My son, I congratulate you.

Mrs.Dinks, I congratulate you." The honorable gentleman thereupon shook hands with his wife and son, as if he were congratulating them upon having such an eloquent and dignified husband and father, and then blew his nose gravely and loudly.

Having restored his handkerchief, he smiled in general, as it were--as if he hung out signals of amity with all mankind upon condition of good behavior on their part.
Poor Alfred was more speechless than ever.

He felt very warm and red, and began to surmise that to be engaged was not necessarily to be free from carking care.

He was sorely puzzled to know how to break the real news to his parents: "Oh! dear me," thought Alfred; "oh! dear me, I wonder if Fanny wouldn't do it.