| Show NOTHING FOrt THE BIBLE An Aged Mans Vain Errand In a New York Pawnshop In a Bowery pawnshop a man shuffled shuf-fled up to one of the clerks with a big bundle which he wanted to pawn The man was old and decrepit His hair and beard were long white and unkempt His clothes were ragged as the wrappings wrap-pings of his bundle He laid the bundle down on the counter pulled off the wrappings and displayed a Bible of what is known as the family sort It had large heavy covers stamped in gilt and looked as if it might be illustrated with full page steel engravings Whatll you give me on that eaid he to the clerk Nothing replied the clerk with the most discouraging accent imaginable imagina-ble and apparently without even a glance at the Bible Oh yes you will said the old man Please give me something No answered the clerk not a centBut But Ive got to have it pleaded the old man I havent had anything to eat today Give me 50 cents Nothing to drink vou mean said < he clerk with anoth r glance at the trembling old man I wont give you anything We dont take Bibles anyway any-way The clerk turned to talk to a man who wanted to pawn a ring The old man hesitated a minute and then renewed re-newed his effort Well give me 25 cents thenhe said Ive had more than that 1 before J Not here answered ti tell ypu we donttako eo Wt 5 The old man gathered and shuffled away Tho man w pawning the ring looked on with evl interest He was thinking of the man stories he had heard of men who would pawn the family Bible for drink money and reflecting that here was a pawnbroker pawn-broker whose heart was not as stony as tradition makes believe who had some taint of seiitiment if not of reverence left in him Is that a rule of the house he said to the clerk who was making out the ticket ticketWhat C What asked tho clerk That you dont take Bibles uNo with a laugh That was just a bluff We take anything But that Bible was worn out and wasnt worth a cent New York Sun |
