JowasthefirsttowakeinthegraydawnofChristmasmorning。

Nostockingshungatthefireplace，andforamomentshefeltasmuchdisappointedasshedidlongago，whenherlittlesockfelldownbecauseitwascrammedsofullofgoodies。Thensherememberedhermother’spromiseand，slippingherhandunderherpillow，drewoutalittlecrimson-coveredbook。Sheknewitverywell，foritwasthatbeautifuloldstoryofthebestlifeeverlived，andJofeltthatitwasatrueguidebookforanypilgrimgoingonalongjourney。ShewokeMegwitha“MerryChristmas，“andbadeherseewhatwasunderherpillow。Agreen-

coveredbookappeared，withthesamepictureinside，andafewwordswrittenbytheirmother，whichmadetheironepresentverypreciousintheireyes。PresentlyBethandAmywoketorummageandfindtheirlittlebooksalso，onedove-colored，theotherblue，andallsatlookingatandtalkingaboutthem，whiletheeastgrewrosywiththecomingday。

Inspiteofhersmallvanities，Margarethadasweetandpiousnature，whichunconsciouslyinfluencedhersisters，especiallyJo，wholovedherverytenderly，andobeyedherbecauseheradvicewassogentlygiven。

“Girls，“saidMegseriously，lookingfromthetumbledheadbesidehertothetwolittlenight-cappedonesintheroombeyond，“Motherwantsustoreadandloveandmindthesebooks，andwemustbeginatonce。Weusedtobefaithfulaboutit，butsinceFatherwentawayandallthiswartroubleunsettledus，wehaveneglectedmanythings。Youcandoasyouplease，butIshallkeepmybookonthetablehereandreadalittleeverymorningassoonasIwake，forIknowitwilldomegoodandhelpmethroughtheday。“

Thensheopenedhernewbookandbegantoread。Joputherarmroundherand，leaningcheektocheek，readalso，withthequietexpressionsoseldomseenonherrestlessface。

“HowgoodMegis!Come，Amy，let’sdoastheydo。I’llhelpyouwiththehardwords，andthey’’explainthingsifwedon’tunderstand，“whisperedBeth，verymuchimpressedbytheprettybooksandhersisters，example。

“I’mgladmineisblue，“saidAmy。andthentheroomswereverystillwhilethepagesweresoftlyturned，andthewintersunshinecreptintotouchthebrightheadsandseriousfaceswithaChristmasgreeting。

“WhereisMother？“askedMeg，assheandJorandowntothankherfortheirgifts，halfanhourlater。

“Goodnessonlyknows。somepoorcreetercamea-beggin’，andyourmawentstraightofftoseewhatwasneeded。Thereneverwassuchawomanforgivin’awayvittlesanddrink，clothesandfirin’，“

repliedHannah，whohadlivedwiththefamilysinceMegwasborn，andwasconsideredbythemallmoreasafriendthanaservant。

“Shewillbebacksoon，Ithink，sofryyourcakes，andhaveeverythingready，“saidMeg，lookingoverthepresentswhichwerecollectedinabasketandkeptunderthesofa，readytobeproducedatthepropertime。“why，whereisAmy’sbottleofcologne？“

sheadded，asthelittleflaskdidnotappear。

“Shetookitoutaminuteago，andwentoffwithittoputaribbononit，orsomesuchnotion，“repliedJo，dancingabouttheroomtotakethefirststiffnessoffthenewarmyslippers。

“Hownicemyhandkerchiefslook，don’tthey？Hannahwashedandironedthemforme，andImarkedthemallmyself，“saidBeth，lookingproudlyatthesomewhatunevenletterswhichhadcosthersuchlabor。

“Blessthechild!She’sgoneandput`Mother’ontheminsteadof`M。March’。Howfunny!“criedJo，takingoneup。

“Isn’tthatright？Ithoughtitwasbettertodoitso，becauseMeg’sinitialsareM。M。，andIdon’twantanyonetousethesebutMarmee，“saidBeth；，lookingtroubled。

“It’sallright，dear，andaveryprettyidea，quitesensibletoo，fornoonecanevermistakenow。Itwillpleaseherverymuch，Iknow，“saidMeg，withafrownforJoandasmileforBeth。

“There’sMother。Hidethebasket，quick!“criedJo，asadoorslammedandstepssoundedinthehall。

Amycameinhastily，andlookedratherabashedwhenshesawhersistersallwaitingforher。

“Wherehaveyoubeen，andwhatareyouhidingbehindyou？“

askedMeg，surprisedtosee，byherhoodandcloak，thatlazyAmyhadbeenoutsoearly。

“Don’tlaughatme，Jo!Ididn’tmeananyoneshouldknowtillthetimecame。Ionlymeanttochangethelittlebottleforabigone，andIgaveallmymoneytogetit，andI’mtrulytryingnottobeselfishanymore。“

Asshespoke，Amyshowedthehandsomeflaskwhichreplacedthecheapone，andlookedsoearnestandhumbleinherlittleefforttoforgetherselfthatMeghuggedheronthespot，andJopronouncedher`atrump’，whileBethrantothewindow，andpickedherfinestrosetoornamentthestatelybottle。

“YouseeIfeltashamedofmypresent，afterreadingandtalkingaboutbeinggoodthismorning，soIranroundthecornerandchangedittheminuteIwasup，andI’msoglad，formineisthehandsomestnow。“

Anotherbangofthestreetdoorsentthebasketunderthesofa，andthegirlstothetable，eagerforbreakfast。

“MerryChristmas，Marmee!Manyofthem!Thankyouforourbooks。Wereadsome，andmeantoeveryday，“theyallcriedinchorus。

“MerryChristmas，littledaughters!I’mgladyoubeganatonce，andhopeyouwillkeepon。ButIwanttosayonewordbeforewesitdown。Notfarawayfromhereliesapoorwomanwithalittlenewbornbaby。Sixchildrenarehuddledintoonebedtokeepfromfreezing，fortheyhavenofire。Thereisnothingtoeatoverthere，andtheoldestboycametotellmetheyweresufferinghungerandcold。Mygirls，willyougivethemyourbreakfastasaChristmaspresent？“

Theywereallunusuallyhungry，havingwaitednearlyanhour，andforaminutenoonespoke，onlyaminute，forJoexclaimedimpetuously，“I’msogladyoucamebeforewebegan!“

“MayIgoandhelpcarrythethingstothepoorlittlechildren？“

askedBetheagerly。

“Ishalltakethecreamandthemuffings，“addedAmy，heroicallygivingupthearticleshemostliked。

Megwasalreadycoveringthebuckwheats，andpilingthebreadintoonebigplate。

“Ithoughtyou’ddoit，“saidMrs。March，smilingasifsatisfied。

“Youshallallgoandhelpme，andwhenwecomebackwewillhavebreadandmilkforbreakfast，andmakeitupatdinnertime。“

Theyweresoonready，andtheprocessionsetout。Fortunatelyitwasearly，andtheywentthroughbackstreets，sofewpeoplesawthem，andnoonelaughedatthequeerparty。

Apoor，bare，miserableroomitwas，withbrokenwindows，nofire，raggedbedclothes，asickmother，wailingbaby，andagroupofpale，hungrychildrencuddledunderoneoldquilt，tryingtokeepwarm。

Howthebigeyesstaredandthebluelipssmiledasthegirlswentin。

“Ach，meinGott!Itisgoodangelscometous!“saidthepoorwoman，cryingforjoy。

“Funnyangelsinhoodsandmittens，“saidJo，andsetthemtolaughing。

Inafewminutesitreallydidseemasifkindspiritshadbeenatworkthere。Hannah，whohadcarriedwood，madeafire，andstoppedupthebrokenpaneswitholdhatsandherowncloak。Mrs。

Marchgavethemotherteaandgruel，andcomfortedherwithpromisesofhelp，whileshedressedthelittlebabyastenderlyasifithadbeenherown。Thegirlsmeantimespreadthetable，setthechildrenroundthefire，andfedthemlikesomanyhungrybirds，laughing，talking，andtryingtounderstandthefunnybrokenEnglish。

“Dasistgut!““DieEngel-kinder!“criedthepoorthingsastheyateandwarmedtheirpurplehandsatthecomfortableblaze。

Thegirlshadneverbeencalledangelchildrenbefore，andthoughtitveryagreeable，especiallyJo，whohadbeenconsidereda`Sancho’eversinceshewasborn。Thatwasaveryhappybreakfast，thoughtheydidn’tgetanyofit。Andwhentheywentaway，leavingcomfortbehind，IthinktherewerenotinallthecityfourmerrierpeoplethanthehungrylittlegirlswhogaveawaytheirbreakfastsandcontentedthemselveswithbreadandmilkonChristmasmorning。

“That’slovingourneighborbetterthanourselves，andI

likeit，“saidMeg，astheysetouttheirpresentswhiletheirmotherwasupstairscollectingclothesforthepoorHummels。

Notaverysplendidshow，buttherewasagreatdealoflovedoneupinthefewlittlebundles，andthetallvaseofredroses，whitechrysanthemums，andtrailingvines，whichstoodinthemiddle，gavequiteanelegantairtothetable。

“She’scoming!Strikeup，Beth!Openthedoor，Amy!

ThreecheersforMarmee!“criedJo，prancingaboutwhileMegwenttoconductMothertotheseatofhonor。

Bethplayedhergayestmarch，amythrewopenthedoor，andMegenactedescortwithgreatdignity。Mrs。Marchwasbothsurprisedandtouched，andsmiledwithhereyesfullassheexaminedherpresentsandreadthelittlenoteswhichaccompaniedthem。Theslipperswentonatonce，anewhandkerchiefwasslippedintoherpocket，wellscentedwithAmy’scologne，therosewasfastenedinherbosom，andthenicegloveswerepronouncedaperfectfit。

Therewasagooddealoflaughingandkissingandexplaining，inthesimple，lovingfashionwhichmakesthesehomefestivalssopleasantatthetime，sosweettorememberlongafterward，andthenallfelltowork。

Themorningcharitiesandceremoniestooksomuchtimethattherestofthedaywasdevotedtopreparationsfortheeveningfestivities。Beingstilltooyoungtogooftentothetheater，andnotrichenoughtoaffordanygreatoutlayforprivateperformances，thegirlsputtheirwitstowork，andnecessitybeingthemotherofinvention，madewhatevertheyneeded。Verycleverweresomeoftheirproductions，pasteboardguitars，antiquelampsmadeofold-fashionedbutterboatscoveredwithsilverpaper，gorgeousrobesofoldcotton，glitteringwithtinspanglesfromapicklefactory，andarmorcoveredwiththesameusefuldiamondshapedbitsleftinnsheetswhenthelidsofpreservepotswerecutout。Thebigchamberwasthesceneofmanyinnocentrevels。

Nogentlemanwereadmitted，soJoplayedmalepartstoherheart’scontentandtookimmensesatisfactioninapairofrussetleatherbootsgivenherbyafriend，whoknewaladywhoknewanactor。Theseboots，anoldfoil，andaslasheddoubletonceusedbyanartistforsomepicture，wereJo’schieftreasuresandappearedonalloccasions。Thesmallnessofthecompanymadeitnecessaryforthetwoprincipalactorstotakeseveralpartsapiece，andtheycertainlydeservedsomecreditforthehardworktheydidinlearningthreeorfourdifferentparts，whiskinginandoutofvariouscostumes，andmanagingthestagebesides。Itwasexcellentdrillfortheirmemories，aharmlessamusement，andemployedmanyhourswhichotherwisewouldhavebeenidle，lonely，orspentinlessprofitablesociety。

Onchristmasnight，adozengirlspiledontothebedwhichwasthedresscircle，andsatbeforetheblueandyellowchintzcurtainsinamostflatteringstateofexpectancy。Therewasagooddealofrustlingandwhisperingbehindthecurtain，atrifleoflampsmoke，andanoccasionalgigglefromAmy，whowasapttogethystericalintheexcitementofthemoment。Presentlyabellsounded，thecurtainsflewapart，andtheOPERATICTRAGEDYbegan。