nto a
bond, Kapfer. So, if it's all the same to you, I'll take your check and
call it square."

Kapfer shrugged resignedly.

"I had an idee you would," he said, "so I got it ready for you; because,
Mr. Flixman, you must excuse me when I tell you that you got the
reputation of being a good collector."

"Am I?" Flixman snapped out. "Well, maybe I am, Kapfer, but I could give
my money up, too, once in a while; and, believe me or not, Kapfer, this
afternoon yet I am going to sign a will which I am leaving all my money
to a Talmud Torah School."

"You don't say so?" Kapfer said as he drew out his checkbook.

"That's what I am telling you," Flixman continued, "because there's a
lot of young loafers running round the streets which nobody got any
control over 'em at all; and if they would go to a Talmud Torah School,
understand me, not only they learn 'em there a little _Loschen
Hakodesch_, y'understand, but they would also pretty near club the life
out of 'em."

"I'll write out a receipt on some of the hotel paper here," Kapfer said
as he signed and blotted the check.

"Write out two of 'em, so I would have a copy of what I am giving you,"
Flixman rejoined. "It's always just so good to be businesslike. That's
what I told that lawyer to-day. He wants me I should remember a couple
of orphan asylums he's interested in, and I told him that if all them
suckers would train up their children they would learn a business and
not holler round the streets and make life miserable for people, they
wouldn't got to be orphans at all. Half the orphans is that way on
account they worried their parents to death with their carryings-on, and
when they go to orphan asylums they get treated kind yet. And people is
foolish enough to pay a lawyer fifty dollars if he should draw up a will
to leave the orphan asylum their good hard-earned money."

He snorted indignantly as he examined Kapfer's receipt and compared it
with the original.

"Well," he concluded as he appended his signature to the receipt, "I got
him down to twenty-five dollars and I'll have that will business settled
up this afternoon yet."

He placed the check and the receipt in his wallet and shook hands with
Kapfer.

"Good-bye," he said. "And one thing let me warn you against: A _Chosan_
should always get his money in cash _oder_ certified check before he
goes under the _Chuppah_ at all; otherwise, after you are married and
your father-in-law is a crook, understand me, yo