ers, and Charles Eisenblum, designer for
Klinger & Klein, get their idees, Mawruss?"

This was purely a rhetorical question, but as Abe paused to heighten the
effect of the peroration, Morris undertook to supply an answer.

"Them suckers don't get their idees, Abe," he said; "they steal 'em. If
a concern gets a run on a certain garment, Abe, them two highway robbers
makes a duplicate of it before you could turn around your head. That's
the kind of cut-throats them fellers is, Abe."

"Sure, I know," Abe continued; "but they got to turn out some garments
of their own, Mawruss, and they get their idees right from headquarters.
They get their idees from Paris, Mawruss. Only this morning I hear it
that Hymie Salzman sails for Paris on Saturday."

"Well, I couldn't stop him, Abe," Morris commented.

"Sure, I know, Mawruss," Abe went on; "but things is very quiet here in
the store, Mawruss, and for a month yet we wouldn't do hardly no
business. I could get along here all right until, say, July 15th
anyhow."

For two minutes Morris looked hard at his partner.

"What are you driving into, Abe?" he asked at length.

"Why, I am driving into this, Mawruss," Abe continued. "Why don't you go
to Paris?"

"Me go to Paris!" Morris exclaimed.

"Why not?" Abe murmured. The suggestion did seem preposterous after all.

"Why not!" Morris repeated. "There's a whole lot of reasons why not,
Abe, and the first and foremost is that the Atlantic Ocean would got to
run dry and they got to build a railroad there first, Abe. I crossed the
water just oncet, Abe, and I wouldn't cross it again if I never sold
another dollar's worth more goods so long as I live, Abe; and that's all
there is to it."

"What are you talking nonsense, Mawruss? On them big boats like the
_Morrisania_ there ain't no more motion than if a feller would be going
to Coney Island, Mawruss."

"That's all right, Abe," Morris replied firmly. "Me, if I would go to
Coney Island, I am taking always the trolley, Abe, from the New York
side of the bridge. Furthermore, Abe, if Sammet Brothers sends a drinker
like Hymie Salzman to Paris, Abe, they got a right to spend their money
the way they want to; but all I got to say is that we shouldn't be
afraid they would cop out any of our trade on that account, Abe. Hymie
would come home with new idees of tchampanyer wine and not garments,
Abe."

"Sure, I know, Mawruss," Abe retorted; "but if you would go over to
Paris, Mawruss, y