The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-05-30
At Fps EMPORIUM
Why Personal Injury Claim Was
Settled Out Of Court After
Mysterious" Fire.
Hy II. M. EGHERT.

man. was set and resolute when he
entered Fps office in the Suit EN-
porium. ZIP owned the emporium,
with its stock OF cheap, shoddy goods,
over which half score Of girls sat
toiling at their machines from eight
till six, and sometimes later.
well. Riffkin?" asked Ep. without
looking up from his ledger.
We'll. Mr.. Ep, it's this way" began
the foreman Il come to you time
and again about my girl. Maria
Spalza. Me and she want to get mar
ried and we want to set up house
keeping. Last year, when her scalp
was torn in your machine because
you were too stingy to install a guard,
you promised to settle for nine hun
dred dollar. And every time speak
you put me OF with promises. Now,
Mr. Ep. unless you pay. we go to
law"
Ep smiled sourly and, rising to his
feet. took the excited little mans
arm.
See them goods?" he asked. point
ing to series Of shelves. -Four thou
sand dollars worth Of Paris style
gowns, and useless. Why? Because
they've got wide sleeves and the fash
ions has changed. Look here!" He
pointed in another direction. -Four
thousand dollars worth of Paris
style gowns that will go like hot
cakes. Why? Narrow sleeves-ne
style. Now, my friend. If / sell every
one OF them new gowns. just clear
. my losses on the old ones. And
where's your profit? Presently"
Z mo more presently" Riffkin shout
/ I'd. Il hear that word too much. Next
eyesr. mebbe. you settle what?"
ZIP shrugged his shoulders. you
can't get blood out OF stone, Rif-
kim" he said. Unless fortunate &C
cident happened well. in that case
I'd do handsome by you both. The
old stocks insured for full value and
the new amt insured for q cent.
Sure enough, my luck would be that
IL a fire burst out the new gowns
would go up In a flash and the old
stock wouldn't be touched by as much
as drop Of water. II wasn't an
honest man"
He scowled angrily at the old stock,
neatly wrapped upon the shelves.
"As l was saying, Riffkin. If any
thing happened I'd do fair by both OF
you. But I'm honest and you're hon
est, SO what's the use?" He shrugged
his shoulders again and turned back
to his bookkeeping.
II wish you was honest enough to
pay your debts,' growled the fore
man. turning away.
Maria Splaza, his sweetheart.
worked on one Of the machines. A
year previously half her scalp had
been torn away by an unprotected rod
It had been replaced by skillful skin
grating and her beauty was not
s marred, but the pain and anguish were
worth the paltry nine hundred Er
had promised to pay. A jury would
award two thousand
I'm going to quit and sue him. Ma.
Ira" said Riffkin during the noon hall
hour.
mo. don't. Louis" pleaded the
pretty Italian girl, 81 know he means
to do fair by US. Give him a little
longer. Besides. do you know / have
saved up nearly fifty dollars?"
Fifty dollars!" exclaimed the fore
man. How can you save out of eight
week. Marian"
Overtime" che answered. proudly
II wanted to surprise you. You won
dered where went evenings, didn't
you? Well, for three months i've
been coming down nights-ahd Tn
going to make enough for us to start
housekeeping without Mr.. Fps
, money"
"We'l get that. too. Maria" said
Louis, kissing her very furtively. No
body was looking. however, and Il
the action had been seen no one would
have cared. Everybody knew thai
Louis and Maria had been sweethearts
for two years.
The day passed, as usual. At siz
o'clock the girls ran chattering out Of
the building. Usually Mr.. sEp was the
LAST to leave, locking the Office after
him. and then the factory door. but
on this occasion he hurried past Riff
kin with averted face. leaving the lit
tie foreman prey to wild astonish
ment. For whatever else Mr.. Ell
might have been accused of, 1t would
never have been over-confidence II
ity
his employees. And he had left every
thing unlocked and open to inspec
tion--even the office books. which
Riffkin saw resting upon his desk.
Am drunk. or did I see some
things?" inquired Riffkin of Riffkin
HE leaves me to close up the ofics
and hurries away-for why? If hs
wasn't the meanest man on earth, II
think it was forgetfulness. But Ell
don't forget"
He switched on the electric lighi
and iuatanfIv rad anarl< ahona rx,