s old enough to know our own business,
understand me--and if I would say 'black' you wouldn't say 'white.' And
if you would say 'black' I would say 'black'."

Mrs. Schrimm looked hard at Sam and then she sat down on the sofa.

"What d'ye mean, black?" she gasped.

"I'm only talking in a manner of speaking, Henrietta," Sam explained.
"What I mean is this."

He pulled an old envelope out of his pocket and explored his waistcoat
for a stump of lead pencil.

"What I mean is," he continued, wetting the blunt point with his
tongue, "ten bonds from Canadian Western, first mortgage from gold,
_mit_ a _garantirt_ from the Michigan Midland Railroad, ten thousand
dollars, interest at 6 per cent.--is six hundred dollars a year, ain't
it?"

"Ye-ee-s," Mrs. Schrimm said hesitatingly. "_Und?_"

"_Und_," Sam said triumphantly, "fifty shares from Central Pacific at
154 apiece is seventy-seven hundred dollars, with dividends since
thirty years they are paying it at 4 per cent. is two hundred dollars
a year more, ain't it?"

Mrs. Schrimm nodded.

"What has all this got to do with me, Sam?" she asked.

Sam cleared his throat.

"A wife should know how her husband stands," he said huskily. "Ain't it
so, Henrietta, _leben_?"

Mrs. Schrimm nodded again.

"Did you speak to Henry anything, Sam?" she asked.

"I didn't say nothing to Henry yet," Sam replied; "but if he's
satisfied with the business I done for him this morning I would make
him a partnership proposition."

"But, listen here to me, Sam," Mrs. Schrimm protested. "Me I am already
fifty-five years old; and a man like you which you got money,
understand me, if you want to get married you could find plenty girls
forty years old which would only be glad they should marry
you--good-looking girls, too, Sam."

"_Koosh!_" Sam cried, for he had noted a tear steal from the corner of
Mrs. Schrimm's eye. He rose from his chair and seated himself on the
sofa beside her. "You don't know what you are talking about," he said
as he clasped her hand. "Good looks to some people is red cheeks and
black hair, Henrietta; but with me it is different. The best-looking
woman in the whole world to me, Henrietta, is got gray hair, with good
brains underneath--and she is also a little fat, too, understand me;
but the heart is big underneath and the hands is red, but they got red
doing _mitzvahs_ for other people, Henrietta."

He paused and cleared his throat again.

"And so, Henrietta," h