ne you call it? Me? Do I look like it?"

The fat little man stood upright, and patted his rotund person.

"It's the wear and tear of mind that I fear will be fatal to you. You
have brain-tire written large over every feature. I think you ought to
see a doctor and get a nerve tonic. This fear of dying a pauper is
rapidly killing you, and who then will fill your shoes?"

"My poy, there is one thing certain--_you_ won't. I got too much sense.
I know a smart feller when I see him, and _you're_ altogetter too slow
to please _me_."

"The really energetic man is the one who works with his brains, and
leaves others to work with their hands."

"Oh! that's it, eh? Qvite a young Solomon! Vell, _I_ do both."

"And you lose money in consequence."

"I losing money?"

"Yes, _you_. You're dropping behind fast. Crookenden and Co. are
outstripping you in every line."

"Perhaps you see my books. Perhaps you see theirs."

"I see their accounts at the bank. I know what their turn-over is; I
know yours. You're not in it."

"But they lose their cargo--the ship goes down."

"But they get the insurance, and send forward new orders and make
arrangements with us for the consignors to draw on them. Why, they're
running rings round you."

"Vell, how can I help it? My mail never come--I don't know vat my
beobles are doing. But I send orders, too."

"For how much?"

"Dat's _my_ pizz'ness."

"And _this_ is mine." The clerk took a sheet of paper from his pocket.

"_I_ don't want to know your pizz'ness."

"But you'd like to know C. and Co.'s."

"Qvite right. But _you_ know it--perhaps you know the Devil's pizz'ness,
too."

Young Zahn laughed.

"I wish I did," he said.

"Vell, young mans, you're getting pretty near it; you're getting on that
vay."

"That's why it would be wise to take me into _your_ business."

"I dare say; but all you vant is to marry my taughter Rachel."

"I want to marry her, that's true, but there are plenty of fish in the
sea."

"And there are plenty other pizz'ness besides mine. You haf my answer."

The bank-clerk got up. "What I propose is for your good as well as mine.
_I_ don't want to ruin you; I want to see you prosper."

"_You_ ruin me? How do you do that? If I change my bank, how do _you_
affect me?"

"But you would have to pay off your overdraft first."

"That vill be ven the manager pleases--but as for his puppy clerk,
dressed like a voman's tailor, get out of this!"

The young man