Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-16
BY
ELLIS PARKER
BUTLER

few minutes after noon, and Henry
Black stood on the court house steps
trying to decide which of the nearby
lunch rooms to patroniDe before he
took the subway for home. As he
stood there Mr.. Peck the distinguished looking
man who had been foreman Of the jury that
had handled the last case, came out OF the
court house and spoke to Mr.. Black.
BLACK, am I right?" asked MI Fock MY
name is Peck"
oh yes. know. Mr.. Peck" said Mr. BLACK
pleased that the foreman should remember his
name Yes, inteed!'
Are you going to have lunch before you &c
homer" Nj Peck inquired The Star over
there is fairly good place Nothing fancy.
but caean Good food. If you are not waiting
for any one"
why. nc" said Mr. Black. That will be
fine"
They went down the steps together and
crossed the plaza to the Star and in few
minutes were seated face to face at one OF the
small tables.
To Mr.. Black the period of jury duty Just
ended had been a nuisance. He was the owner
of q small neigilborhood notion store, mule
or 50 from Flushing's main street, and his
absence had been especially inconvenient be-
cause his daughter Ardene had chosen this same
week to be away.
Mr.. Blacks clerks were his two daughters.
Ardene end Marjorie and invitation to auto
tour with her friend Alice Malet, had seemed
to Ardene too good to refuse. With both MT
Black and Ardene away Mrs. Black had been
obliged to go behind the counter for several
days.
THOUGH Mr. Blacks notion store was
Y small it supported the family quite well
Being a neighborhood shop, Mr.. Blacks en-
p0ium able to get excellent prices He
might ask 5 cents for a roll of white tape
bat he could get it; it did not pay his customers
to spend 10 cents in bus fare to 60 downtown
and oct two rolls for S cents
Mr.. Black lived in rented house and. be-
cause of the depression, the rent had been
reduced from SIS to $50 month. The rent
Of his shop. for which he had paid $50, had
6een cut to SOS.
In fact Mr. Black had profited by the de-
preston The women of the neghborhood,
VINO would otherwise have gone to Main street
or New York to make purchases, now ran into
Mr. Blacks ship more often. and his sales had
increased
Mr.. 81: ok had been able to have his delivery
auto which was a sedan with a board in each
of the rear side windows. painted. The decline
in stocks had not bothered him because the
only stock he owned was Texarcova Oil stock
In 1918, after a persistent salesman had
talked to him for three hours, Mr.. Black had
bought 100 shares Of Texarcova Oil stock at 81
a share After Mr.. Black had bought the stock
nothing happened
There were no dividends no oil, no oil wells.
and in 1919 the Texsrcova Oil Co., Inc went
into receivers hands, went bankrupt, blew up
with less noise than that made by q pin fall
ing on a feather bed, discontinued, disappeared
and ceased to be.
Thet had been a lesson to Mr. Black He
had avoided all stocks and bonds as if they
were poison put his money in bank and
gave al his time to his business. He met few
men. He had almost no chance to talk about
the depression, as most men did.
'Some of the judges eat here" said Mr..
Peck when the smiling waitress had taken their
order in the Star Restaurant. "A very decent
place"
"One thing anyway" said Mr. Black, look
ing around, 'it's not crowded here"
THE depression" said Mr.. Peck. ut hits
everything You feel it, suppose just as all
of do. We bankers are not the only ones
hit"
I'D We feel it," exclaimed Mr.. Black. why,
II told you. Mr.. Peck. how my business"
He stopped short But I suppose the banks
are HI. hardest. Where did you say your bank
WIS.,
Brooklyn" said Mr. Peck Brooklyn. But
lie in Richmond Hill. And you?"
'Ffu-h.ng," said Mr.. Black. And I live
there"
What line are you in?" asked Mr. Peck.
'I own a-department store" slid Mr.. Black,
hesitatirg only a second Yes. Blacks De-
partment store"
Il suppose your business has felt the slump
severely" ssid Mr.. Peck, as if that would be
matter of course.
Peck" asked Mr.. Black earnestly. will you
believe me when say had to let SO per
cent of my help go the first of this week."
Il don't doubt it, And you're lucky, at that.
How nv stocks and bonds"
A. exclaimed Mr.. Black, beginning to feel
the joy of the popular sport of telling how bad
everv h'rg hsd become. do you need to tell
me? Soks! I have one lot of stocks-well!
Did 7 teke a loss? Believe mel"
IS esq" asked Mr.. Peck General Motors?"
MY whole list. if it comes to that" said Mr..
Black with an inclusive wave Of his hand "Odl,
steel, motors, everything
"And my second mortgages" said Mr.. Peck.
"Seconds-and firsts," agreed l5T. Black, who