PREVIOUSLY: The girls each got a copy of ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ for Christmas. Meg said she was going to start reading it right away.
Then she opened her new book and began to read. Jo put her arm round her, and leaning cheek to cheek, read also, with the quiet expression so seldom seen on her restless face. 1
“How good Meg is! Come, Amy, let’s do as they do. I’ll help you with the hard words, and they’ll explain things if we don’t understand,” whispered Beth, very much impressed by the pretty books and her sisters’ example.
“I’m glad mine is blue,” said Amy; and then the rooms were very still while the pages softly turned, and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.
Bless the child, she’s gone and put ‘Mother’ on them instead of ‘M. March;’ how funny!
“Where is mother?” asked Meg, as she and Jo ran down to thank her for their gifts, half an hour later.
“Goodness only knows. She sang all night and still clambered up to meet th’ sunrise. Some poor creeter come a-beggin’, and your ma went straight off to see what was needed. There never was such a woman for given’ away vittles and drink, clothes and firin’,” 2 replied Hannah, who had lived with the family since Meg was born, and was considered by them all more as a friend than a servant. 3
“She will be back soon, I guess; so do your cakes, and have everything ready,” 4 said Meg, looking over the presents which were collected in a basket and kept under the sofa, ready to be produced at the proper time. Marmee was never cross, but Meg found herself still a measure frightened at the idea of her return.
“Why, where is Amy’s bottle of Cologne?” she added, as the little flask did not appear.
“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. 5
“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 any one to use these but Marmee,” said Beth, looking troubled.
1 Jo and Meg, enjoying reading.
2 Cannot emphasize enough that Hannah is supposed to be Irish.
3 surejan-dot-gif part deux
4 Firstly, not in love with Meg’s tone here. Secondly, the “cakes” as best I can figure are scones or buckwheat pancakes, maybe muffins. In any case, I hope Hannah spits in them.
5 *Her and Hannah such labor.
Dear readers, I hope you are well, and that no teenagers demand you go make cakes on Christmas morning. (Am I willfully misreading the text re: the role and frequency of servants in the average Northern home in the 1800s? Yes, and thank you for noticing!)
Votes are open and welcome in your Chapter 2 Death Poll. With the end of this page, our dear, beleaguered HANNAH has been added to the list.
Your Weekly Death Poll Standings
Everybody Loves Amy