.  The uman art is full of wickedness, and all's not gold as glitters.  A man comes to you and says--so and so; don't trust him; plated goods ain't silver; if you wants to get at the real thing, test it with a strong mind and aquafortis.  Men's words is mostly outside show; they don't mean what they expresses; paste looks like diamonds till you gets at the foil that's under.
Never believe arf a man tells you, and don't offer more than a quarter what's asked.  Snakes often lies 'hid in the grass; they raises their painted 'eds and smiles; when a female puts a pledge in your 'and, look at the harticle, not 'er hies; think of the valley of the hobject, not of the 'oney that trickles from her tongue.  Charity begins at 'ome; 'arts is soft and 'eds is 'ard; you owes your duty to your 'ed; else what are you there for?  The simble of our profession is three gold balls, two at top and one at bottom.  When a man is in want, the world is two to one agin 'im; keep that in mind, when parties pops the necessaries of life--fire irons, bed furnitur', and all kinds of warrin' apparel--the more he wants, the less he's able to git.  Them's my maxims, and them's the pawnbroker's golden rule."-- Dudley Costello, in Bentley's Miscellany for February.

July 6, 2012

Funeral Attendees Scramble to Stake Gold Claims

This article comes from the Charleston Mercury, Charleston, SC on November 21, 1860:



An Incident of Life In the Gold Regions.-- Among the deep defiles[?] of the Rocky Mountains, lately, a small company of men stood around the new made grave of a dead companion.  With heads uncovered, they listened attentively to the words of the preacher as he offered up a prayer.  While in the midst of it, one of the company discovered "the color" in the earth at his feet thrown up to make room for the remains of the deceased.  In a loud whisper he communicated the rather exciting intelligence to his companion.  All heard it, even the clergy man, who, suspending his prayer, opened his eyes to see his auditory scatter in every direction to stake off gold claims.  Calling in a loud voice to them to stake him off a "claim," her re-closed his eyes, hastily concluded his prayer, and started off in a run to join his fellows in securing a claim.