, and comes a pistol through the window
and the landlord drops dead."

"What have you got to do with the landlord?" Polatkin retorted. "If it
was your brother-in-law was killed that's a difference matter entirely;
but when a feller is a landlord _im Russland_, understand me, the least
he could expect is that he gets killed once in a while."

"I ain't saying nothing about the landlord," Philip protested, "but my
brother-in-law writes they are afraid for their lives there and I should
send 'em quick the passage money for him and his boy Yosel to come to
America."

Polatkin rose to his feet and glared angrily at his partner.

"Do you mean to told me you are going to send that loafer money he
should come over here and bum round our shop yet?"

"What do you mean bum round our shop?" Philip demanded. "In the
first place, Polatkin, I ain't said I am going to send him money,
y'understand; and, in the second place, if I want to send the feller
money to come over here, understand me, that's my business. Furthermore,
when you are coming to call my brother-in-law a loafer and a bum,
Polatkin, you don't know what you are talking about. His _Grossvater_,
_olav hasholem_, was the great Harkavy Rav, Jochannon Borrochson."

"I heard that same tale before," Polatkin interrupted. "A feller is a
_Schlemiel_ and a lowlife which he couldn't support his wife and
children, understand me, and it always turns out his grandfather was a
big rabbi in the old country. The way it is with me, Scheikowitz, just
so soon as I am hearing a feller's grandfather was a big rabbi in the
old country, Scheikowitz, I wouldn't got nothing more to do with him. If
he works for you in your place, understand me, then he fools away your
time telling the operators what a big rabbi his grandfather was; and if
he's a customer, Scheikowitz, and you write him ten days after the
account is overdue he should pay you what he owes you, instead he sends
you a check, understand me, he comes down to the store and tells you
what a big rabbi he's got it for a grandfather. _Gott sei Dank_ I ain't
got no _Rabonim_ in my family."

"Sure, I know," Philip cried, "your father would be glad supposing he
could sign his name even."

Polatkin shrugged his shoulders.

"It would _oser_ worry me if my whole family couldn't read or write. So
long as I can sign my name and the money is in the bank to make the
check good from five to ten thousand dollars, y'understand, what do I
care if