Potash Perlmutter | Page 8

you got to excuse me, Abe," he said. "I'd like it first rate to
stay here and visit with you all morning but I got work to do, and so I
hope you'll excuse me."
"Seven hundred and fifty," Abe said.
"Fifteen hundred dollars," Leon replied quite firmly.
For twenty minutes Abe's figure rose and Leon's fell until they finally
met at ten hundred thirty-three, thirty-three.
"He's worth it, Abe, believe me," said Leon, as they shook hands on the
bargain. "And now let's fix it up right away."
Half an hour later, Abe, Louis Grossman and Leon Sammet entered the
spacious law offices of Henry D. Feldman, who bears the same
advisory relation to the cloak and suit trade as Judge Gary did to the

steel and iron business.
The drawing of the necessary papers occupied the better part of the day
and it was not until three o'clock in the afternoon that the transaction
was complete. By its terms Sammet Brothers in consideration of
$1,033.33 paid by Potash & Perlmutter, released Louis Grossman from
his contract, and Louis entered into a new agreement with Potash &
Perlmutter at an advance of a thousand a year over the compensation
paid him by Sammet Brothers. In addition he was to receive from
Potash & Perlmutter five per cent. of the profits of their business,
payable weekly, the arrangement to be in force for one year, during
which time neither employer nor employee could be rid one of the
other save by mutual consent.
"It comes high, Mawruss," Abe said to his partner, after he had returned
to the store, "but I guess Louis's worth it."
"I hope so," Morris replied. "Now we can make up some of them
Arverne Sacques."
"No, Mawruss," Abe replied, "I'm sorry to say we can't, because, by the
agreement what Henry D. Feldman drew up, Sammet Brothers has the
sole right to make up and sell the Arverne Sacques; but I seen to it,
Mawruss, that we got the right to make up and sell every other garment
what Louis Grossman originated for them this season."
He smiled triumphantly at his partner.
"And," he concluded, "he's coming to work Monday morning."
At the end of three disillusionizing weeks Abe Potash and Morris
Perlmutter sat in the show-room of their place of business. Abe's hat
was tilted over his eyes and he whistled a tuneless air. Morris was
biting his nails.
"Well, Mawruss," Abe said at length, "when we're stuck we're stuck;
ain't it? What's the use of sitting here like a couple of mummies; ain't
it?"

Morris ceased biting his nails.
"Yes, Abe," he said, "ten hundred and thirty-three, thirty-three for a
designer what couldn't design paper-bags for a delicatessen store. I
believe he must have took lessons in designing from a correspondence
school."
"Believe me, Mawruss, he learned it by telephone," Abe replied. "But
cussing him out won't do no good, Mawruss. The thing to do now is to
get busy and turn out some garments what we can sell. Them
masquerade costumes what he gets up you couldn't sell to a
five-and-ten-cent store."
"All right," Morris said. "Let's have another designer and leave Louis to
do the cutting."
"Another designer!" Abe exclaimed. "No, Mawruss, you're a good
enough designer for me. I always said it, Mawruss, you're a first-class
A Number One designer."
Thus encouraged, Morris once more took up the work of the firm's
designing, and he labored with the energy of despair, for the season
was far spent. At length he evolved four models that made Abe's eyes
fairly bulge.
"That's snappy stuff, Mawruss," he said, as he examined the completed
samples one morning. "I bet yer they sell like hot cakes."
Abe's prophecy more than justified itself, and in ten days they were
completely swamped with orders. Abe and Morris went around wearing
smiles that only relaxed when they remembered Louis Grossman and
his hide-bound agreement, under which he drew five per cent. of the
firm's profits and sixty dollars a week.
"Anyhow, Mawruss, we'll get some return from Louis Grossman," Abe
said. "I advertised in the Daily Cloak and Suit Record yesterday them
four styles of yours as the four best sellers of the season, originated by
the creator of the Arverne Sacque. Ike Herzog was in the first thing this

morning and bought two big lots of each one of the models. Ike's a
great admirer of Louis Grossman, Mawruss. I bet yer when Sammet
Brothers saw that ad they went crazy; ain't it?"
"But," Morris protested, "why should Louis Grossman get the credit for
my work?"
"Because, Mawruss, you know them Arverne Sacques is the best sellers
put out in the cloak and suit business this year," Abe replied. "And
besides, Mawruss, we may be suckers, but that ain't no