When Greek Meets Greek
It is said among business men that it requires twelve Jews to cheat a Genoese； but twelve Genoese are not enough tocheat a Greek… Only one person， that I ever heard of， enjoys the not very enviable distinction of having cheatednot merely one Greek， but two.
He Was a Bari man.
He was returning to Italy， but had no bootsor rather， the things he had were no longer boots. He carefully counted up his money， found that he had not enough to buy a newpair， and so quieted his conscience. Then he went to a shoemaker's in the Street of Hermes.
“I want a pair of shoes by Monday morning，to fit me ex actly， with round toes，” etc.； in short， he gave the fullest directions.
“Certainly，sir.You shall have them Without fail.They shall be sent to your house at ten on Monday morning.”
The Bari man left his address and departed.
In the Street of Eolus he entered another shoemaker'sshop and ordered a precisely similar pair of shoes in the sameterms.
“Have I made myself understood？”
“Perfectly. Let me have the address，and on Monday atten――”
“I shall not be in at ten.Dont't send them before eleven.”
At eleven you may count on having them，without fail.“
On Monday at ten the first victim appeared.The gentleman tried on the shoes； the right was a perfect fit， the left wasfearfully tight over the instep； it wanted stretching a little.
“All right，”said the obliging tradesman：“I will take itaway，and bring it back to you tomorrow.”
“Very well；and I will settle your account then.”
The shoemaker bowed himself out with the left shoe.
At eleven， punctual as a creditor， arrived the second predestined victim. The same scene was repeated； but this time itwas the right shoe that did not fit.
“You will have to put it over the last again， my friend.”“We'll soon set that right，sir.”And this shoemaker， more knowing than the other， was about to take both shoesaway with him.
“Leave the other，”said the Bari man.“It's a fancy ofmine… if you take them both，some one may come in andfind that they fit him， and you will sell them to him， and Ishall have to wait another week.”
“But I assure you，sir ――”
“No， no， my friend；I know how things go.I want thispair of shoes and no other，and I insist on keeping the one.”
The shoemaker bowed his head with a sigh， and wentaway to stretch the right shoe.
An hour later the Bari man and his shoes were already onboard the Pireus steamer；and on the following day the twovictims met on his doorstep，each with a shoe in his hand，andlooked into each other's rapidly lengthening faces.
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