26                    “THE O-PIP”
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[cartoon at top of page]
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HIS TIN OF BULLY.

“——damn these ——tins of bully beef, they're not worth a whoop in h——l. If I had my —— way I’d put the makers of this mixture of strained hoofs and elephant carcasses in a place where there ain’t no snow. —— —— there goes my blinking finger; cut on that —— can. And now its open I can’t get the —— stuff out.”

No this is not an extra from a sermon or the babbling of a conscript. It was simply the outburst of an old-timer, who had broken the key of his bully beef tin—a very frequent occurrence—and in his hurry and confusion reached for his clasp knife and operated on the tin. After the tin had been opened he went through violent motions in attempt to get the bully out, but to no advantage. Hence the wrath.

“You poor old crum. What d’ye want a nurse maid to look after ye,” suggested a comrade with a chuckle. “Why you damned old fool you’ve opened the tin at the wrong end so how d’ye expect to get the stuff out?”