Little Women Audiobook and Reader version chapter 8

[adminnovelsaudio]

Listen Audiobook Version:



Chapter 8


“She took it out a minute ago, and went off with it to put a ribbon on it, or some such notion,” replied Jo, dancing about the room to take the first stiffness off the new army slippers.


“How nice my handkerchiefs look, don’t they! Hannah washed and ironed them for me, and I marked them all myself,” said Beth, looking proudly at the somewhat uneven letters which had cost her such labor.


“Bless the child! She’s gone and put ‘Mother’ on them instead of ‘M. March.’ How funny!” cried Jo, taking up one.


“Isn’t it right? I thought it was better to do it so, because Meg’s initials are ‘M.M.,’ and I don’t want anyone to use these but Marmee,” said Beth, looking troubled.


“It’s all right, dear, and a very pretty idea—quite sensible, too, for no one can ever mistake now. It will please her very much, I know,” said Meg, with a frown for Jo and a smile for Beth.


“There’s Mother. Hide the basket, quick!” cried Jo, as a door slammed, and steps sounded in the hall.


Amy came in hastily, and looked rather abashed when she saw her sisters all waiting for her.


“Where have you been, and what are you hiding behind you?” asked Meg, surprised to see, by her hood and cloak, that lazy Amy had been out so early.


“Don’t laugh at me, Jo! I didn’t mean anyone should know till the time came. I only meant to change the little bottle for a big one, and I gave all my money to get it, and I’m truly trying not to be selfish anymore.”


As she spoke, Amy showed the handsome flask which replaced the cheap one; and looked so earnest and humble in her little effort to forget herself that Meg hugged her on the spot, and Jo pronounced her “a trump,” while Beth ran to the window, and picked her finest rose to ornament the stately bottle.


“You see, I felt ashamed of my present, after reading and talking about being good this morning, so I ran around the corner and changed it the minute I was up; and I’m so glad, for mine is the handsomest now.”


Another bang of the street door sent the basket under the sofa, and the girls to the table, eager for breakfast.


“Merry Christmas, Marmee! Lots of them! Thank you for our books; we read some, and mean to every day,” they cried in, chorus.


“Merry Christmas, little daughters! I’m glad you began at once, and hope you will keep on. But I want to say one word before we sit down. Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there; and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?”


They were all unusually hungry, having waited nearly an hour, and for a minute no one spoke; only a minute, for Jo exclaimed impetuously:


“I’m so glad you came before we began!”


“May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children?” asked Beth, eagerly.


“I shall take the cream and the muffins,” added Amy, heroically, giving up the articles she most liked.


Meg was already covering the buckwheats, and piling the bread into one big plate.


“I thought you’d do it,” said Mrs. March, smiling as if satisfied. “You shall all go and help me, and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and make it up at dinnertime.”


They were soon ready, and the procession set out. Fortunately it was early, and they went through back streets, so few people saw them, and no one laughed at the funny party.