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。