And as he ran he
passed into his third phase and dreamed it was all true; and he woke
up with a start at the orderly room, and found that it _was_ true.
That very evening he resigned his commission, "owing," as he wrote,
"to an incurable habit of getting the rear rank in front."
What happened to the men I cannot say with certainty. I think they are
still struggling.
* * * * *
[Illustration: _Physical Exercise Instructor_. "'ERE, YOU! WHAT THE
DEUCE ARE YOU LARFING AT?"
_Recruit_. "OH, SERGEANT, I--I WAS THINKING WHAT PRICELESS BALLY ASSES
WE MUST LOOK!"]
* * * * *
MEDITATIONS OF MARCUS O'REILLY.
ON THE DANGER OF POPULARITY.
_The Ballybun Binnacle_ has ceased publication--I hope temporarily,
for I have had to fall back on _The Times_. The latter is the better
paper for wrapping things in, and they seem to use a good kind of ink
which does not come off on the butter, but it's a bit weak on its
advertising side. It was O'Mullins across the road who pointed this
out to me first. He had, he says, an advertisement a whole week in
_The Times_ for a total abstainer to make himself otherwise useful and
to mend his stable door; but no apparent notice was taken of it. The
same advertisement had not been a couple of hours in _The Binnacle_
before three tinkers tried to steal his horse.
I have heard people speak well of the editorials in our chief London
rival, but they are not thought much of in Ballybun; they haven't the
flavour.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44