CHAPTER	O
ONE	O
PLAYING	O
PILGRIMS	O
"	O
Christmas	O
wo	O
n't	O
be	O
Christmas	O
without	O
any	O
presents	O
,	O
"	O
grumbled	EVENT
Jo	O
,	O
lying	O
on	O
the	O
rug	O
.	O

"	O
It	O
's	O
so	O
dreadful	O
to	O
be	O
poor	O
!	O
"	O

sighed	EVENT
Meg	O
,	O
looking	EVENT
down	O
at	O
her	O
old	O
dress	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
think	O
it	O
's	O
fair	O
for	O
some	O
girls	O
to	O
have	O
plenty	O
of	O
pretty	O
things	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
girls	O
nothing	O
at	O
all	O
,	O
"	O
added	EVENT
little	O
Amy	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
injured	O
sniff	EVENT
.	O

"	O
We	O
've	O
got	O
Father	O
and	O
Mother	O
,	O
and	O
each	O
other	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Beth	O
contentedly	O
from	O
her	O
corner	O
.	O

The	O
four	O
young	O
faces	O
on	O
which	O
the	O
firelight	O
shone	EVENT
brightened	EVENT
at	O
the	O
cheerful	O
words	EVENT
,	O
but	O
darkened	EVENT
again	O
as	O
Jo	O
said	EVENT
sadly	O
,	O
"	O
We	O
have	O
n't	O
got	O
Father	O
,	O
and	O
shall	O
not	O
have	O
him	O
for	O
a	O
long	O
time	O
.	O
"	O

She	O
did	O
n't	O
say	O
"	O
perhaps	O
never	O
,	O
"	O
but	O
each	O
silently	O
added	EVENT
it	O
,	O
thinking	EVENT
of	O
Father	O
far	O
away	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
fighting	O
was	O
.	O

Nobody	O
spoke	O
for	O
a	O
minute	O
;	O
then	O
Meg	O
said	EVENT
in	O
an	O
altered	O
tone	O
,	O
"	O
You	O
know	O
the	O
reason	O
Mother	O
proposed	O
not	O
having	O
any	O
presents	O
this	O
Christmas	O
was	O
because	O
it	O
is	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
hard	O
winter	O
for	O
everyone	O
;	O
and	O
she	O
thinks	O
we	O
ought	O
not	O
to	O
spend	O
money	O
for	O
pleasure	O
,	O
when	O
our	O
men	O
are	O
suffering	O
so	O
in	O
the	O
army	O
.	O

We	O
ca	O
n't	O
do	O
much	O
,	O
but	O
we	O
can	O
make	O
our	O
little	O
sacrifices	O
,	O
and	O
ought	O
to	O
do	O
it	O
gladly	O
.	O

But	O
I	O
am	O
afraid	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
Meg	O
shook	EVENT
her	O
head	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
thought	EVENT
regretfully	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
pretty	O
things	O
she	O
wanted	O
.	O

"	O
But	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
think	O
the	O
little	O
we	O
should	O
spend	O
would	O
do	O
any	O
good	O
.	O

We	O
've	O
each	O
got	O
a	O
dollar	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
army	O
would	O
n't	O
be	O
much	O
helped	O
by	O
our	O
giving	O
that	O
.	O

I	O
agree	EVENT
not	O
to	O
expect	O
anything	O
from	O
Mother	O
or	O
you	O
,	O
but	O
I	O
do	O
want	O
to	O
buy	O
_	O
Undine	O
and	O
Sintran	O
_	O
for	O
myself	O
.	O

I	O
've	O
wanted	O
it	O
so	O
long	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Jo	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
a	O
bookworm	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
planned	O
to	O
spend	O
mine	O
in	O
new	O
music	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Beth	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
little	O
sigh	O
,	O
which	O
no	O
one	O
heard	O
but	O
the	O
hearth	O
brush	O
and	O
kettle-holder	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
shall	O
get	O
a	O
nice	O
box	O
of	O
Faber	O
's	O
drawing	O
pencils	O
;	O
I	O
really	O
need	O
them	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Amy	O
decidedly	O
.	O

"	O
Mother	O
did	O
n't	O
say	O
anything	O
about	O
our	O
money	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
wo	O
n't	O
wish	O
us	O
to	O
give	O
up	O
everything	O
.	O

Let	O
's	O
each	O
buy	O
what	O
we	O
want	O
,	O
and	O
have	O
a	O
little	O
fun	O
;	O
I	O
'm	O
sure	O
we	O
work	O
hard	O
enough	O
to	O
earn	O
it	O
,	O
"	O
cried	EVENT
Jo	O
,	O
examining	EVENT
the	O
heels	O
of	O
her	O
shoes	O
in	O
a	O
gentlemanly	O
manner	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
know	O
I	O
do	O
--	O
teaching	O
those	O
tiresome	O
children	O
nearly	O
all	O
day	O
,	O
when	O
I	O
'm	O
longing	O
to	O
enjoy	O
myself	O
at	O
home	O
,	O
"	O
began	EVENT
Meg	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
complaining	EVENT
tone	O
again	O
.	O

"	O
You	O
do	O
n't	O
have	O
half	O
such	O
a	O
hard	O
time	O
as	O
I	O
do	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Jo	O
.	O

"	O
How	O
would	O
you	O
like	O
to	O
be	O
shut	O
up	O
for	O
hours	O
with	O
a	O
nervous	O
,	O
fussy	O
old	O
lady	O
,	O
who	O
keeps	O
you	O
trotting	O
,	O
is	O
never	O
satisfied	O
,	O
and	O
worries	O
you	O
till	O
you	O
're	O
ready	O
to	O
fly	O
out	O
the	O
window	O
or	O
cry	O
?	O
"	O

"	O
It	O
's	O
naughty	O
to	O
fret	O
,	O
but	O
I	O
do	O
think	O
washing	O
dishes	O
and	O
keeping	O
things	O
tidy	O
is	O
the	O
worst	O
work	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
.	O

It	O
makes	O
me	O
cross	O
,	O
and	O
my	O
hands	O
get	O
so	O
stiff	O
,	O
I	O
ca	O
n't	O
practice	O
well	O
at	O
all	O
.	O
"	O

And	O
Beth	O
looked	EVENT
at	O
her	O
rough	O
hands	O
with	O
a	O
sigh	EVENT
that	O
any	O
one	O
could	O
hear	O
that	O
time	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
believe	O
any	O
of	O
you	O
suffer	O
as	O
I	O
do	O
,	O
"	O
cried	EVENT
Amy	O
,	O
"	O
for	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
have	O
to	O
go	O
to	O
school	O
with	O
impertinent	O
girls	O
,	O
who	O
plague	O
you	O
if	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
know	O
your	O
lessons	O
,	O
and	O
laugh	O
at	O
your	O
dresses	O
,	O
and	O
label	O
your	O
father	O
if	O
he	O
is	O
n't	O
rich	O
,	O
and	O
insult	O
you	O
when	O
your	O
nose	O
is	O
n't	O
nice	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
If	O
you	O
mean	O
libel	O
,	O
I	O
'd	O
say	O
so	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
talk	O
about	O
labels	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
Papa	O
was	O
a	O
pickle	O
bottle	O
,	O
"	O
advised	EVENT
Jo	O
,	O
laughing	EVENT
.	O

"	O
I	O
know	O
what	O
I	O
mean	O
,	O
and	O
you	O
need	O
n't	O
be	O
statirical	O
about	O
it	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
proper	O
to	O
use	O
good	O
words	O
,	O
and	O
improve	O
your	O
vocabilary	O
,	O
"	O
returned	EVENT
Amy	O
,	O
with	O
dignity	O
.	O

"	O
Do	O
n't	O
peck	O
at	O
one	O
another	O
,	O
children	O
.	O

Do	O
n't	O
you	O
wish	O
we	O
had	O
the	O
money	O
Papa	O
lost	O
when	O
we	O
were	O
little	O
,	O
Jo	O
?	O

Dear	O
me	O
!	O

How	O
happy	O
and	O
good	O
we	O
'd	O
be	O
,	O
if	O
we	O
had	O
no	O
worries	O
!	O
"	O

said	EVENT
Meg	O
,	O
who	O
could	O
remember	O
better	O
times	O
.	O

"	O
You	O
said	EVENT
the	O
other	O
day	O
you	O
thought	O
we	O
were	O
a	O
deal	O
happier	O
than	O
the	O
King	O
children	O
,	O
for	O
they	O
were	O
fighting	O
and	O
fretting	O
all	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
in	O
spite	O
of	O
their	O
money	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
So	O
I	O
did	O
,	O
Beth	O
.	O

Well	O
,	O
I	O
think	O
we	O
are	O
.	O

For	O
though	O
we	O
do	O
have	O
to	O
work	O
,	O
we	O
make	O
fun	O
of	O
ourselves	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
a	O
pretty	O
jolly	O
set	O
,	O
as	O
Jo	O
would	O
say	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Jo	O
does	O
use	O
such	O
slang	O
words	O
!	O
"	O

observed	EVENT
Amy	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
reproving	O
look	EVENT
at	O
the	O
long	O
figure	O
stretched	O
on	O
the	O
rug	O
.	O

Jo	O
immediately	O
sat	EVENT
up	O
,	O
put	EVENT
her	O
hands	O
in	O
her	O
pockets	O
,	O
and	O
began	O
to	O
whistle	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Do	O
n't	O
,	O
Jo	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
so	O
boyish	O
!	O
"	O

"	O
That	O
's	O
why	O
I	O
do	O
it	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
detest	O
rude	O
,	O
unladylike	O
girls	O
!	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
hate	O
affected	O
,	O
niminy-piminy	O
chits	O
!	O
"	O

"	O
Birds	O
in	O
their	O
little	O
nests	O
agree	O
,	O
"	O
sang	EVENT
Beth	O
,	O
the	O
peacemaker	O
,	O
with	O
such	O
a	O
funny	O
face	O
that	O
both	O
sharp	O
voices	O
softened	EVENT
to	O
a	O
laugh	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
"	O
pecking	EVENT
"	O
ended	EVENT
for	O
that	O
time	O
.	O

"	O
Really	O
,	O
girls	O
,	O
you	O
are	O
both	O
to	O
be	O
blamed	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Meg	O
,	O
beginning	O
to	O
lecture	EVENT
in	O
her	O
elder-sisterly	O
fashion	O
.	O

"	O
You	O
are	O
old	O
enough	O
to	O
leave	O
off	O
boyish	O
tricks	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
behave	O
better	O
,	O
Josephine	O
.	O

It	O
did	O
n't	O
matter	O
so	O
much	O
when	O
you	O
were	O
a	O
little	O
girl	O
,	O
but	O
now	O
you	O
are	O
so	O
tall	O
,	O
and	O
turn	O
up	O
your	O
hair	O
,	O
you	O
should	O
remember	O
that	O
you	O
are	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
'm	O
not	O
!	O

And	O
if	O
turning	O
up	O
my	O
hair	O
makes	O
me	O
one	O
,	O
I	O
'll	O
wear	O
it	O
in	O
two	O
tails	O
till	O
I	O
'm	O
twenty	O
,	O
"	O
cried	EVENT
Jo	O
,	O
pulling	EVENT
off	O
her	O
net	O
,	O
and	O
shaking	EVENT
down	O
a	O
chestnut	O
mane	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
hate	O
to	O
think	O
I	O
've	O
got	O
to	O
grow	O
up	O
,	O
and	O
be	O
Miss	O
March	O
,	O
and	O
wear	O
long	O
gowns	O
,	O
and	O
look	O
as	O
prim	O
as	O
a	O
China	O
Aster	O
!	O

It	O
's	O
bad	O
enough	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
girl	O
,	O
anyway	O
,	O
when	O
I	O
like	O
boy	O
's	O
games	O
and	O
work	O
and	O
manners	O
!	O

I	O
ca	O
n't	O
get	O
over	O
my	O
disappointment	O
in	O
not	O
being	O
a	O
boy	O
.	O

And	O
it	O
's	O
worse	O
than	O
ever	O
now	O
,	O
for	O
I	O
'm	O
dying	O
to	O
go	O
and	O
fight	O
with	O
Papa	O
.	O

And	O
I	O
can	O
only	O
stay	O
home	O
and	O
knit	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
poky	O
old	O
woman	O
!	O
"	O

And	O
Jo	O
shook	EVENT
the	O
blue	O
army	O
sock	O
till	O
the	O
needles	O
rattled	EVENT
like	O
castanets	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
ball	O
bounded	EVENT
across	O
the	O
room	O
.	O

"	O
Poor	O
Jo	O
!	O

It	O
's	O
too	O
bad	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
ca	O
n't	O
be	O
helped	O
.	O

So	O
you	O
must	O
try	O
to	O
be	O
contented	O
with	O
making	O
your	O
name	O
boyish	O
,	O
and	O
playing	O
brother	O
to	O
us	O
girls	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Beth	O
,	O
stroking	EVENT
the	O
rough	O
head	O
with	O
a	O
hand	O
that	O
all	O
the	O
dish	O
washing	O
and	O
dusting	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
could	O
not	O
make	O
ungentle	O
in	O
its	O
touch	O
.	O

"	O
As	O
for	O
you	O
,	O
Amy	O
,	O
"	O
continued	EVENT
Meg	O
,	O
"	O
you	O
are	O
altogether	O
too	O
particular	O
and	O
prim	O
.	O

Your	O
airs	O
are	O
funny	O
now	O
,	O
but	O
you	O
'll	O
grow	O
up	O
an	O
affected	O
little	O
goose	O
,	O
if	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
take	O
care	O
.	O

I	O
like	O
your	O
nice	O
manners	O
and	O
refined	O
ways	O
of	O
speaking	O
,	O
when	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
try	O
to	O
be	O
elegant	O
.	O

But	O
your	O
absurd	O
words	O
are	O
as	O
bad	O
as	O
Jo	O
's	O
slang	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
If	O
Jo	O
is	O
a	O
tomboy	O
and	O
Amy	O
a	O
goose	O
,	O
what	O
am	O
I	O
,	O
please	O
?	O
"	O

asked	EVENT
Beth	O
,	O
ready	O
to	O
share	O
the	O
lecture	EVENT
.	O

"	O
You	O
're	O
a	O
dear	O
,	O
and	O
nothing	O
else	O
,	O
"	O
answered	EVENT
Meg	O
warmly	O
,	O
and	O
no	O
one	O
contradicted	O
her	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
'	O
Mouse	O
'	O
was	O
the	O
pet	O
of	O
the	O
family	O
.	O

As	O
young	O
readers	O
like	O
to	O
know	O
'	O
how	O
people	O
look	O
'	O
,	O
we	O
will	O
take	EVENT
this	O
moment	O
to	O
give	EVENT
them	O
a	O
little	O
sketch	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
sisters	O
,	O
who	O
sat	O
knitting	EVENT
away	O
in	O
the	O
twilight	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
December	O
snow	EVENT
fell	O
quietly	O
without	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
fire	EVENT
crackled	EVENT
cheerfully	O
within	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
comfortable	O
room	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
carpet	O
was	O
faded	O
and	O
the	O
furniture	O
very	O
plain	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
good	O
picture	O
or	O
two	O
hung	O
on	O
the	O
walls	O
,	O
books	O
filled	O
the	O
recesses	O
,	O
chrysanthemums	O
and	O
Christmas	O
roses	O
bloomed	O
in	O
the	O
windows	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
pleasant	O
atmosphere	O
of	O
home	O
peace	O
pervaded	O
it	O
.	O

Margaret	O
,	O
the	O
eldest	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
,	O
was	O
sixteen	O
,	O
and	O
very	O
pretty	O
,	O
being	O
plump	O
and	O
fair	O
,	O
with	O
large	O
eyes	O
,	O
plenty	O
of	O
soft	O
brown	O
hair	O
,	O
a	O
sweet	O
mouth	O
,	O
and	O
white	O
hands	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
she	O
was	O
rather	O
vain	O
.	O

Fifteen-year-old	O
Jo	O
was	O
very	O
tall	O
,	O
thin	O
,	O
and	O
brown	O
,	O
and	O
reminded	O
one	O
of	O
a	O
colt	O
,	O
for	O
she	O
never	O
seemed	O
to	O
know	O
what	O
to	O
do	O
with	O
her	O
long	O
limbs	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
very	O
much	O
in	O
her	O
way	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
a	O
decided	O
mouth	O
,	O
a	O
comical	O
nose	O
,	O
and	O
sharp	O
,	O
gray	O
eyes	O
,	O
which	O
appeared	O
to	O
see	O
everything	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
by	O
turns	O
fierce	O
,	O
funny	O
,	O
or	O
thoughtful	O
.	O

Her	O
long	O
,	O
thick	O
hair	O
was	O
her	O
one	O
beauty	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
usually	O
bundled	O
into	O
a	O
net	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
out	O
of	O
her	O
way	O
.	O

Round	O
shoulders	O
had	O
Jo	O
,	O
big	O
hands	O
and	O
feet	O
,	O
a	O
flyaway	O
look	O
to	O
her	O
clothes	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
uncomfortable	O
appearance	O
of	O
a	O
girl	O
who	O
was	O
rapidly	O
shooting	O
up	O
into	O
a	O
woman	O
and	O
did	O
n't	O
like	O
it	O
.	O

Elizabeth	O
,	O
or	O
Beth	O
,	O
as	O
everyone	O
called	O
her	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
rosy	O
,	O
smooth-haired	O
,	O
bright-eyed	O
girl	O
of	O
thirteen	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
shy	O
manner	O
,	O
a	O
timid	O
voice	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
peaceful	O
expression	O
which	O
was	O
seldom	O
disturbed	O
.	O

Her	O
father	O
called	O
her	O
'	O
Little	O
Miss	O
Tranquility	O
'	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
name	O
suited	O
her	O
excellently	O
,	O
for	O
she	O
seemed	O
to	O
live	O
in	O
a	O
happy	O
world	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
,	O
only	O
venturing	O
out	O
to	O
meet	O
the	O
few	O
whom	O
she	O
trusted	O
and	O
loved	O
.	O

Amy	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
youngest	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
most	O
important	O
person	O
,	O
in	O
her	O
own	O
opinion	O
at	O
least	O
.	O

A	O
regular	O
snow	O
maiden	O
,	O
with	O
blue	O
eyes	O
,	O
and	O
yellow	O
hair	O
curling	O
on	O
her	O
shoulders	O
,	O
pale	O
and	O
slender	O
,	O
and	O
always	O
carrying	O
herself	O
like	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
mindful	O
of	O
her	O
manners	O
.	O

What	O
the	O
characters	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
sisters	O
were	O
we	O
will	O
leave	O
to	O
be	O
found	O
out	O
.	O

The	O
clock	O
struck	EVENT
six	O
and	O
,	O
having	O
swept	EVENT
up	O
the	O
hearth	O
,	O
Beth	O
put	EVENT
a	O
pair	O
of	O
slippers	O
down	O
to	O
warm	O
.	O

Somehow	O
the	O
sight	EVENT
of	O
the	O
old	O
shoes	O
had	O
a	O
good	O
effect	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
girls	O
,	O
for	O
Mother	O
was	O
coming	EVENT
,	O
and	O
everyone	O
brightened	EVENT
to	O
welcome	O
her	O
.	O

Meg	O
stopped	EVENT
lecturing	EVENT
,	O
and	O
lighted	EVENT
the	O
lamp	O
,	O
Amy	O
got	EVENT
out	O
of	O
the	O
easy	O
chair	O
without	O
being	O
asked	O
,	O
and	O
Jo	O
forgot	EVENT
how	O
tired	O
she	O
was	O
as	O
she	O
sat	EVENT
up	O
to	O
hold	EVENT
the	O
slippers	O
nearer	O
to	O
the	O
blaze	EVENT
.	O

"	O
They	O
are	O
quite	O
worn	O
out	O
.	O

Marmee	O
must	O
have	O
a	O
new	O
pair	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
thought	O
I	O
'd	O
get	O
her	O
some	O
with	O
my	O
dollar	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Beth	O
.	O