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MIKA004.TXT
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MIKA004.TXT
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Žá‘•¨Œê
"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, with an injured sniff.
"We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth,
contentedly, from her corner.
The four young faces on which the firelight shone
brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo
said sadly:
"We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a
long time." She didn't say "perhaps never", but each
silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the
fighting was.
Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered
tone:
"You know the reason mother proposed not having any
presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a
hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to
spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in
the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little
sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I
don't"; and Meg shook her head, and she thought
regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
"But I don't think the little we should spend would do
any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't
be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect
anything from mother or you, but I do want to buy Undine
and Sintram for myself; I've wanted it so long," said Jo,
who was a bookworm.
"I planned to spend mine on new music," said Beth, with
a little sigh, which no one heard but hearth-brush and
kettle-holder.
"I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils; I
really need them," said Amy, decidedly.
"Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she
won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what
we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard
enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining the heels of her
shoes in a gentlemanly manner.
"I know I do - teaching those tiresome children nearly
all day when I am longing to enjoy myself at home," began
Meg, in the complaining tone again.