All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

ALL LX A GARDEN FAIR. 263
with three rings. 'My mother/ he went on,
' is going to break it to the girls, and will, of
course, call upon CI I mean Mademoiselle
Philipon—as .soon as she has answered my
k'tter/
' Upon my word, Tommy,' said Allen, ' you
are very good and generous/
* A PiUtner in such a Concern as ours might
look higher. But never mind. I thought I'd
tell you both, because we are old friends, and
because, you see, when a man's engaged, he
can't have other fellows hanging round his girl.'
' I see,' said Will. ' It was very coui^iderate
of you to tell us. And now. Tommy, one good
turn deserves another. So you must know that
Allen and I have both written to her as well,
and made i)recisely the same offer. We all
start fair.'
'You've wriiiLii, luor' Tommy tunit-d
\ory red.
'We've written, too. Claire— no—for you,
Mademoiselle Philipon— will get the oflers of
all three at the sixmc time.*