“No, it don’t,” replied Sam, reading on very quickly, to avoid contesting the point⁠—

“ ‘Except of me Mary my dear as your walentine and think over what I’ve said.⁠—My dear Mary I will now conclude.’ That’s all,” said Sam.

“That’s rather a sudden pull-up, ain’t it, Sammy?” inquired Mr. Weller.

“Not a bit on it,” said Sam; “she’ll vish there wos more, and that’s the great art o’ letter-writin’.”

“Well,” said Mr. Weller, “there’s somethin’ in that; and I wish your mother-in-law ’ud only conduct her conwersation on the same gen-teel principle. Ain’t you a-goin’ to sign it?”

“That’s the difficulty,” said Sam; “I don’t know what to sign it.”