Mawruss," Abe
said. "In the first place, Cyprus is too near Sarahcuse, y'understand;
and if one of them yokels wants to buy for thirty dollars a garment
for his wife, if he is up-to-date, he goes to Sarahcuse; and if he is a
back number he goes to Sam's competitors!--What's the name now?--Van
Buskirk & Patterson. Yes, Mawruss, back numbers always buys from back
numbers."

"Why don't we sell that Van Buster concern our line, Abe?"

"A fine chance I got it with them people, Mawruss!" Abe exclaimed. "They
buy their whole stock from a jobber in Buffalo and they got an idee that
Russian blouses is the latest up-to-the-minute effect in garments. And
you couldn't blame 'em, Mawruss; most of the women up in Cyprus thinks
that way too."

"That ain't here nor there, Abe," Morris interrupted. "Sam Green is one
of them fellers which he is slow pay if he would be worth a million
even. He's got the habit Abe. Look what he writes us now."

He handed Abe a letter which read as follows:

SAMUEL GREEN
DRYGOODS AND NOTIONS
THE K. & M. SYLPHSHAPE CORSET
CYPRUS, NEW YORK, April 1, 1910

GENTS: Your favour of the thirtieth inst. rec'd and contents noted;
and in reply would say you should be so kind and wait a couple
days, and I will send you a check sure--on an account I got
sickness in the family and oblige

Yours truly, S. GREEN.

"Well, Mawruss," Abe commented, mindful of a recent obstinate lumbago,
"might the feller did got sickness in his family maybe."

"_Schmooes_, Abe!" Morris cried impatiently. "Every season that feller's
got another excuse. Last fall his wife goes to work and has an
operation. A year ago he is got his uncle in the hospital. The winter
before that he is got funeral expenses on account his mother died on
him; and so it goes, Abe. That feller would a damsite sooner kill off
his whole family, y'understand, than pay a bill to the day it is due."

"All right," Abe said; "then we wouldn't sell him no more--that's all."

Morris shrugged.

"That's all!" he repeated. "A concern don't pay strictly to the day; so
we couldn't sell 'em no more, and that's all, _sagt er_! For a feller
which he's losing customers right and left to a back number like Max
Kirschner, Abe, you are talking pretty independent."

"Say, lookyhere, Mawruss," Abe exploded; "I just told it you Max
Kirschner only gets that order from Henry Feigenbaum because he takes
pity on him."

"What d