Leaven of malice

"The following announcement appeared in the Salterton Evening Bellman: "Professor and Mrs. Walter Vambrace are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Pearl Veronica, to Solomon Bridgetower, Esq., son of ..." Although the malice that prompted the insertion of this false engagement notice was aimed at three people only--Solly Bridgetower, a junior instructor in English at Waverly University; Pearl Vambrace, the subdued daughter of a...