Flannery came back with a few packages and a couple of the long official envelopes.  He dumped the packages on his counter and tore open the first of the envelopes.  It was a mimeograph circular and had that benzine odor that Flannery had come to associate with trouble, for it meant a new rule that he must follow, or a change of rates that he must memorize, under penalty of dismissal.  All orders were given under penalty of dismissal, and Flannery had so many rules and regulations under his red hair that each day he wondered whether he would still be the Westcote agent at the end of the next.

As he read his forehead wrinkled.

“‘Gineral Order Number Sivin Hundred an’ noineteen,’” he read slowly.  “And is it possible ‘tis only th’ sivin hundred an’ noineteenth of thim I have been gettin’?  I w’u’d have said ‘t was th’ forty-sivinth thousand gineral order I have had t’ learn and memorize.  Wheniver th’ prisidint, or th’ vice-prisidint, or th’ manager, or th’ janitor, or th’ office-boy at th’ head office has nawthin’ else t’ do they be thinkin’ up a new gineral order t’ sind t’ Flannery.  ‘What’s th’ news of th’ day?’ says th’ prisidint.  ‘Nawthin’ doin’,’ says th’ janitor.  ’Then wake up and sind Flannery a gineral order t’ learn th’ Declaration av Indepindince by hearrt,’ says th’ prisidint.  ‘Mebby he do be gittin’ lazy!’ ’And shall I add on th’ Constitution av th’ United States?’ says th’ janitor.  ‘Sure!’ says th’ prisidint, ‘’t will do Flannery no harm t’ be busy.’”

He held the paper out at arm’s length and shook his head at it, and then slapped it down on the counter and gave it his attention.

“‘To all imployees av th’ Interurban Ixpriss Company,’” he read. “’On an’ after this date all imployees av this company will use, in their correspondince, and in all other official business, the follyin’ list av t’ree hunderd words.  By order of th’ prisidint.’  Sure!” he said. “’Under penalty av dismissal from th’ service av th’ company,’ as ye might be sayin’!”

He turned to the list of three hundred words and began to read it.  As he passed down the list the frown on his brow deepened.  At “anapest” it was a noticeable frown, at “apothem” it became very pronounced, and at “dieresis” his shaggy red brows nearly covered his eyes, he was frowning so hard.

“I wonder what th’ Interurban Ixpriss Company w’u’d loike me t’ be writin’ thim on th’ subject av ’ecumenical’?” he said.  “Mebby there be some of these here ‘edile’ and ‘egis’ things comin’ by ixpriss, and ’t will be a foine thing t’ know how t’ spell thim whin th’ con-sign-y puts in a claim fer damages, but if th’ company is goin’ t’ carry many ‘eponyms’ and ‘esophaguses’ Mike Flannery will be lookin’ for another job.—­And w’u’d you look at this wan!  ‘Paleography!’ Thim be nice words t’ order th’ agints av th’ ixpriss company t’ be usin’!”

He pulled at a lock of his hair thoughtfully.