AI Classic Books

54091.

54092.

54093.

54094.

54095.

54096.

54097.

54098.

54099.

54100.

54101.

54102.

54103.

54104.

54105.

54106.

54107.

Laying her head on her arms, Jo wet her little romance with a few happy tears, for she had thought that no one saw and appreciated her efforts to be good, and this assurance was doubly precious, doubly encouraging, because unexpected and from the person whose commendation she most valued. Feeling stronger than ever to meet and subdue her Apollyon, she pinned the note inside her frock, as a shield and a reminder, lest she be taken unaware, and proceeded to open her other letter, quite ready for either good or bad news. In a big, dashing hand, Laurie wrote...  Dear Jo, What ho!   Some English girls and boys are coming to see me tomorrow and I want to have a jolly time. If it’s fine, I’m going to pitch my tent in Longmeadow, and row up the whole crew to lunch and croquet—have a fire, make messes, gypsy fashion, and all sorts of larks. They are nice people, and like such things. Brooke will go to keep us boys steady, and Kate Vaughn will play propriety for the girls. I want you all to come, can’t let Beth off at any price, and nobody shall worry her. Don’t bother about rations, I’ll see to that and everything else, only do come, there’s a good fellow!   In a tearing hurry, Yours ever, Laurie.

54108.

54109.

54110.

54111.

54112.

54113.

54114.

54115.

54116.

54117.

54118.

54119.

54120.

54121.

54122.

54123.

54124.

54125.

54126.

54127.

54128.

said Jo, preparing to replace her pen with a broom.  When the sun peeped into the girls’ room early next morning to promise them a fine day, he saw a comical sight. Each had made such preparation for the fete as seemed necessary and proper. Meg had an extra row of little curlpapers across her forehead, Jo had copiously anointed her afflicted face with cold cream, Beth had taken Joanna to bed with her to atone for the approaching separation, and Amy had capped the climax by putting a clothespin on her nose to uplift the offending feature. It was one of the kind artists use to hold the paper on their drawing boards, therefore quite appropriate and effective for the purpose it was now being put. This funny spectacle appeared to amuse the sun, for he burst out with such radiance that Jo woke up and roused her sisters by a hearty laugh at Amy’s ornament.  Sunshine and laughter were good omens for a pleasure party, and soon a lively bustle began in both houses. Beth, who was ready first, kept reporting what went on next door, and enlivened her sisters’ toilets by frequent telegrams from the window.

54129.

54130.

54131.

54132.

54133.

54134.

54135.

54136.

With that Jo marched straight away and the rest followed, a bright little band of sisters, all looking their best in summer suits, with happy faces under the jaunty hatbrims.  Laurie ran to meet and present them to his friends in the most cordial manner. The lawn was the reception room, and for several minutes a lively scene was enacted there. Meg was grateful to see that Miss Kate, though twenty, was dressed with a simplicity which American girls would do well to imitate, and who was much flattered by Mr. Ned’s assurances that he came especially to see her. Jo understood why Laurie ‘primmed up his mouth’ when speaking of Kate, for that young lady had a standoff-don’t-touch-me air, which contrasted strongly with the free and easy demeanor of the other girls. Beth took an observation of the new boys and decided that the lame one was not ‘dreadful’, but gentle and feeble, and she would be kind to him on that account. Amy found Grace a well-mannered, merry, little person, and after staring dumbly at one another for a few minutes, they suddenly became very good friends.  Tents, lunch, and croquet utensils having been sent on beforehand, the party was soon embarked, and the two boats pushed off together, leaving Mr. Laurence waving his hat on the shore. Laurie and Jo rowed one boat, Mr. Brooke and Ned the other, while Fred Vaughn, the riotous twin, did his best to upset both by paddling about in a wherry like a disturbed water bug. Jo’s funny hat deserved a vote of thanks, for it was of general utility. It broke the ice in the beginning by producing a laugh, it created quite a refreshing breeze, flapping to and fro as she rowed, and would make an excellent umbrella for the whole party, if a shower came up, she said. Miss Kate decided that she was ‘odd’, but rather clever, and smiled upon her from afar.  Meg, in the other boat, was delightfully situated, face to face with the rowers, who both admired the prospect and feathered their oars with uncommon ‘skill and dexterity’. Mr. Brooke was a grave, silent young man, with handsome brown eyes and a pleasant voice. Meg liked his quiet manners and considered him a walking encyclopedia of useful knowledge. He never talked to her much, but he looked at her a good deal, and she felt sure that he did not regard her with aversion. Ned, being in college, of course put on all the airs which freshmen think it their bounden duty to assume. He was not very wise, but very good-natured, and altogether an excellent person to carry on a picnic. Sallie Gardiner was absorbed in keeping her white pique dress clean and chattering with the ubiquitous Fred, who kept Beth in constant terror by his pranks.  It was not far to Longmeadow, but the tent was pitched and the wickets down by the time they arrived. A pleasant green field, with three wide-spreading oaks in the middle and a smooth strip of turf for croquet.

54137.

54138.

54139.

54140.

54141.

54142.

54143.

54144.

54145.

54146.

54147.

54148.

54149.

54150.

54151.

54152.

54153.

54154.

54155.

54156.

54157.

54158.

54159.

54160.

54161.

54162.

54163.

54164.

54165.

said Meg, glad to recommend her sister. So Jo, feeling that her late lessons in cookery were to do her honor, went to preside over the coffeepot, while the children collected dry sticks, and the boys made a fire and got water from a spring near by. Miss Kate sketched and Frank talked to Beth, who was making little mats of braided rushes to serve as plates.  The commander in chief and his aides soon spread the tablecloth with an inviting array of eatables and drinkables, prettily decorated with green leaves. Jo announced that the coffee was ready, and everyone settled themselves to a hearty meal, for youth is seldom dyspeptic, and exercise develops wholesome appetites. A very merry lunch it was, for everything seemed fresh and funny, and frequent peals of laughter startled a venerable horse who fed near by. There was a pleasing inequality in the table, which produced many mishaps to cups and plates, acorns dropped in the milk, little black ants partook of the refreshments without being invited, and fuzzy caterpillars swung down from the tree to see what was going on. Three white-headed children peeped over the fence, and an objectionable dog barked at them from the other side of the river with all his might and main.

54166.

54167.

54168.

54169.

54170.

54171.

54172.

54173.

54174.

54175.

54176.

54177.

54178.

54179.

"Once on a time, a knight went out into the world to seek his fortune, for he had nothing but his sword and his shield. He traveled a long while, nearly eight-and-twenty years, and had a hard time of it, till he came to the palace of a good old king, who had offered a reward to anyone who could tame and train a fine but unbroken colt, of which he was very fond. The knight agreed to try, and got on slowly but surely, for the colt was a gallant fellow, and soon learned to love his new master, though he was freakish and wild. Every day, when he gave his lessons to this pet of the king’s, the knight rode him through the city, and as he rode, he looked everywhere for a certain beautiful face, which he had seen many times in his dreams, but never found. One day, as he went prancing down a quiet street, he saw at the window of a ruinous castle the lovely face. He was delighted, inquired who lived in this old castle, and was told that several captive princesses were kept there by a spell, and spun all day to lay up money to buy their liberty. The knight wished intensely that he could free them, but he was poor and could only go by each day, watching for the sweet face and longing to see it out in the sunshine. At last he resolved to get into the castle and ask how he could help them. He went and knocked. The great door flew open, and he beheld..."

54180.

54181.

54182.

54183.

54184.

54185.

54186.

54187.

54188.

54189.

54190.

54191.

54192.

54193.

54194.

54195.

54196.

54197.

54198.

54199.

54200.

54201.

54202.

54203.

54204.

54205.

54206.

"‘Just the thing,’ said the girl, and ran to get twelve fine ones from her garden. She put them on, the knights revived at once, thanked her, and went on their way rejoicing, never knowing the difference, for there were so many other heads like them in the world that no one thought anything of it. The knight in whom I’m interested went back to find the pretty face, and learned that the princesses had spun themselves free and all gone and married, but one. He was in a great state of mind at that, and mounting the colt, who stood by him through thick and thin, rushed to the castle to see which was left. Peeping over the hedge, he saw the queen of his affections picking flowers in her garden. ‘Will you give me a rose?’ said he. ‘You must come and get it. I can’t come to you, it isn’t proper,’ said she, as sweet as honey. He tried to climb over the hedge, but it seemed to grow higher and higher. Then he tried to push through, but it grew thicker and thicker, and he was in despair. So he patiently broke twig after twig till he had made a little hole through which he peeped, saying imploringly, ‘Let me in! Let me in!’ But the pretty princess did not seem to understand, for she picked her roses quietly, and left him to fight his way in. Whether he did or not, Frank will tell you."

54207.

54208.

54209.

54210.

54211.

54212.

54213.

54214.

54215.

54216.

54217.

54218.

54219.

54220.

54221.

54222.

54223.

54224.

54225.

54226.

54227.

54228.

54229.

54230.

54231.

54232.

54233.

54234.

54235.

54236.

54237.

54238.

54239.

54240.

54241.

54242.

54243.

54244.

54245.

54246.

54247.

54248.

54249.

54250.

54251.

54252.

54253.

54254.

54255.

54256.

54257.

54258.

54259.

54260.

54261.

54262.

54263.

54264.

54265.

54266.

54267.

54268.

54269.

54270.

54271.

54272.

54273.

54274.

54275.

54276.

54277.

54278.

54279.

54280.

54281.

54282.

54283.

54284.

54285.

54286.

54287.

54288.

54289.

54290.

54291.

54292.

54293.

54294.

54295.

54296.

54297.

54298.

54299.

54300.

54301.

54302.

54303.

54304.

54305.

54306.

54307.

54308.

54309.

54310.

54311.

54312.

54313.

54314.

54315.

54316.

54317.

54318.

54319.

54320.

54321.

54322.

54323.

54324.

54325.

54326.

54327.

54328.

54329.

54330.

54331.

54332.

54333.

54334.

54335.

54336.

54337.

54338.

54339.

54340.

54341.

54342.

54343.

54344.

54345.

54346.

54347.

54348.

54349.

54350.

54351.

54352.

54353.

54354.

54355.

54356.

54357.

54358.

54359.

54360.

54361.

54362.

54363.

54364.

54365.

54366.

54367.

54368.

54369.

54370.

54371.

54372.

54373.

54374.

54375.

54376.