§ 113 Something to Look Forward to
A hustling free-lance in the white goods business thought he saw a magnificent opening to buy up a stock of underwear and by a quick turnover among the jobbers to realize a handsome profit. He succeeded in inducing a Bowery bank to let him have a hundred thousand dollars in order to swing the deal. The deal was swung but for some reason or other the enterprising speculator was not able to move his newly acquired stocks as rapidly as he figured on.
One morning the president of the bank sent word to the borrower that he desired to see him immediately and the latter promptly answered the summons.
“Look here, Mr. Jacobson,” said the banker, “I’ll have to call your loan and I’ll have to call it immediately.”
“But Mr. Slocum,” protested Jacobson, “you couldn’t do that. Still I am all tied up with them goods und I must have more time.”
“I’m sorry for you if you’re going to be embarrassed,” said Mr. Slocum, “but I can’t help myself. The state bank examiner was in here yesterday going over our books and he tells me we must clean up a lot of our accounts. Now, your note for a hundred thousand dollars is a demand note, as you will recall, and not a time note, so I must ask you to be able to take up that note not later than Wednesday, the fifteenth of next month.”
“Vell,” said Mr. Jacobson resignedly, “that’s the vay things go. Vot has to be has to be, I guess.” He thought for a moment.
“Mr. Slocum,” he said, “maybe you have yourself looked into the ins and out of underwear, eh?”
“Mr. Jacobson,” said the banker, “I’m not interested in the underwear business.”
“Vell,” said Mr. Jacobson softly, “you should be. Because Venesday, the fifteenth, you’re going to be in it.”