“Now，Marmee，thatisverycunningofyoutoturnourownstoriesagainstus，andgiveusasermoninsteadofaromance!“
criedMeg。
“Ilikethatkindofsermon。It’sthesortFatherusedtotellus，“saidBeththoughtfully，puttingtheneedlesstraightonJo’scushion。
“Idon’tcomplainnearasmuchastheothersdo，andIshallbemorecarefulthanevernow，forI’vehadwarningfromSusies’sdownfall，“
saidAmymorally。
“Weneededthatlesson，andwewon’tforgetit。Ifwedoso，youjustsaytous，asoldChloedidinUNCLETOM，`Tinkobyermarcies，chillen!`Tinkobyermarcies!’“addedJo，whocouldnot，forthelifeofher，helpgettingamorseloffunoutofthelittlesermon，thoughshetookittoheartasmuchasanyofthem。
“Whatintheworldareyougoingtodonow，Jo。“askedMegonesnowyafternoon，ashersistercametrampingthroughthehall，inrubberboots，oldsack，andhood，withabroominonehandandashovelintheother。
“Goingoutforexercise，“answeredJowithamischievoustwinkleinhereyes。
“Ishouldthinktwolongwalksthismorningwouldhavebeenenough!It’scoldanddullout，andIadviseyoutostaywarmanddrybythefire，asIdo，“saidMegwithashiver。
“Nevertakeadvice!Can’tkeepstillallday，andnotbeingapussycat，Idon’tliketodozebythefire。Ilikeadventures，andI’mgoingtofindsome。“
MegwentbacktotoastherfeetandreadIVANHOE，andJobegantodigpathswithgreatenergy。Thesnowwaslight，andwithherbroomshesoonsweptapathallroundthegarden，forBethtowalkinwhenthesuncameoutandtheinvaliddollsneededair。Now，thegardenseparatedtheMarches’housefromthatofMr。Laurence。Bothstoodinasuburbofthecity，whichwasstillcountrylike，withgrovesandlawns，largegardens，andquietstreets。Alowhedgepartedthetwoestates。Ononesidewasanold，brownhouse，lookingratherbareandshabby，robbedofthevinesthatinsummercovereditswallsandtheflowers，whichthensurroundedit。Ontheothersidewasastatelystonemansion，plainlybetokeningeverysortofcomfortandluxury，fromthebigcoachhouseandwell-keptgroundstotheconservatoryandtheglimpsesoflovelythingsonecaughtbetweentherichcurtains。
Yetitseemedalonely，lifelesssortofhouse，fornochildrenfrolickedonthelawn，nomotherlyfaceeversmiledatthewindows，andfewpeoplewentinandout，excepttheoldgentlemanandhisgrandson。
ToJo’slivelyfancy，thisfinehouseseemedakindofenchantedpalace，fullofsplendorsanddelightswhichnooneenjoyed。Shehadlongwantedtobeholdthesehiddenglories，andtoknowtheLaurenceboy，wholookedasifhewouldliketobeknown，ifheonlyknewhowtobegin。Sincetheparty，shehadbeenmoreeagerthanever，andhadplannedmanywaysofmakingfriendswithhim，buthehadnotbeenseenlately，andJobegantothinkhehadgoneaway，whensheonedayspiedabrownfaceatanupperwindow，lookingwistfullydownintotheirgarden，whereBethandAmyweresnow-ballingoneanother。
“Thatboyissufferingforsocietyandfun，“shesaidtoherself。
“Hisgrandpadoesnotknowwhat’sgoodforhim，andkeepshimshutupallalone。Heneedsapartyofjollyboystoplaywith，orsomebodyyoungandlively。I’veagreatmindtogooverandtelltheoldgentlemanso!“
TheideaamusedJo。wholikedtododaringthingsandwasalwaysscandalizingMegbyherqueerperformances。Theplanof`goingover’wasnotforgotten。Andwhenthesnowyafternooncame，Joresolvedtotrywhatcouldbedone。ShesawMr。Lawrencedriveoff，andthensalliedouttodigherwaydowntothehedge，whereshepausedandtookasurvey。Allquiet，curtainsdownatthelowerwindows，servantsoutofsight，andnothinghumanvisiblebutacurlyblackheadleaningonathinhandattheupperwindow。
“Thereheis，“thoughtJo，“Poorboy!Allaloneandsickthisdismalday。It’sashame!I’lltossupasnowballandmakehimlookout，andthensayakindwordtohim。“
Upwentahandfulofsoftsnow，andtheheadturnedatonce，showingafacewhichlostitslistlesslookinaminute，asthebigeyesbrightenedandthemouthbegantosmile。Jonoddedandlaughed，andflourishedherbroomasshecalledout……
“Howdoyoudo？Areyousick？“
Laurieopenedthewindow，andcroakedoutashoarselyasaraven……
“Better，thankyou。I’vehadabadcold，andbeenshutupaweek。“
“I’msorry。Whatdoyouamuseyourselfwith？“
“Nothing。It’sdullastombsuphere。“
“Don’tyouread？“
“Notmuch。Theywon’tletme。“
“Can’tsomebodyreadtoyou？“
“Grandpadoessometimes，butmybooksdon’tinteresthim，andIhatetoaskBrookeallthetime。“
“Havesomeonecomeandseeyouthen。“
“Thereisn’tanyoneI’dliketosee。Boysmakesucharow，andmyheadisweak。“
“Isn’ttheresomenicegirlwho’dreadandamuseyou？Girlsarequietandliketoplaynurse。“
“Don’tknowany。“
“Youknowus，“beganJo，thenlaughedandstopped。
“SoIdo!Willyoucome，please？“criedLaurie。
“I’mnotquietandnice，butI’llcome，ifMotherwillletme。
I’llgoaskher。Shutthewindow，likeagoodboy，andwaittillI
come。“
Withthat，Joshoulderedherbroomandmarchedintothehouse，wonderingwhattheywouldallsaytoher。Lauriewasinaflutterofexcitementattheideaofhavingcompany，andflewabouttogetready，forasMrs。Marchsaid，hewas`alittlegentleman’。anddidhonortothecomingguestbybrushinghiscurlypate，puttingonafreshcolor，andtryingtidyuptheroom，whichinspiteofhalfadozenservants，wasanythingbutneat。Presentlytherecamealoudring，thanadecidedvoice，askingfor`Mr。laurie’，andasurprised-
lookingservantcamerunninguptoannounceayounglady。
“Allright，showherup，it’sMissJo，“saidLaurie，goingtothedoorofhislittleparlortomeetJo，whoappeared，lookingrosyandquiteatherease，withacovereddishinonehandandBeth’sthreekittensintheother。
“HereIam，bagandbaggage，“shesaidbriskly。“Mothersentherlove，andwasgladifIcoulddoanythingforyou。Megwantedmetobringsomeofherblancmange，shemakesitverynicely，andBeththoughthercatswouldbecomforting。Iknewyou’dlaughatthem，butIcouldn’trefuse，shewassoanxioustodosomething。“
ItsohappenedthatBeth’sfunnyloanwasjustthething，forinlaughingoverthekits，Laurieforgothisbashfulness，andgrewsociableatonce。
“Thatlookstooprettytoeat，“hesaid，smilingwithpleasure，asJouncoveredthedish，andshowedtheblancmange，surroundedbyagarlandofgreenleaves，andthescarletflowersofAmy’spetgeranium。
“Itisn’tanything，onlytheyallfeltkindlyandwantedtoshowit。Tellthegirltoputitawayforyourtea。It’ssosimpleyoucaneatit，andbeingsoft，itwillslipdownwithouthurtingyoursorethroat。Whatacozyroomthisis!“
“Itmightbeititwaskeptnice，butthemaidsarelazy，andIdon’tknowhowtomakethemmind。Itworriesmethough。“
“I’llrightitupintwominutes，foritonlyneedstohavethehearthbrushed，so——andthethingsmadestraightonthemantelpiece，so——andthebooksputhere，andthebottlesthere，andyoursofaturnedfromthelight，andthepillowsplumpedupabit。Nowthen，you’refixed。“
Andsohewas，for，asshelaughedandtalked，Johadwhiskedthingsintoplaceandgivenquiteadifferentairtotheroom。
Lauriewatchedherinrespectfulsilence，andwhenshebeckonedhimtohissofa，hesatdownwithasighofsatisfaction，sayinggratefully……
“Howkindyouare!Yes，that’swhatitwanted。Nowpleasetakethebigchairandletmedosomethingtoamusemycompany。“
“No，Icametoamuseyou。ShallIreadaloud？“andJolookedaffectionatelytowardsomeinvitingbooksnearby。
“Thankyou!I’vereadallthose，andifyoudon’tmind，I’drathertalk，“answeredLaurie。
“Notabit。I’lltalkalldayifyou’llonlysetmegoing。
BethsaysIneverknowwhentostop。“
“IsBeththerosyone，whostaysathomegooddealandsometimesgoesoutwithalittlebasket？“askedLauriewithinterest。
“Yes，that’sBeth。She’smygirl，andaregulargoodonesheis，too。“
“TheprettyoneisMeg，andthecurly-hairedoneisAmy，Ibelieve？“
Lauriecoloredup，butansweredfrankly，“Why，youseeIoftenhearyoucallingtooneanother，andwhenI’maloneuphere，Ican’thelplookingoveratyourhouse，youalwaysseemtobehavingsuchgoodtimes。Ibegyourpardonforbeingsorude，butsometimesyouforgettoputdownthecurtainatthewindowwheretheflowersare。
Andwhenthelampsarelighted，it’slikelookingatapicturetoseethefire，andyouallaroundthetablewithyourmother。Herfaceisrightopposite，anditlookssosweetbehindtheflowers，Ican’thelpwatchingit。Ihaven’tgotanymother，youknow。“
AndLauriepokedthefiretohidealittletwitchingofthelipsthathecouldnotcontrol。
Thesolitary，hungrylookinhiseyeswentstraighttoJo’swarmheart。shehadbeensosimplytaughtthattherewasnononsenseinherhead，andatfifteenshewasasinnocentandfrankasanychild。Lauriewassickandlonely，andfeelinghowrichshewasinhomeandhappiness，shegladlytriedtoshareitwithhim。
Herfacewasveryfriendlyandhersharpvoiceunusuallygentleasshesaid……
“We’llneverdrawthatcurtainanymore，andIgiveyouleavetolookasmuchasyoulike。Ijustwish，though，insteadofpeeping，you’dcomeoverandseeus。Motherissosplendid，she’ddoyouheapsofgood，andBethwouldsingtoyouifIbeggedherto，andAmywoulddance。MegandIwouldmakeyoulaughoverourfunnystageproperties，andwe’dhavejollytimes。Wouldn’tyourgrandpaletyou？“
“Ithinkhewould，ifyourmotheraskedhim。He’sverykind，thoughhedoesnotlookso，andheletsmedowhatIlike，prettymuch，onlyhe’safraidImightbeabothertostrangers，“beganLaurie，brighteningmoreandmore。