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。