“Jo!Jo!Whereareyou？“criedMegatthefootofthegarretstairs。
　　“Here!“answeredahuskyvoicefromabove，and，runningup，MegfoundhersistereatingapplesandcryingovertheHeirofRedclyffe，wrappedupinacomforteronanoldthree-leggedsofabythesunnywindow。ThiswasJo’sfavoriterefuge，andhereshelovedtoretirewithhalfadozenrussetsandanicebook，toenjoythequietandthesocietyofapetratwholivednearbyanddidn’tmindheraparticle。AsMegappeared，Scrabblewhiskedintohishole。Joshookthetearsoffhercheeksandwaitedtohearthenews。
　　“Suchfun!Onlysee!AregularnoteofinvitationfromMrs。
　　Gardinerfortomorrownight!“criedMeg，wavingthepreciouspaperandthenproceedingtoreaditwithgirlishdelight。
　　“`Mrs。GardinerwouldbehappytoseeMissMarchandMissJosephineatalittledanceonNewYear’sEve。’Marmeeiswillingweshouldgo，nowwhatshallwewear？“
　　“What’stheuseofaskingthat，whenyouknowweshallwearourpoplins，becausewehaven’tgotanythingelse？“answeredJowithhermouthfull。
　　“IfIonlyhadasilk!“sighedMeg。“MothersaysImaywhenI’meighteenperhaps，buttwoyearsisaneverlastingtimetowait。“
　　“I’msureourpopslooklikesilk，andtheyareniceenoughforus。Yoursisasgoodasnew，butIforgottheburnandthetearinmine。WhatevershallIdo？Theburnshowsbadly，andIcan’ttakeanyout。“
　　“Youmustsitstillallyoucanandkeepyourbackoutofsight。
　　Thefrontisallright。Ishallhaveanewribbonformyhair，andMarmeewilllendmeherlittlepearlpin，andmynewslippersarelovely，andmygloveswilldo，thoughtheyaren’tasniceasI’dlike。“
　　“Minearespoiledwithlemonade，andIcan’tgetanynewones，soIshallhavetogowithout，“saidJo，whonevertroubledherselfmuchaboutdress。
　　“Youmusthavegloves，orIwon’tgo，“criedMegdecidedly。
　　“Glovesaremoreimportantthananythingelse。Youcan’tdancewithoutthem，andifyoudon’tIshouldbesomortified。“
　　“ThenI’llstaystill。Idon’tcaremuchforcompanydancing。
　　It’snofuntogosailinground。Iliketoflyaboutandcutcapers。“
　　“Youcan’taskMotherfornewones，theyaresoexpensive，andyouaresocareless。Shesaidwhenyouspoiledtheothersthatsheshouldn’tgetyouanymorethiswinter。Can’tyoumakethemdo？“
　　“Icanholdthemcrumpledupinmyhand，sonoonewillknowhowstainedtheyare。That’sallIcando。No!I’lltellyouhowwecanmanage，eachwearonegoodoneandcarryabadone。Don’tyousee？“
　　“Yourhandsarebiggerthanmine，andyouwillstretchmyglovedreadfully，“beganMeg，whosegloveswereatenderpointwithher。
　　“ThenI’llgowithout。Idon’tcarewhatpeoplesay!“criedJo，takingupherbook。
　　“Youmayhaveit，youmay!Onlydon’tstainit，anddobehavenicely。Don’tputyourhandsbehindyou，orstare，orsay`ChristopherColumbus!’willyou？“
　　“Don’tworryaboutme。I’llbeasprimadIcanandnotgetintoanyscrapes，ifIcanhelpit。Nowgoandansweryournote，andletmefinishthissplendidstory。“
　　SoMegwentawayto`acceptwiththanks’，lookoverherdress，andsingblithelyasshedidupheronereallacefrill，whileJofinishedherstory，herfourapples，andhadagameofrompswithScrabble。
　　OnNewYear’sEvetheparlorwasdeserted，forthetwoyoungergirlsplayeddressingmaidsandthetwoelderwereabsorbedintheall-importantbusinessof`gettingreadyfortheparty’。Simpleasthetoiletswere，therewasagreatdealofrunningupanddown，laughingandtalking，andatonetimeastrongsmellofburnedhairpervadedthehouse。Megwantedafewcurlsaboutherface，andJoundertooktopinchthepaperedlockswithapairofhottongs。
　　“Oughttheytosmokelikethat？“askedBethfromherperchonthebed。
　　“It’sthedampnessdrying，“repliedJo。
　　“Whataqueersmell!It’slikeburnedfeathers，“observedAmy，smoothingherownprettycurlswithasuperiorair。
　　“There，nowI’lltakeoffthepapersandyou’llseeacloudoflittleringlets，“saidJo，puttingdownthetongs。
　　Shedidtakeoffthepapers，butnocloudofringletsappeared，forthehaircamewiththepapers，andthehorrifiedhairdresserlaidarowoflittlescorchedbundlesonthebureaubeforehervictim。
　　“Oh，oh，oh!Whathaveyoudone？I’mspoiled!Ican’tgo!
　　Myhair，oh，myhair!“wailedMeg，lookingwithdespairattheunevenfrizzleonherforehead。
　　“Justmyluck!Youshouldn’thaveaskedmetodoit。Ialwaysspoileverything。I’msosorry，butthetongsweretoohot，andsoI’vemadeamess，“groanedpoorJo，regardingthelittleblackpancakeswithtearsofregret。
　　“Itisn’tspoiled。Justfrizzleit，andtieyourribbonsotheendscomeonyourforeheadabit，anditwilllooklikethelastfashion。I’veseenmanygirlsdoitso，“saidAmyconsolingly。
　　“Servesmerightfortryingtobefine。IwishI’dletmyhairalone，“criedMegpetulantly。
　　“SodoI，itwassosmoothandpretty。Butitwillsoongrowoutagain，“saidBeth，comingtokissandcomforttheshornsheep。
　　Aftervariouslessermishaps，Megwasfinishedatlast，andbytheunitedexertionsoftheentirefamilyJo’shairwasgotupandherdresson。Theylookedverywellintheirsimplesuits，Meg’sinsilverydrab，withabluevelvetsnood，lacefrills，andthepearlpin。Joinmaroon，withastiff，gentlemanlylinencollar，andawhitechrysanthemumortwoforheronlyornament。
　　Eachputononenicelightglove，andcarriedonesoiledone，andallpronouncedtheeffect“quiteeasyandfine“。Meg’shigh-heeledslipperswereverytightandhurther，thoughshewouldnotownit，andJo’snineteenhairpinsallseemedstuckstraightintoherhead，whichwasnotexactlycomfortable，but，dearme，letusbeelegantordie。
　　“Haveagoodtime，dearies!“saidMrs。March，asthesisterswentdaintilydownthewalk。“Don’teatmuchsupper，andcomeawayatelevenwhenIsendHannahforyou。“Asthegateclashedbehindthem，avoicecriedfromawindow……
　　“Girls，girls!Haveyouyoubothgotnicepockethandkerchiefs？“
　　“Yes，yes，spandynice，andMeghascologneonhers，“criedJo，addingwithalaughastheywenton，“IdobelieveMarmeewouldaskthatifwewereallrunningawayfromanearthquake。
　　“Itisoneofheraristocratictastes，andquiteproper，forarealladyisalwaysknownbyneatboots，gloves，andhandkerchief，“
　　repliedMeg，whohadagoodmanylittle`aristocratictastes’ofherown。
　　“Nowdon’tforgettokeepthebadbreadthoutofsight，Jo。
　　Ismysashright？Anddoesmyhairlookverybad？“saidMeg，assheturnedfromtheglassinMrs。Gardiner’sdressingroomafteraprolongedprink。
　　“IknowIshallforget。Ifyouseemedoinganythingwrong，justremindmebyawink，willyou？“returnedJo，givinghercollaratwitchandherheadahastybrush。
　　“No，winkingisn’tladylike。I’llliftmyeyebrowsifanythingiswrong，andnodifyouareallright。Nowholdyourshoulderstraight，andtakeshortsteps，anddon’tshakehandsifyouareintroducedtoanyone。Itisn’tthething。“
　　“Howdoyoulearnalltheproperways？Inevercan。Isn’tthatmusicgay？“
　　Downtheywent，feelingatrifletimid，fortheyseldomwenttoparties，andinformalasthislittlegatheringwas，itwasaneventtothem。Mrs。Gardiner，astatelyoldlady，greetedthemkindlyandhandedthemovertotheeldestofhersixdaughters。
　　MegknewSallieandwasathereaseverysoon，butJo，whodidn’tcaremuchforgirlsorgirlishgossip，stoodabout，withherbackcarefullyagainstthewall，andfeltasmuchoutofplaceasacoltinaflowergarden。Halfadozenjovialladsweretalkingaboutskatesinanotherpartoftheroom，andshelongedtogoandjointhem，forskatingwasoneofthejoysofherlife。ShetelegraphedherwishtoMeg，buttheeyebrowswentupsoalarminglythatshedarednotstir。Noonecametotalktoher，andonebyonethegroupdwindledawaytillshewasleftalone。Shecouldnotroamaboutandamuseherself，fortheburnedbreadthwouldshow，soshestaredatpeopleratherforlornlytillthedancingbegan。Megwasaskedatonce，andthetightslipperstrippedaboutsobrisklythatnonewouldhaveguessedthepaintheirwearersufferedsmilingly。Josawabigredheadedyouthapproachinghercorner，andfearinghemeanttoengageher，sheslippedintoacurtainedrecess，intendingtopeepandenjoyherselfinpeace。Unfortunately，anotherbashfulpersonhadchosenthesamerefuge，for，asthecurtainfellbehindher，shefoundherselffacetofacewiththe`Laurenceboy’。
　　“Dearme，Ididn’tknowanyonewashere!“stammeredJo，preparingtobackoutasspeedilyasshehadbouncedin。
　　Buttheboylaughedandsaidpleasantly，thoughhelookedalittlestartled，“Don’tmindme，stayifyoulike。“
　　“Shan’tIdisturbyou？“
　　“Notabit。IonlycameherebecauseIdon’tknowmanypeopleandfeltratherstrangeatfirst，youknow。“
　　“SodidI。Don’tgoaway，please，unlessyou’drather。“
　　Theboysatdownagainandlookedathispumps，tillJosaid，tryingtobepoliteandeasy，“IthinkI’vehadthepleasureofseeingyoubefore。Youlivenearus，don’tyou？“
　　“Nextdoor。“Andhelookedupandlaughedoutright，forJo’sprimmannerwasratherfunnywhenherememberedhowtheyhadchattedaboutcricketwhenhebroughtthecathome。
　　ThatputJoathereaseandshelaughedtoo，asshesaid，inherheartiestway，“WedidhavesuchagoodtimeoveryourniceChristmaspresent。“
　　“Grandpasentit。“
　　“Butyouputitintohishead，didn’tyou，now？“
　　“Howisyourcat，MissMarch？“askedtheboy，tryingtolooksoberwhilehisblackeyesshonewithfun。
　　“Nicely，thankyou，Mr。Laurence。ButIamnotMissMarch，I’monlyJo，“returnedtheyounglady。
　　“I’mnotMr。Laurence，I’monlyLaurie。“
　　“LaurieLaurence，whatanoddname。“
　　“Myfirstnameistheodore，butIdon’tlikeit，forthefellowscalledmeDora，soImadethesayLaurieinstead。“
　　“Ihatemyname，too，sosentimental!IwisheveryonewouldsayJoinsteadofJosephine。HowdidyoumaketheboysstopcallingyouDora？“
　　“Ithrashed`em。“
　　“Ican’tthrashAuntMarch，soIsupposeIshallhavetobearit。“AndJoresignedherselfwithasigh。
　　“Don’tyouliketodance，MissJo？“askedLaurie，lookingasifhethoughtthenamesuitedher。
　　“Ilikeitwellenoughifthereisplentyofroom，andeveryoneislively。InaplacelikethisI’msuretoupsetsomething，treadonpeople’stoes，ordosomethingdreadful，soIkeepoutofmischiefandletMegsailabout。Don’tyoudance？“