Dry-Goods Company of Galveston, Texas, entered Potash & Perlmutter's
show-room, he expected to give only a small order. Mr. Lowenstein
usually transacted his business with Abe Potash, who was rather
conservative in matters of credit extension, more especially since Mr.
Lowenstein was reputed to play auction pinochle with poor judgment and
for high stakes.

Therefore, Mr. Lowenstein intended to buy a few staples, specialties of
Potash & Perlmutter, and to reserve the balance of his spring orders for
other dealers who entertained more liberal credit notions than did Abe
Potash. Much to his gratification, however, he was greeted by Morris
Perlmutter.

"Ah, Mr. Perlmutter," he said; "glad to see you. Is Mr. Potash in?"

"He's home, sick, to-day," Morris replied.

Mr. Lowenstein clucked sympathetically.

"You don't say so," he murmured. "That's too bad. What seems to be the
trouble?"

"He's been feeling mean all the winter," Morris replied. "The doctor
says he needs a rest."

"That's always the way with them hard-working fellers," Mr. Lowenstein
went on. "I'm feeling pretty sick myself, I assure you, Mr. Perlmutter.
I've been working early and late in my store. We never put in such a
season before, and we done a phenomenal holiday business. We took stock
last week and we're quite cleaned out. I bet you we ain't got stuck a
single garment in any line--cloaks, suits, clothing or furs."

"I'm glad to hear it," Morris said.

"And we expect this season will be a crackerjack, too," he continued. "I
had to give a few emergency orders to jobbers down South before I left
Galveston, we had such an early rush of spring trade."

"Is that so?" Morris commented. "I wish we could say the same in New
York."

"You don't tell me!" Mr. Lowenstein rejoined. "Why, I was over by
Garfunkel and Levy just now, and Mr. Levy says he is almost too busy. I
looked over their line and I may place an order with them, although they
ain't got too good an assortment, Mr. Perlmutter."

"Far be it from me to knock a competitor's line, Mr. Lowenstein," Morris
commented, "but I honestly think they get their designers off of Ellis
Island."

"Well," Mr. Lowenstein conceded, "of course I don't say they got so good
an assortment what you have, Mr. Perlmutter, but they got a liberal
credit policy."

"Why, what's the matter with _our_ credit policy?" Morris asked.

"Nothing," Mr. Lowenstein replied. "Only a merchant like me, what wants
to enlarge hi