her_ place, Trinkmann."

Trinkmann nodded and sat down at Max's table.

"Furthermore, Trinkmann," Max continued, "everything in the place was
the same. The ashtrays was from brass like them there ashtrays you used
to got here, Trinkmann."

Max looked meaningly at the burnished brass utensil that stood in the
middle of the table.

"That's the same ashtrays which we always got here," Trinkmann
retorted.

"Are they?" Max said. "Well, somebody must of done something to 'em on
account they don't look so _gemuetlich_ no longer. That's the same
mistake Ringentaub made it, Trinkmann. He ain't satisfied he is got
such a big trade there, Trinkmann, but he must go to work and get a
partner, a feller by the name Salonkin, which he pays Ringentaub two
thousand dollars for a half interest in the business. Salonkin is one
of them fellers, understand me, which is all for improvements,
Trinkmann. _Gemuetlichkeit_ is something which he don't know nothing
about at all, y'understand, and the first thing you know, Trinkmann,
Salonkin says the chairs is back numbers. He fires 'em right out of
there, understand me, and buys some new chairs, which actually for a
thin man to sit on 'em for five minutes even would be something which
you could really call dangerous. Also the tables Salonkin says is junk,
so he sells 'em for fifty cents apiece and puts in them marble-top
tables like a lot of tombstones in a cemetery."

"Marble-top tables is anyhow clean," Trinkmann declared.

"Clean they may be," Max admitted, "but _gemuetlich_ they ain't. And,
anyhow, Trinkmann, do you know what started the whole trouble there?"

Trinkmann shook his head.

"Well, it was the forks," Max said solemnly. "The forks which
Ringentaub got it before he goes as partners together with Salonkin
always looks like they would be a little dirty, understand me. So what
does the customer do, Trinkmann? They take first thing after they sit
down the fork in hand, understand me, and dip it in the glass of water
which the waiter brings 'em. Then when the time comes which they want
to drink the water, Trinkmann, they remember they cleaned the fork in
it and they order instead a glass of beer. Afterward when Salonkin
takes ahold there, y'understand, he raises hell with the waiters they
should keep clean the forks, which they done it, Trinkmann, because the
feller Salonkin was a regular _Rosher_, understand me, and the waiters
is scared to death of him. What is the result, Tr