Dear Tom, Well, it sure seems
like you have a couple problems, now doesn't it? You are great at creatin'
yerself problems, and not so great at fixin' em'. Even though you are tryin',
it isn't workin' out. I don't mean to criticize the way you are doin' things,
but, there is a better way. You may not take my advice, but I assure you
it would do you some good. First off, you don't
seem to know much bout' how to deal with girls. Showing off won't make
you more appealin' to Becky. You have broke her
heart, and you have gotta work hard to get it back. If you love er' so
much, she must be real perty and nice. A perty and nice girl deserves a
lot. Instead of showin' off, try and reason with her, in a different way
than you already have. You gotta show her that you really do love er',
and not just how good you are at handstands and runnin'. Since Becky just
turns her nose up at you, she must feel like you have hurt er' real bad.
Leave her gifts, and show no interest in any other girls. Just be nice
to her for a while, and she is sure to show her real feelins for you. She
still likes you, she's just mad, that's all, and you can't expect to win
her back in a day. It may take a week or two, and dependin on how well
you use my advice, it could take longer. You should definitely take my advice
bout' that there Becky Thatcher 'cause I'm a girl and know what boys
should do for one. There is no better place to get advice bout' girls than
from a real live girl herself. Let's see if I can
clear up that problem you got with Injun Joe. You don't seem to sure as
to why Muff Potter is bein blamed for this whole murder incident. Well,
after Injun Joe stabbed Doc Robinson, he put the knife in Muff Potter's
hand. Muff Potter was framed by Injun Joe, but you didn't see that part
cuz' you ran off just before that framin'. You should get Huck,
and try and find a time when you can talk to Muff alone, and explain that
he didn't really kill Doc Robinson. That won't make you drop
down dead in your tracks and die and rot cause you weren't sayin that
Injun Joe killed Doc. Whatever you do, you cain't just leave this sitiation
alone. Your conscience wouldn't let you live through it. You should stop
relyin on your superstitions; they won't do you any good. If you tell the
truth about the murder, I promise that you will not drop down dead and
die and rot. Some superstitions are
fun just to think about, but big ones bout' dyin are nothin to play with.
White lies are the same as tellin big ones, and should bother your conscience
just as much, whether they do or not. Wouldn't it be nice just to get this
whole murder out of your head, and to tell the truth? That is the best
way to go, and the only way that will really end the sitiation. I have been through
sitiations that involve lyin and tellin the truth, and I can assure that
tellin the truth is the way to go. I have told you what I know I would
do, and have done in past sitiations. If you don't take my advice, I sure
hope that you do something better.