"What we've got to do now," said Tuppy, when the unromantic Hank had disappeared, "is to get somethin' particularly touchin', I'm afraid I've spoilt the other letters, by unintelligently anticipatin' the contents."
"What an ass you were, Tuppy," said the Duke testily, and Tuppy cheerfully agreed.
For two hours they sat composing the wonder working epistle.
"To whom it may concern," it was addressed, and began "What is life? says Emerson."
"That's a fool start," said Tuppy. "Why drag in old man Emerson anyway?"
"Can you suggest a better?" asked the Duke tartly.
"What's the matter with this," asked Tuppy, "you know the Tennyson stuff." He knit his forehead in the effort of remembrance. Then he recited, filling in the blanks as well as he could—
It's jolly true tum-tum befall,
I feel it tum-tum tum-tum most;
It's better to have loved a gal
Than never to have loved at all!
"Rotten," said the Duke.
"I don't think I have quite got the lines right," Tuppy owned, "but any feller can see the drift of the thing."