Little Women Letters from the House of Alcott

en's D

raid to speak or write of what was in their minds. Each kept a diary, and no incident that concerned the little girls was too trivial for mention in

ronson

daguerr

e 1

gravely explains under

ll enough. I had no other lessons than that. We watched a little spider and gave it some water to drink. In the afternoon mother read loud the story of the good aunt or part of i

n," when the four girls and the mother sewed dutifully on sheets for Aunt March, divid

ting the "Comic Tragedies." Anna's confidante and comrade, Louisa, was frequently the victim of these poetic effusions, her r

I read and wrote stories. In the afternoon I wr

isa

love

s little g

with p

this

send much

ter

er

help you

ot d

lways

d and lov

on the Lord's-prayer.' I talked with Louisa af

years later

nd

e all day. I love order above all things and I take

es

Sister's." It is most beautiful such a happy family. I think Miss Bremer would make a lovely mother the mo

sday

suppose I shall not care about flying when I grow older, still it is horrid to think about being an old woman all wrinkled

sehold, and Anna's taste for German recalls vividly certa

ay 1

are told so simply and are full of such sweet thought. I found a great many which have never been translated and I intend to try myself to translate them.

rday

called 'The Golden Cup.' I think there is a great deal of non

ay 2

Jameson. I like it very much. It is a description of Shakespear's Heroines, Portia is my favorite, she was so n

d while he doth

ve he make a

g in

s was a bea

am in bed I imagine myself in Boston going to Miss Peabody's school with other girls and know that I am learning something. And I think I lead rather too solitary a life. I love to see people. Mother read in the afternoon from Miss Sedgwick's Letters. It was about the Germans. She says they are a very cheerful people and though poor yet they always have a ha

mber,

day

nd gerandia. Everything was so beautiful that all my unhappy thoughts of last night flew away. I sometimes have strange feelings, a sort of longing after something I don't know what it is. I have a great many wi

day

wick's Letters." I will write a piece of poetry

y heart is

ay is dim

row and the

thy soul

the mist of

and be f

ise up and

thy dark

e o'er th

and perf

dly ones th

r streng

hou art helpl

hy heart'

riches of thi

ot is car

but journ

lth is n

not but st

ence be

rod and ta

ustful

mptation v

ather wil

g great one of these days. As for me I am perfect in nothing. I have no genius. I know a little of music, a little of French, German and Drawing, but none of them well. I have a foolish wish to be s

rt thee de

row sad

heavy on

hath made

Father o'e

ers for

all come ere

within t

journey onw

stfully

forth of

r may b

he Alcott children worked when they worked, played when they played, but wasted hours were unknow

st,

sday

lans for spending our da

l

bathe, dress and wa

bathe th

k till 9. School ti

4. Practi

German and Frenc

s for certain things. I never can do things without order. I like to have something planned for every m

tlands period gives this insight into one

oon. In the evening I made some pretty things for my dolly. Father and Mr. Lane had a talk and father asked us if w

e of his eleven-year-old daughter, instead of following the more customary method of withholding f

en, and Mr. Lane at Fruitlands followed this same line of mental development. Th

of our

u wish more of," as

Obedience

nerosit

rseverance

ices le

mpatience

s Impuden

ride Lov

-year-old Louisa's explanation of th

ng; hope is not sure, but trie

and her keen appreciation of beauty are indicated in this entry in her journal

ut dying any more. Had a splendid run, and got a box of cones to burn. Sat and heard the pines sing a long time. Had