"No, I didn't dream it, Abe," Morris said as he hung up his hat; "and
what is more I want to tell you something. Yesterday you are saying I
should go ahead and hire a designer and not bother you in your head, and
to-day you are kicking yet. Well, you could kick all you want to, Abe,
because if a feller's partner kicks _oder_ his wife kicks, Abe, he must
got to stand for it. But just the same, Abe, this here feller comes to
work for us Monday morning, and we got with him a contract, all signed
and g'fixed by a lawyer, which he gets from us twenty-five hundred a
year for one year, with privilege to renew for another year."

"Twenty-five hundred dollars!" Abe exclaimed. "By a lawyer? What are you
talking about, Mawruss?"

At this juncture Morris grew purple with rage.

"Say, lookyhere, Abe," he yelled, "ask me no questions. I am sick and
tired of it. You would think if a feller forgets to buy a packet soap
powder, y'understand, his wife wouldn't go crazy and ring up the police
station yet, on account I am going with Baskof and this here cutter to
see a lawyer by the name Sholy, which he lives in my flathouse yet.
There we are sitting till twelve o'clock fixing up the contract, and if
you don't like it you could lump it. When I come home I got to get
Doctor Eichendorfer yet to tend to Minnie. Five dollars that robber
soaks me, and he lives in the same house with me. Also this lawyer Sholy
charges me also twenty-five dollars for drawing the contract, understand
me, which Feldman himself would only charge us fifty. Neighbours them
fellers is, Abe! Such neighbours I would expect to got it if I am living
next door to Sing Sing prison."