Tommy Bangs ! who but you could ever get into such a catastrophe ? ' said Mrs Jo , when she recovered her breath . ` Is n't it a muddle all round , and wo n't everyone chaff me to death about it ? I shall have to quit old Plum for a while , ' answered Tom , as he mopped his face , trying to realize the full danger of his position . ` No , indeed ; I 'll stand by you , for I think it the best joke of the season . But tell me how things ended . Is it really serious , or only a summer flirtation ? I do n't approve of them , but boys and girls will play with edged tools and cut their fingers . ' ` Well , Dora considers herself engaged , and wrote to her people at once . I could n't say a word when she took it all in solemn earnest and seemed so happy . She 's only seventeen , never liked anyone before , and is sure all will be all right ; as her father knows mine , and we are both well off . I was so staggered that I said : ' `` Why , you ca n't love me really when we know so little of one another ? '' But she answered right out of her tender little heart : `` Yes , I do , dearly , Tom ; you are so gay and kind and honest , I could n't help it . '' Now , after that what could I do but go ahead and make her happy while I stayed , and trust to luck to straighten the snarl out afterwards ? ' ' A truly Tomian way of taking things easy . I hope you told your father at once . ' ` Oh yes , I wrote off and broke it to him in three lines . I said : `` Dear Father , I 'm engaged to Dora West , and I hope she will suit the family . She suits me tip-top .
Yours ever , XXXXX . ''
Bangs Dora Father Jo Tom Tomian West muddle right snarl