LITTLE WOMEN

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy

By LOUISA M. ALCOTT

I. PLAYING PILGRIMS

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, sounding hurt.

"We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth happily, from her corner.

The four young faces glowed in the firelight when they heard these cheerful words. But their faces grew sad again when Jo said,

"We haven't got father, and we won't have him for a long time."

She didn't say "maybe never," but each girl quietly added those words in her own mind. They were all thinking about their father, who was far away...