Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-01

T GOT in bad again with Phillips to-
l. day. lie was out in the buyers room
looking over some goods and 1t was
pretty quiet in the department so Billy
Murray and | got TO fooling. I SHE'D
a hall OF string at him. lie duck"d-thc
string hit wooden plate draincr which
had some plates In 1t to show how rhe
drainer worked. IL tipped the drainer
over and five of the eight plates broke.
Believe me. we stopped laughing right
away and gathered mp the pieces as
quick as We could and replaced the three
whole plates in the drainer
That's your fault" said Biliv, ITS
your own fault" | replied. "If
| YOU hadn't ducicd It would never have
hit them"
Then We heard Phillips's wcll-known
( footsteps and we both hurried away.
/ each with an armful Of broken plates,
showed minc on ledge behind the
| counter until got chance nf hiding
/ them and prayed that Flip wouldn't sec
them.
Some people can open n book and In
stantly put finger on a mistake, And
| some, when they come into room. VIII
notice the one aud only N'tlc thing that's
wrong. Flip is that kind. Instantly hc
Went to the plato raC'; and asked
Where arc the other plates?'
Haven't the least idea" Billy an
swered without batting an eyelaSh.
Then Flip loolicd at me. but | stoCpcd
down. apparently TO pick up bit OF
paper lie looked first at one Of us. ther
the other. said nothing more. hut came
behind the counter, and. Of course
spotted the broken plates at once
! I'd hate to have such fault-nndinc
disposition az that man has,
Queer" he said. YOU two fellow
down here never saw thos" plates hor
nut OF tho rack and smash themselves.
Then he turned TO me sharply and said
Did you break them, Flint"
"No. sir" I said detlantlT lie nevcl
saw me break them, so he could no
prove I did.
"Hm then you did, didn't YOU, Muir
ray?"
Never got anywhere near them" sai'
Billy.
AN right" commented Phillips. "Il
charge the brealiage TO the pair Of YOU
That's not fair" hlurted out Billy
81 didn't throw the string"
Flip looked quickly from one to th'
other
"Flint did" 7 sunporc.
Yes IeDlIeu bllIN SUNNY. Nti
Phillips walked away without anothe
word
was boiling with rage 90 think tha
Billy Murray had double-crosscd me lili
that.
"All right" 7 snarlcd, ''you watch out
III get level with you yet
Don't get het up old man" he said
II didn't mean TO tell him it just slippe,
out"
"T noticed that" 7 replied. "and yor
will see my fist just slip cut the frs
chance 7 get
lie was Just about to say something
else when Flip called me,
FLINT" he said, "ever since you'v
been here you've beea a source Of bother
Murray was pretty decent fellow unit
YOU came You are making him as ba
as YOU are 7 shall have to report yo'
10 Benton and ask him "a transfer yo
to another department"
That's right" I retorted angrlly
"pitch into me. What did I know abou
the Old business except Just what Muir
ray .old me? II I'm not doing just wha
You want it's his fault lie started fool
ing and egging me on to shy the bail
/ Of string--he started it
"Mud-slinging-hey." he sneered. =
don't know where you'll go 10 from her
and don't care but let me tell 20
that the mud-slinger generally gets spat
tered with his own slime"
couldn't say another word, for
was white with rage. I only regrette
that hadn't smashed more plates bu
I'll get even with him yet.