Little women

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO PLEASANT MEADOWS

Like sunshine after a storm were the peaceful weeks which followed.The invalids improved rapidly, and Mr. March began to talk of returningearly in the new year. Beth was soon able to lie on the study sofa all day,amusing herself with the well-beloved cats at first, and in time with doll'ssewing, which had fallen sadly behind-hand. Her once active limbs wereso stiff and feeble that Jo took her for a daily airing about the house in herstrong arms. Meg cheerfully blackened and burned her white handscooking delicate messes for 'the dear', while Amy, a loyal slave of the ring,celebrated her return by giving away as many of her treasures as she couldprevail on her sisters to accept. 

As Christmas approached, the usual mysteries began to haunt the house,and Jo frequently convulsed the family by proposing utterly impossible ormagnificently absurd ceremonies, in honor of this unusually merryChristmas. Laurie was equally impracticable, and would have hadbonfires, skyrockets, and triumphal arches, if he had had his own way.After many skirmishes and snubbings, the ambitious pair were consideredeffectually quenched and went about with forlorn faces, which were ratherbelied by explosions of laughter when the two got together. 

Several days of unusually mild weather fitly ushered in a splendid Christmas Day. Hannah 'felt in her bones' that it was going to be anunusually fine day, and she proved herself a true prophetess, for everybodyand everything seemed bound to produce a grand success. To begin with,Mr. March wrote that he should soon be with them, then Beth feltuncommonly well that morning, and, being dressed in her mother's gift, asoft crimson merino wrapper, was borne in high triumph to the window tobehold the offering of Jo and Laurie. The Unquenchables had done theirbest to be worthy of the name, for like elves they had worked by night andconjured up a comical surprise. Out in the garden stood a stately snowmaiden, crowned with holly, bearing a basket of fruit and flowers in onehand, a great roll of music in the other, a perfect rainbow of an Afghanround her chilly shoulders, and a Christmas carol issuing from her lips ona pink paper streamer.

THE JUNGFRAU TO BETH 

God bless you, dear Queen Bess! 

May nothing you dismay, 

But health and peace and happiness 

Be yours, this Christmas day. 

Here's fruit to feed our busy bee, 

And flowers for her nose. 

Here's music for her pianee, 

An afghan for her toes, 

A portrait of Joanna, see, 

By Raphael No. 2, 

Who laboured with great industry 

To make it fair and true. 

Accept a ribbon red, I beg, 

For Madam Purrer's tail, 

And ice cream made by lovely Peg, 

A Mont Blanc in a pail. 

Their dearest love my makers laid 

Within my breast of snow. 

Accept it, and the Alpine maid, 

From Laurie and from Jo.

How Beth laughed when she saw it, how Laurie ran up and down tobring in the gifts, and what ridiculous speeches Jo made as she presentedthem.

 "I'm so full of happiness, that if Father was only here, I couldn't holdone drop more," said Beth, quite sighing with contentment as Jo carriedher off to the study to rest after the excitement, and to refresh herself withsome of the delicious grapes the 'Jungfrau' had sent her.