LittleWomenbyLouisaMayAlcottCHAPTERONE
　　“Christmaswon’tbeChristmaswithoutanypresents，“grumbledJo，lyingontherug。
　　“It’ssodreadfultobepoor!“sighedMeg，lookingdownatherolddress。
　　“Idon’tthinkit’sfairforsomegirlstohaveplentyofprettythings，andothergirlsnothingatall，“addedlittleAmy，withaninjuredsniff。
　　“We’vegotFatherandMother，andeachother，“saidBethcontentedlyfromhercorner。
　　Thefouryoungfacesonwhichthefirelightshonebrightenedatthecheerfulwords，butdarkenedagainasJosaidsadly，“Wehaven’tgotFather，andshallnothavehimforalongtime。“
　　Shedidn’tsay“perhapsnever，“buteachsilentlyaddedit，thinkingofFatherfaraway，wherethefightingwas。
　　Nobodyspokeforaminute；thenMegsaidinanalteredtone，“YouknowthereasonMotherproposednothavinganypresentsthisChristmaswasbecauseitisgoingtobeahardwinterforeveryone；
　　andshethinksweoughtnottospendmoneyforpleasure，whenourmenaresufferingsointhearmy。Wecan’tdomuch，butwecanmakeourlittlesacrifices，andoughttodoitgladly。ButIamafraidIdon’t。“AndMegshookherhead，asshethoughtregretfullyofalltheprettythingsshewanted。
　　“ButIdon’tthinkthelittleweshouldspendwoulddoanygood。We’veeachgotadollar，andthearmywouldn’tbemuchhelpedbyourgivingthat。IagreenottoexpectanythingfromMotheroryou，butIdowanttobuyUNDINEANDSINTRAMformyself。I’vewanteditsolong，“saidJo，whowasabookworm。
　　“Iplannedtospendmineinnewmusic，“saidBeth，withalittlesigh，whichnooneheardbutthehearthbrushandkettleholder。
　　“IshallgetaniceboxofFaber’sdrawingpencils。I
　　reallyneedthem，“saidAmydecidedly。
　　“Motherdidn’tsayanythingaboutourmoney，andshewon’twishustogiveupeverything。Let’seachbuywhatwewant，andhavealittlefun。I’msureweworkhardenoughtoearnit，“criedJo，examiningtheheelsofhershoesinagentlemanlymanner。
　　“IknowIdo——teachingthosetiresomechildrennearlyallday，whenI’mlongingtoenjoymyselfathome，“beganMeg，inthecomplainingtoneagain。
　　“Youdon’thavehalfsuchahardtimeasIdo，“saidJo。
　　“Howwouldyouliketobeshutupforhourswithanervous，fussyoldlady，whokeepsyoutrotting，isneversatisfied，andworriesyoutillyouyou’rereadytoflyoutthewindoworcry？“
　　“It’snaughtytofret，butIdothinkwashingdishesandkeepingthingstidyistheworstworkintheworld。Itmakesmecross，andmyhandsgetsostiff，Ican’tpracticewellatall。“
　　AndBethlookedatherroughhandswithasighthatanyonecouldhearthattime。
　　“Idon’tbelieveanyofyousufferasIdo，“criedAmy，“foryoudon’thavetogotoschoolwithimpertinentgirls，whoplagueyouifyoudon’tknowyourlessons，andlaughatyourdresses，andlabelyourfatherifheisn’trich，andinsultyouwhenyournoseisn’tnice。“
　　“Ifyoumeanlibel，I’dsayso，andnottalkaboutlabels，asifPapawasapicklebottle，“advisedJo，laughing。
　　“IknowwhatImean，andyouneedn’tbestatiricalaboutit。
　　It’spropertousegoodwords，andimproveyourvocabilary，“
　　returnedAmy，withdignity。
　　“Don’tpeckatoneanother，children。Don’tyouwishwehadthemoneyPapalostwhenwewerelittle，Jo？Dearme!Howhappyandgoodwe’dbe，ifwehadnoworries!“saidMeg，whocouldrememberbettertimes。
　　“YousaidtheotherdayyouthoughtwewereadealhappierthantheKingchildren，fortheywerefightingandfrettingallthetime，inspiteoftheirmoney。“
　　“SoIdid，Beth。Well，Ithinkweare。Forthoughwedohavetowork，wemakefunofourselves，andareaprettyjollyset，asJowouldsay。“
　　“Jodoesusesuchslangwords!“observedAmy，withareprovinglookatthelongfigurestretchedontherug。
　　Joimmediatelysatup，putherhandsinherpockets，andbegantowhistle。
　　“Don’t，Jo。It’ssoboyish!“
　　“That’swhyIdoit。“
　　“Idetestrude，unladylikegirls!“
　　“Ihateaffected，niminy-piminychits!“
　　“Birdsintheirlittlenestsagree，“sangBeth，thepeacemaker，withsuchafunnyfacethatbothsharpvoicessoftenedtoalaugh，andthe“pecking“endedforthattime。
　　“Really，girls，youarebothtobeblamed，“saidMeg，beginningtolectureinherelder-sisterlyfashion。“Youareoldenoughtoleaveoffboyishtricks，andtobehavebetter，Josephine。Itdidn’tmattersomuchwhenyouwerealittlegirl，butnowyouaresotall，andturnupyourhair，youshouldrememberthatyouareayounglady。“
　　“I’mnot!Andifturningupmyhairmakesmeone，I’llwearitintwotailstillI’mtwenty，“criedJo，pullingoffhernet，andshakingdownachestnutmane。“IhatetothinkI’vegottogrowup，andbeMissMarch，andwearlonggowns，andlookasprimasaChinaAster!It’sbadenoughtobeagirl，anyway，whenIlikeboy’sgamesandworkandmanners!I
　　can’tgetovermydisappointmentinnotbeingaboy。Andit’sworsethanevernow，forI’mdyingtogoandfightwithPapa。
　　AndIcanonlystayhomeandknit，likeapokyoldwoman!“
　　AndJoshookthebluearmysocktilltheneedlesrattledlikecastanets，andherballboundedacrosstheroom。
　　“PoorJo!It’stoobad，butitcan’tbehelped。Soyoumusttrytobecontentedwithmakingyournameboyish，andplayingbrothertousgirls，“saidBeth，strokingtheroughheadwithahandthatallthedishwashinganddustingintheworldcouldnotmakeungentleinitstouch。
　　“Asforyou，Amy，“continuedMeg，“youarealtogethertoparticularandprim。Yourairsarefunnynow，butyou’llgrowupanaffectedlittlegoose，ifyoudon’ttakecare。I
　　Ilikeyournicemannersandrefinedwaysofspeaking，whenyoudon’ttrytobeelegant。ButyourabsurdwordsareasbadasJo’sslang。“
　　“IfJoisatomboyandAmyagoose，whatamI，please？“
　　askedBeth，readytosharethelecture。
　　“You’readear，andnothingelse，“answeredMegwarmly，andnoonecontradictedher，forthe`Mouse’wasthepetofthefamily。
　　Asyoungreadersliketoknow`howpeoplelook’，wewilltakethismomenttogivethemalittlesketchofthefoursisters，whosatknittingawayinthetwilight，whiletheDecembersnowfellquietlywithout，andthefirecrackledcheerfullywithin。Itwasacomfortableroom，thoughthecarpetwasfadedandthefurnitureveryplain，foragoodpictureortwohungonthewalls，booksfilledtherecesses，chrysanthemumsandChristmasrosesbloomedinthewindows，andapleasantatmosphereofhomepeacepervadedit。
　　Margaret，theeldestofthefour，wassixteen，andverypretty，beingplumpandfair，withlargeeyes，plentyofsoftbrownhair，asweetmouth，andwhitehands，ofwhichshewasrathervain。Fifteen-
　　year-oldJowasverytall，thin，andbrown，andremindedoneofacolt，forsheneverseemedtoknowwhattodowithherlonglimbs，whichwereverymuchinherway。Shehadadecidedmouth，acomicalnose，andsharp，grayeyes，whichappearedtoseeeverything，andwerebyturnsfierce，funny，orthoughtful。Herlong，thickhairwasheronebeauty，butitwasusuallybundledintoanet，tobeoutofherway。RoundshouldershadJo，bighandsandfeet，aflyawaylooktoherclothes，andtheuncomfortableappearanceofagirlwhowasrapidlyshootingupintoawomananddidn’tlikeit。
　　Elizabeth，orBeth，aseveryonecalledher，wasarosy，smooth-
　　haired，bright-eyedgirlofthirteen，withashymanner，atimidvoice，anda；peacefulexpressionwhichwasseldomdisturbed。
　　Herfathercalledher`LittleMissTranquility’，andthenamesuitedherexcellently，forsheseemedtoliveinahappyworldofherown，onlyventuringouttomeetthefewwhomshetrustedandloved。
　　Amy，thoughtheyoungest，wasamostimportantperson，inherownopinionatleast。Aregularsnowmaiden，withblueeyes，andyellowhaircurlingonhershoulders，paleandslender，andalwayscarryingherselflikeayoungladymindfulofhermanners。Whatthecharactersofthefoursisterswerewewillleavetobefoundout。
　　Theclockstrucksixand，havingsweptupthehearth，Bethputapairofslippersdowntowarm。Somehowthesightoftheoldshoeshadagoodeffectuponthegirls，forMotherwascoming，andeveryonebrightenedtowelcomeher。Megstoppedlecturing，andlightedthelamp，Amygotoutoftheeasychairwithoutbeingasked，andJoforgothowtiredshewasasshesatuptoholdtheslippersnearertotheblaze。
　　“Theyarequitewornout。Marmeemusthaveanewpair。“
　　“IthoughtI’dgethersomewithmydollar，“saidBeth。
　　“No，Ishall!“criedAmy。
　　“I’mtheoldest，“beganMeg，butJocutinwithadecided，“I’mthemanofthefamilynowPapaisaway，andIshallprovidetheslippers，forhetoldmetotakespecialcareofMotherwhilehewasgone。“
　　“I’lltellyouwhatwe’lldo，“saidBeth，“let’seachgethersomethingforChristmas，landnotgetanythingforourselves。“
　　“That’slikeyou，dear!Whatwillweget？“exclaimedJo。
　　Everyonethoughtsoberlyforaminute，thenMegannounced，asiftheideawassuggestedbythesightofherownprettyhands，“Ishallgiveheranicepairofgloves。“
　　“Armyshoes，besttobehad，“criedJo。
　　“Somehandkerchiefs，allhemmed，“saidBeth。
　　“I’llgetalittlebottleofcologne。Shelikesit，anditwon’tcostmuch，soI’llhavesomelefttobuymypencils，“addedAmy。
　　“Howwillwegivethethings？“askedMeg。
　　“Putthemonthetable，andbringherinandseeheropenthebundles。Don’tyourememberhowweusedtodoonourbirthdays？“answeredJo。
　　“Iusedtobesofrightenedwhenitwasmyturntositinthechairwiththecrownon，andseeyouallcomemarchingroundtogivethepresents，withakiss。Ilikedthethingsandthekisses，butitwasdreadfultohaveyousitlookingatmewhileIopenedthebundles，“saidBeth，whowastoastingherfaceandthebreadforteaatthesametime。
　　“LetMarmeethinkwearegettingthingsforourselves，andthensurpriseher。Wemustgoshoppingtomorrowafternoon，Meg。
　　ThereissomuchtodoabouttheplayforChristmasnight，“saidJo，marchingupanddown，withherhandsbehindherback，andhernoseintheair。
　　“Idon’tmeantoactanymoreafterthistime。I’mgettingtoooldforsuchthings，“observedMeg，whowasasmuchachildaseverabout`dressing-up’frolics。
　　“Youwon’tstop，Iknow，aslongasyoucantrailroundinawhitegownwithyourhairdown，andweargold-paperjewelry。
　　Youarethebestactresswe’vegot，andthere’llbeanendofeverythingifyouquittheboards，“saidJo。“Weoughttorehearsetonight。Comehere，Amy，anddothefaintingscene，foryouareasstiffasapokerinthat。“
　　“Ican’thelpit。Ineversawanyonefaint，andIdon’tchoosetomakemyselfallblackandblue，tumblingflatasyoudo。IfI
　　cangodowneasily，I’lldrop。IfIcan’t，Ishallfallintoachairandbegraceful。Idon’tcareifHugodoescomeatmewithapistol，“returnedAmy，whowasnotgiftedwithdramaticpower，butwaschosenbecauseshewassmallenoughtobeborneoutshriekingbythevillainofthepiece。