To Burn or Not To Burn?

[Wow. Wide Open. Score. LSU. Oh-- It's college football season again. Just warning you.]

Yesterday I bought one single crappy old book (for fifty cents) which contained some good advise for letter writers. 

[Wow! Score. LSU.]

From Composition-Rhetoric (Stratton D. Brooks and Marietta Hubbard, American Book Company, New York, 1905). 

[Still nine minutes left to play.]

"Marica?"

"Yes, Missy?"

"Ruff?"

"Aren't you coming to bed soon? We're tired."

"Well, you don't have to wait up for me, Missy."

"Ruff??"

"No. I'm fine. I'm just watching this game and wishing I could come up with something clever to blog about."

"How is that progressing?"

"R.U.F.F."

"Thanks, Rocky, for stating the oblivious."

"Ruff ruff."

"Good heavens, boy. Did you not leaf through Composition and Rhetoric? 'Not too good' is ungrammatical, no matter what sort of emphasis one puts on 'too'. Funny play on words, though, Marica."

"Thanks."

"Ruff? Ruff?"

"Oh my! My Dear Friend!! You really ought not ask those sorts of questions. We are dogs, my good man. We just go with the flow, man."

"It's okay, Missy. I don't fault Rocky for wondering when things will be back to 'normal' and when we will see Miss M back in the kitchen. I wonder as well."

"Still. My dear Friend should know his place."

"RUFF!"

"That's right, Rock. Your place is right there!

"Ruff."

"Good Lord. You all sound like a bunch of hippies. Just find a place and call it your own. No sense of decorum. No sense of order or propriety. If you don't mind my unsolicited comment, Marica, this place has ... how shall I say... "

"WOW! Did you see that Rocky?? Another touchdown!!"

"RUFF!! RUFFFFF!!!!!!"

"High Five, Rock!"

"Well. Clearly, I need to write to Miss M. Someone needs to restore some proprieties to this joint. I ... oh good grief."

"What's that, Missy? Sorry-- Rock and I were watching then end of the game and not paying attention to your mutterings."

"Never mind."

"Well... sleep tight, Missy! Sweet Dreams, Rocky!"

"Rufffffffff... ."