"Yesterday, as you know," he went on, "I took Scharley and Mrs. Lesengeld over to Coney Island in an oitermobile and to-night yet we are all going sailing on Egremont Bay."
Polatkin rose to his feet and shrugged his shoulders.
"Well," he said, "why not? They're about the same age."
"He's two years older as she is," Elkan declared, "and I bet yer they wouldn't lose no time. It'll be next fall sure."
One busy morning three months later Elkan ripped open a heavy cream-laid envelope and drew out the following announcement, engraved in shaded old English type:
Mrs. Fannie Stubin
has the honor of announcing the marriage
of her mother
Mrs. Sarah Lesengeld
to
Mr. Jacob Scharley
On Tuesday the first of October
at San Francisco, California
"And what are we going to send them for a present?" Polatkin asked.
Elkan smiled serenely.
"A solid silver chafing dish," he replied without hesitation, "at the very least, big enough to hold five pounds of brown stewed fish sweet and sour."