the package slowly toward Mr. Warold; "sure they have! But not in th'
ixpriss office av th' Interurban. 'T is agin th' rules t' spell any
feenixes with an 'o' in th' ixpriss office, or any sulphurs with a 'ph,'
or any armours with a 'u.' Thim spellin's and two hunderd an'
ninety-sivin more are agin th' rules, and can't go. Packages that has
thim on can't go. Nawthin' that has thim in thim or on thim or about
thim can't go. Gineral order number sivin--"

"Look here," said Mr. Warold slowly. "I tell you, Flannery, that those
words are the names of a company--"

"An' I tell ye," said Flannery, holding the package away from him with a
firm hand, "that rules is rules, and gineral orders is worse than rules,
an' thim spellin's can't go."

Mr. Warold flushed. He put his hand opposite to Flannery's hand on the
package and pushed with an equal firmness.

"I offer this package for shipment," he said with a trace of anger
beginning to show in his voice. "I offer it to you just as it is;
spelled as it is; and without change or anything else. This express
company is a common carrier, under the Interstate Commerce Law, and it
cannot refuse to take this package, spelling or no spelling. That is the
law!"

"I have no quarrel with th' intercommerce state law, Mr. Warold, sir,"
said Flannery with dignity, "and 'tis none of my business, sir. But th'
spellin' of th' English language is, for 't is my duty by gineral order
number sivin hunderd and noineteen t' spell three hundred worrds with
th' proper simplification, and spell thim I will, and so will all that