16

"Do you know anything about them old violins?" 204

"Mr. Potash," the visitor began, "every merchant is at times
confronted with a situation which demands a few appropriate
remarks" 254

CHAPTER ONE

SYMPATHY

"I come down on the subway with Max Linkheimer this morning, Mawruss,"
Abe Potash said to his partner, Morris Perlmutter, as they sat in the
showroom one hot July morning. "That feller is a regular philantropist."

"I bet yer," Morris replied. "He would talk a tin ear on to you if you
only give him a chance. Leon Sammet too, Abe, I assure you. I seen Leon
in the Harlem Winter Garden last night, and the goods he sold while he
was talking to me and Barney Gans, Abe, in two seasons we don't do such
a business. Yes, Abe; Leon Sammet is just such another one of them
fellers like Max Linkheimer."

"What d'ye mean--'such another one of them fellers like Max
Linkheimer'?" Abe repeated. "Between Leon Sammet and Max Linkheimer is
the difference like day from night. Max Linkheimer is one fine man,
Mawruss."

Morris shrugged. "I didn't say he wasn't," he rejoined. "All I says
was that Leon Sammet is another one of them philantro fellers too, Abe.
Talks you deef, dumb and blind."

Abe rose to his feet and stared indignantly at his partner.

"I don't know what comes over you lately, Mawruss," he cried. "Seemingly
you don't understand the English language at all. A philantropist ain't
a _schmooser_, Mawruss."

"I know he ain't, Abe; but just the same Max Linkheimer is a feller
which he got a whole lot too much to say for himself. Furthermore, Abe,
my Minnie says Mrs. Linkheimer tells her Max ain't home a single night
neither, and when a man neglects his family like that, Abe, I ain't got
no use for him at all."

"That's because he belongs to eight lodges," Abe replied. "There ain't a
single Sunday neither which he ain't busy with funerals too, Mawruss."

"Is that so?" Morris retorted. "Well, if I would be in the button
business, Abe, I would be a philantropist too. A feller's got to belong
to eight lodges if he's in the button business, Abe, because otherwise
he couldn't sell no goods at all."

Abe continued:

"Linkheimer ain't looking to sell goods to lodge brothers, Mawruss.
He's too old established a business for that. He's got a heart too,
Mawruss. Why the money that feller spends on charity, Mawruss, you