Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Thematic Connections
- Chapter One Charlotte Temple, A Tale of Truth (1791), entire work
- Chapter Two The Life of Washington; with Curious Anecdotes, Equally Honorable to Himself and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen (1800), selections
- Chapter Three American Tract Society, entire works (1825–Present)
- Chapter Four Awful Disclosures, by Maria Monk, of the Hotel Dieu Nunnery of Montreal (1836), selections
- Chapter Five The Illustrated Self- Instructor in Phrenology and Physiology (1840), selections
- Chapter Six A Treatise on Domestic Economy for the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School (1841), selections
- Chapter Seven The Quaker City: Or, The Monks of Monk Hall A Romance of Philadelphia Life, Mystery, and Crime (1845), selections
- Chapter Eight Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie (1847), entire work
- Chapter Nine Reveries of a Bachelor: Or, A Book of the Heart (1850), selections
- Chapter Ten Uncle Tom's Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly (1852), selections
- Chapter Eleven Ten Nights in a Bar- Room, and What I Saw There (1854), entire work
- Chapter Twelve Malaeska; The Indian Wife of the White Hunter (1860), entire work
- Chapter Thirteen Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Boot- Blacks (1868), entire work
- Chapter Fourteen Little Women, or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy (1868), selections
- Chapter Fifteen The Gates Ajar (1868), entire work
- Chapter Sixteen The Luck of Roaring Camp (1868), entire work John Jenkins, Or, the Smoker Reformed (1871), entire work
- Chapter Seventeen Ben- Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880), selections
- Chapter Eighteen The Hidden Hand: or, Capitola the Madcap (1888), selections
- Chapter Nineteen In His Steps. “What Would Jesus Do” (1896), selections
Chapter Fourteen - Little Women, or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy (1868), selections
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Thematic Connections
- Chapter One Charlotte Temple, A Tale of Truth (1791), entire work
- Chapter Two The Life of Washington; with Curious Anecdotes, Equally Honorable to Himself and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen (1800), selections
- Chapter Three American Tract Society, entire works (1825–Present)
- Chapter Four Awful Disclosures, by Maria Monk, of the Hotel Dieu Nunnery of Montreal (1836), selections
- Chapter Five The Illustrated Self- Instructor in Phrenology and Physiology (1840), selections
- Chapter Six A Treatise on Domestic Economy for the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School (1841), selections
- Chapter Seven The Quaker City: Or, The Monks of Monk Hall A Romance of Philadelphia Life, Mystery, and Crime (1845), selections
- Chapter Eight Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie (1847), entire work
- Chapter Nine Reveries of a Bachelor: Or, A Book of the Heart (1850), selections
- Chapter Ten Uncle Tom's Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly (1852), selections
- Chapter Eleven Ten Nights in a Bar- Room, and What I Saw There (1854), entire work
- Chapter Twelve Malaeska; The Indian Wife of the White Hunter (1860), entire work
- Chapter Thirteen Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Boot- Blacks (1868), entire work
- Chapter Fourteen Little Women, or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy (1868), selections
- Chapter Fifteen The Gates Ajar (1868), entire work
- Chapter Sixteen The Luck of Roaring Camp (1868), entire work John Jenkins, Or, the Smoker Reformed (1871), entire work
- Chapter Seventeen Ben- Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880), selections
- Chapter Eighteen The Hidden Hand: or, Capitola the Madcap (1888), selections
- Chapter Nineteen In His Steps. “What Would Jesus Do” (1896), selections
Summary
Preface
“Go then, my little Book, and show to all
That entertain and bid thee welcome shall,
What thou dost keep close shut up in thy breast;
And wish what thou dost show them may be blest
To them for good, may make them choose to be
Pilgrims better, by far, than thee or me.
Tell them of Mercy; she is one
Who early hath her pilgrimage begun.
Yea, let young damsels learn of her to prize
The world which is to come, and so be wise;
For little tripping maids may follow God
Along the ways which saintly feet have trod.”
ADAPTED FROM JOHN BUNYAN1
Playing Pilgrims
“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 every one; 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, as 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 Sintram2 for myself. I've wanted it so long,” said Jo, who was a bookworm.
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- Bestsellers in Nineteenth-Century AmericaAn Anthology, pp. 703 - 766Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2016