Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-11-08
Moses and Levy.

InEa'small Russian city o16 the prin-
cipal street, stood two, houseS opposite
to cash other. The lower story Of each
house was q store. Both stores traded
in old clothes, debilitated furniture and
similar bric-a-brac. The proprietor Of
one Of these emporiums was named
Levy. When a man trades in old clothes
and his name is Levy, he is adescend-
ant of Abraham. The gentlemanly
boss of the shop over, the way was
named Moses. He too was one of the
chosen people. They were rivals in
trade. They cut rates, and tried hard
to freeze each other, out.
just at this crisis, in consequence of
the celebration of Easter solemnities,
the Russians were SO carried away by
religious zeal, that whenever they saw
. Jew with anything they wanted, they
knocked him down and took il away
from him, and pounded him. Under
these circumstances, the Israelites of
this particular town, fearing that. they
might be attacked, concluded to move
out. They did so, with Levy and Moses
at the head of the procession. They
had sold out their business and their
houses. The expedition had not gone
very far, however, when Levy sneaked
Out OF the procession and returned TO
the town. He returned during the
night. He had indeed sold his house,
but he had secretly, through the medi-
UNI OLA Christian real estate agent,
purchased the establishment of his RI
val, Moses, which suited him much bet.
ter than his own. :.
Levy congratulated himself that now
Moses was out of the city, he would
have it all his own way, and
do a regular land-ofice business. He
expected some Christian would carry
on Moses business at the old stand,
but he was not in the least afraid of the
competition of any Christian. 1t was
the Jewish competition that made him
tired. Levy wa in fine spirits at the
success of his scheme to get rid of his
rival, and he was astonished that as
shrewd a Jew as Moses should be taken
in so badly.
EARLY next morning, Levy got up,
opened a window, and looked across
the street at his former place of bust
ness, which seemed to him to be small
81 and more insignificant that ever
While thus gazing at his former resi-
dence, and chuckling to himself over
the success of his strategy in getting
rid of his hated rival, his complexion
suddenly became as pallid as q piece of
aged tripe, and his eyeballs protruded
like those of a crab, for a window in
the house opposite was opened, and
the familiar face of Moses was visible.
He, too, was partially paralyzed at the
apparition in his former house, and
there the two men stood with open
mouths staring at each other.
1t seems that Moses was quite as sly
as Levy. He, too, had sold his house,
and through the medium of the same
Christian real estate agent, had pur-
chased that of his rival. After Moses
and Levy had gazed at each other for
several minutes, both relaxed their fea-
lures, smiled, and then roared.
"Good morning." said Levy.
"You r another" replied Moses.
It finally occurred to them to con-
solidate their business, and, as they
were the only Jews left in the place,
and Easter being over the religious
zeal Of the Russians having abated,
they rapidly accumulated wealth under
the firm name of Moses and Levy
Texas S!ifftings. 49,.