Tell me quick ; I hate to wait for bad news . ' Having got his listener sufficiently excited , Tom launched his thunderbolt in one brief sentence , and fell back to watch the effect . ` I 'm engaged ! ' Mrs Jo 's proof-sheets flew wildly about as she clasped her hands , exclaiming in dismay : ` If Nan has yielded , I 'll never forgive her ! ' ` She has n't ; it 's another girl . ' Tom 's face was so funny as he said the words , that it was impossible to help laughing ; for he looked both sheepish and pleased , besides very much perplexed and worried . ` I 'm glad , very glad indeed ! Do n't care who it is ; and I hope you 'll be married soon . Now tell me all about it , ' commanded Mrs Jo , so much relieved that she felt ready for anything . ` What will Nan say ? ' demanded Tom , rather taken aback at this view of his predicament . ` She will be rejoiced to get rid of the mosquito who has plagued her so long . Do n't worry about Nan . Who is this `` other girl '' ? ' ` Demi has n't written about her ? ' ` Only something about your upsetting a Miss West down at Quitno ; I thought that was scrape enough . ' ` That was only the beginning of a series of scrapes . Just my luck ! Of course after sousing the poor girl I had to be attentive to her , had n't I ? Everyone seemed to think so , and I could n't get away , and so I was lost before I knew it .
It 's all XXXXX 's fault , he would stay there and fuss with his old photos , because the views were good and all the girls wanted to be taken .
Demi Everyone Jo Nan Quitno Tom West proof-sheets scrape thunderbolt