Little Women Letters from the House of Alcott

cott C

ants. Again his fame as a teacher traveled, and he received an offer from the Quakers of Philadelphia to start a sch

therhood. They felt it their parental privilege rather than their duty to aid the human development of the child and thus further the fulfillment of its destiny. Each little soul was humbly asked for and reverently prepared for. From the moment they knew their prayer had been granted, the individuality and rights of that soul were respected. It was considered as a little

are exquisitely expressed in the lines which Bronson

xpectan

cing hour draw

ng pulse begins

tion's dreams

eiled, a bod

g heart and fo

l, a semblance

shall leave a

ming Parent. A

work. Thou

mother of an

spirit to i

ile the laggi

living, consci

rest in hope.

me for fear, nor

d virtue, are a

les o'er thes

omise is to h

gains the vita

ing, learns to

buoyant personality the happy conditions existing before and at the time of her birth, when her father had attained his greatest material prosperity and w

Elizabeth the father makes

dvent

awaits the bidding of the Reaper within, to usher itself into the presence of mortals. It standeth at the door and waiteth for admission to th

h is followed by this

day a daughter

hocked that the city where he expected to find sympathy and encouragement should have repudiated him, his school disrupted and abject poverty his lot, broken mentally and physically, he met with another cruel disappointment in the de

hey enjoyed many of their happiest years. A presage of May Alcott's artistic gifts, her queenly bearing, el

y,

ourselves. Providence, it seems, decrees that we shall provide selectest ministries alone, and so sends us successive daughters of Love to quicken the Sons of Life. We joyfully acquiesce in the Divine behest and are content to rear

t to his children, the mental and spiritual help that came to him through them, an appreciat

e,

ion to

Heaven, she daw

k scenes to pour

blest the I

heavenly my

ture's tenderes

d-'tis she-the

oo-my own-my

in Divinity, y

od's and mine!

feel anew my

aith to urge

time be lost

l; for thou did

quicken as I

me from this "

meward, to the