ld Consignment Shop

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

In the center of town was the old consignment shop where people took objects and clothing that was in reasonably good shape to sell for a commission. Just about anything could be found in that shop. It was a very curious shop to visit.

One day, a man who appeared down on his luck, wandered into the shop in search of a warm coat. The owner said that he had just the coat for him. It belonged to a man who said that he received it from a relative who lived in Russia. Since it got very cold in Russia, it should keep him warm in the winter weather here in Lilliland. He bought the coat with his last few dollars, leaving himself only enough money for a few meals and a small warm hotel room.

The coat fit fine and that afternoon, back at his hotel room while he was trying it on, he noticed something was sewn in the coat’s lining. He slit open the lining and pulled out a piece of paper that felt like money. It was a document like money but not money written in Russian. He took it back to the owner of the consignment shop and the shop owner said that it belonged to the coat, and it now belonged to him. “Why not take it to the bank and ask them if it has some value?” said the shopkeeper.

The bank said that it was a bearer bond, but upon looking up information about it proved to be of no value since the Russian government had changed and the bonds were deemed worthless. The news was sad because the man who was down on his luck said that recently his business partner took all the money from their business and ran off with his wife. He was left alone and destitute. The bond officer said that while the bond had no monetary value, it would be a collectible.

“Why no take it to Professor Hamblin, the Baron’s chief advisor, with a note of introduction from the bank, and have him look at the Russian bond.” The Professor looked at the bond and said that he knew someone who collected old bonds for historical reasons.

Arrangements were made by the Professor to see the collector who seemed interested in acquiring the bond. The price he offered was sizeable enough that the bond owner now felt that his luck had changed for the better.

With the money from the sale, he bought interest in a small pretzel shop near the consignment shop. His luck was so terrific that he married the pretzel maker’s daughter two years later.