Show IN A PAWNSHOP bolint first experience walli hallsa Itonia john T raymond off the stage is much like colonel mulberry bellerson the stage with his millions in it lie was cracking joks with friends up town the other day when he pulled watch au the face of which in lieu of figurea fig are the twelve letters of his name it reminded him of a presented to him at mobile and a romance that was connected with its ho proceeded to tell it ever been in a pawnshop pawn shop what a pull it is iho girat time ive been there often often but the first time was a wonderful thing I 1 was dead broke abed a watch presented to me by the citizens of mobile all inscribed and engraved I 1 went down to simpsons Simp sons I 1 muster up courage to go inside I 1 stood on the curb while the cold sweat came out on my fore head I 1 thought the policemen were gathering on distant corners to keep watch of me I 1 thought that everybody was saying to everybody alae leolf at him hes got something to pawn where do you spose he stole it I 1 stood there on one foot and then the other for nigh two mortal hours then I 1 bolted in like a madman before I 1 had armeto look around I 1 was in a little stall it was dark and I 1 was half scared out of my senses but in the next stall I 1 heard the piteous wailing voice of a woman begging for 3 more on some article for gods sake my mother ia dying she eaid and unless I 1 get 3 more they will turn us out odthe house then the clerks gruff voice responded telling her to take what he offered and get out or take her goods it sounded awfully brutal to me I 1 knew from her sobs that she went out then he returned to me I 1 handed up my watch without a word I 1 expect to get enough on it to last a week judging from his treatment of the woman in fact I 1 was so scared that if he had asked me whose watch it was I 1 should have replied I 1 know and should probably have bolted I 1 felt like a felon and must have looked like a thief how much do you want he asked what can you loan I 1 responded sixty dollers he aid gracious how breezy I 1 grew sixty dollars why it was a small fortune my board was only 83 a week and with a dollar for washing and another dollar for sundries I 1 counted on twelve weeks of ease from care I 1 grabbed the money and was starting out without a ticket when he called me back for it once out on the street I 1 was making a dash lor the streetcar street car when a woman stopped me she was weeping I 1 knew instinctively it was the woman of the pawnshop pawn shop were you in there asked I 1 felt like drawing masolf up to full height and denying the damnable charge but she waa a woman and i HER PITEOUS CRY was detill ring ingin my cars I 1 owned up what shall I 1 do she said I 1 cant go home without 3 more ob they are monsters in there my mother is dying and I 1 am half wild lest they turn us out I 1 pulled kimt my roll of money and gave her sa she waa about lo 10 thank me when I 1 turned and rushed for a streetcar street car nearly ten years later while chri stock company plan was still in operation over the country and only the stars went from place to place I 1 was in a western city for an en ga gement I 1 was latfy in getting there and when I 1 rushed on the stage for the first entrance I 1 could not understand why the leading old lady acted so queer when I 1 came off she was waiting forme are you mr raymond really slie eaid 1 I nm indeed can I 1 speak to you a moment I 1 want to ask you if you at Simp sone pawn shop at such a timo all my old repugnance against admitting I 1 had ever been in such a place came up but I 1 managed to stammer that I 1 was then she asked jf I 1 remembered givings giving 3 to a young woman on the corner in distress it turned out that she was the young woman my mother died within an hour she said but the money you gave me enabled me to keep our rooms to bury her from I 1 was a ballet girl then now I 1 am playing told woman doing well was not clial a great outcome of luy romance ob about the watch continued mr raymond 1 I was so ex cited that I 1 lost roy ticket and so poor afterward it make any difference I 1 never aw it again and presume it went toiba melting pot aa I 1 have never of it since N Y tribune |