brains, or you couldn't of collected that mass
of junk in your dome. You got a million dollars' worth of salable
stuff from the top of your collar to the crown of your derby and you're
peddlin' it away for thirty-five a week. I'll bet right now you could
produce a scheme for gettin' a quarter that would be unbeatable,
legitimate, and successful. But if you was asked to dope out a scheme
for gettin' twenty-five thousand dollars, the size of the figures alone
would knock that thinker of yours cold! You can't think that big.
Your mind's all cluttered up with little things. It's a junk pile.
The same concentration and perseverance on some one _big_ thing would
put you over--and if you don't believe it, ask your boob boss, which
undoubtedly did just that and is now keepin' you!"

"That's all rot!" remarks Jared. "There's about one chance in a
million of getting over in New York. You've got to get in right, and
even then it's largely a matter of luck! If I was ever asked, I'd tell
every young man to keep away from New York. The town's too big! It
swallows you up and you're buried there till--"

Zam!!! Alex bounces outa his chair and shakes his finger under Jared's
nose.

"That's not true!" he hollers. "Listen to me, young feller! I came
here a short time ago with one-tenth of the ability that you got. New
York looked as cold and hard to me as it does to any rube that slinks
in from the outlands, crazy with the desire to capture it. But instead
of drivin' me back to the dear old farm, the tough conditions here
_attracted_ me. That is, takin' for granted your statement that they
are tough, which I don't believe. I know that a man with the genuine
goods can deliver them here at top price quicker than any other place
on earth."

"But wait!" interrupts Jared, seemin' to catch some of Alex's pep.
"Your case was exceptional. You must admit--"

"I don't admit nothin'!" roars Alex. "Suppose your argument is true.
Let's say the chances for success here _are_ slim. All right, fine!
That's what made _me_ stick! Your own argument makes New York _the_
place to make good in. If there's satisfaction in winnin' over one man
or a thousand, think of a hard-won square victory over six millions!
Why, boy, the very quality of the competition here keeps a man on his
toes and, if he makes good _here_, he's _done_ somethin'!"

Well, believe me, when Alex wound up that speech they was so much pep
in the room I felt like g