I live from mouth to hand.

Don't be careless about yourselves--on the other hand not too careful. Live well but do not flaunt it. Laugh a little and teach your men to laugh--get good humor under fire--war is a game that's played with a smile. If you can't smile, grin. If you can't grin, keep out of the way till you can.

My hand seemed arrested by a silent veto.

It is a fine game to play - the game of politics - and it is well worth waiting for a good hand before really plunging.

If it weren't for painting, I wouldn't live; I couldn't bear the extra strain of things.

I was beginning to think I had let 'my alligator mouth overload my jaybird ass.