Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 28, 1928 — page 85: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

% RED one in a triangular space with only three feet frontage on Broadway, half a block above City Hall Park. lt was a dingy little layout, a dirty griddle, a rusty coffee tank, and an old tin box on the floor at the rear where the merchant kept his bread. The pro- prietor wore a greasy serge coat, was unshaven, and smoked a pipe. Upon the griddle reposed half a dozen thin frankfurters, the skin a bright pink, obviously the cheapest quality of arti- ficially colored skins. Lester had decided that he must open the ball strategically. He saw that the vender was an American— there would be no language difficulty— and, by his manner, rather hopeless. ‘Good morning,” he began breezily. “Tm representing Filkin sausages.” “Cost too much money,” growled the man. ‘“ How is business, may I ask?” ‘Terrible, feller; terrible. Nobody ain’t buying frankfurters any more. Only took in fifty cents so far to-day.” “My, my, if that keeps up you'll be out of business.” “Yep,” said the man. “ Rent day is day after to-morrow. Ain't got it.” Now a really keen business man would have digested this information and dropped the subject. In two or three days this location would be va- cant, the proprietor departed; the place available for the rent money. But Lester was sorry for the fellow, and he was going to need men to oper- ate his string of establishments. ‘“ How much do you make a week?” he asked. “Tt ain’t no business of yours if you do work for the Filkin people.” “There may be something in it for you to answer my questions.” ‘“ Well, that’s different. I got about eighteen dollars last week, but - this week I’ll lose my shirt, only I ain’t got a shirt.” ‘How would you like to make twenty-five dollars a week, clear, and nothing to worry about?” HOT. 515 “ What doing?” demanded the man suspiciously. | “ What you are doing now. Selling frankfurters.” ‘That would be all right.” “Suppose I give you fifty dollars cash; take over your place. Got a lease?” “Yah. I got a lease. Forty a month, and ten months to run. You want to buy me out and give me a job?” * That's i;” “Five hundred dollars. valuable location.” ‘Come now,” laughed Lester. “ If This is a ‘J was crooked I could wait till they put you out day after to-morrow and get it for nothing.” “My equipment is worth a couple of hundred.” “Tm going to throw it all out and put in new stuff. Fifty dollars cash, and your salary starts to-day.” “Pll go yer,” said the man with a weak grin. “I was thinking of jump- in’ into the East River, only I can’t swim.” “You've got to keep shaved, wear a clean white coat, and no smoking on duty. The place has to be spotless or you'll lose your job.” “Say, if you was broke you'd look as bad as I do.” 3 “Close up and come with me to the agent. We'll put this through right away.” “ All right, Santa Claus,” said the fellow. ‘‘ Guess this talk in the papers waked you sausage fellers up.” “ |’m in business for myself, but I’m going to use Filkin sausages.” “A frankfurter is a frankfurter, and Filkin’s cost too much,” insisted the fellow. “You don’t have to worry about costs any more.” “Thank God for that. I could eat a nice dog myself once in awhile.” The superintendent of the building demurred when Lester announced that he was taking over the lease. EOPIICLOOOLK< (F@