Louisa May Alcott - Little Women (English Edition)

"We will, Marmee, we will!" cried both, with all their hearts, as she bade them good night.

As spring came on, a new set of amusements became the fashion, and the lengthening days gave long afternoons for work and play of all sorts. The garden had to be put in order, and each sister had a quarter of the little plot to do what she liked with. Hannah used to say, "I'd know which each of them gardings belonged to, ef I see 'em in Chiny," and so she might, for the girls' tastes differed as much as their characters. Meg's had roses and heliotrope, myrtle, and a little orange tree in it. Jo's bed was never alike two seasons, for she was always trying experiments. This year it was to be a plantation of sun flowers, the seeds of which cheerful and aspiring plant were to feed Aunt Cockle-top and her family of chicks. Beth had old-fashioned fragrant flowers in her garden, sweet peas and mignonette, larkspur, pinks, pansies, and southernwood, with chickweed for the birds and catnip for the pussies. Amy had a bower in hers, rather small and earwiggy, but very pretty to look at, with honeysuckle and morning-glories hanging their colored horns and bells in graceful wreaths all over it, tall white lilies, delicate ferns, and as many brilliant, picturesque plants as would consent to blossom there.

Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower hunts employed the fine days, and for rainy ones, they had house diversions, some old, some new, all more or less original. One of these was the 'P.C.', for as secret societies were the fashion, it was thought proper to have one, and as all of the girls admired Dickens, they called themselves the Pickwick Club. With a few interruptions, they had kept this up for a year, and met every Saturday evening in the big garret, on which occasions the ceremonies were as follows: Three chairs were arranged in a row before a table on which was a lamp, also four white badges, with a big 'P.C.' in different colors on each, and the weekly newspaper called, The Pickwick Portfolio, to which all contributed something, while Jo, who reveled in pens and ink, was the editor. At seven o'clock, the four members ascended to the clubroom, tied their badges round their heads, and took their seats with great solemnity. Meg, as the eldest, was Samuel Pickwick, Jo, being of a literary turn, Augustus Snodgrass, Beth, because she was round and rosy, Tracy Tupman, and Amy, who was always trying to do what she couldn't, was Nathaniel Winkle. Pickwick, the president, read the paper, which was filled with original tales, poetry, local news, funny advertisements, and hints, in which they good-naturedly reminded each other of their faults and short comings. On one occasion, Mr. Pickwick put on a pair of spectacles without any glass, rapped upon the table, hemmed, and having stared hard at Mr. Snodgrass, who was tilting back in his chair, till he arranged himself properly, began to read:

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"THE PICKWICK PORTFOLIO"

MAY 20, 18—

POET'S CORNER

ANNIVERSARY ODE

Again we meet to celebrate

With badge and solemn rite,

Our fifty-second anniversary,

In Pickwick Hall, tonight.

We all are here in perfect health,

None gone from our small band:

Again we see each well-known face,

And press each friendly hand.

Our Pickwick, always at his post,

With reverence we greet,

As, spectacles on nose, he reads

Our well-filled weekly sheet.

Although he suffers from a cold,

We joy to hear him speak,

For words of wisdom from him fall,

In spite of croak or squeak.

Old six-foot Snodgrass looms on high,

With elephantine grace,

And beams upon the company,

With brown and jovial face.

Poetic fire lights up his eye,

He struggles 'gainst his lot.

Behold ambition on his brow,

And on his nose, a blot.

Next our peaceful Tupman comes,

So rosy, plump, and sweet,

Who chokes with laughter at the puns,

And tumbles off his seat.

Prim little Winkle too is here,

With every hair in place,

A model of propriety,

Though he hates to wash his face.

The year is gone, we still unite

To joke and laugh and read,

And tread the path of literature

That doth to glory lead.

Long may our paper prosper well,

Our club unbroken be,

And coming years their blessings pour

On the useful, gay 'P. C.'.

A. SNODGRASS

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THE MASKED MARRIAGE

(A Tale Of Venice)

Gondola after gondola swept up to the marble

steps, and left its lovely load to swell the

brilliant throng that filled the stately halls of Count

Adelon. Knights and ladies, elves and pages, monks

and flower girls, all mingled gaily in the dance.

Sweet voices and rich melody filled the air, and so

with mirth and music the masquerade went on.

"Has your Highness seen the Lady Viola tonight?"

asked a gallant troubadour of the fairy queen who

floated down the hall upon his arm.

"Yes, is she not lovely, though so sad! Her

dress is well chosen, too, for in a week she weds

Count Antonio, whom she passionately hates."

"By my faith, I envy him. Yonder he comes,

arrayed like a bridegroom, except the black mask.

When that is off we shall see how he regards the

fair maid whose heart he cannot win, though her

stern father bestows her hand," returned the troubadour.

"Tis whispered that she loves the young English

artist who haunts her steps, and is spurned by the

old Count," said the lady, as they joined the dance.

The revel was at its height when a priest

appeared, and withdrawing the young pair to an alcove,

hung with purple velvet, he motioned them to kneel.

Instant silence fell on the gay throng, and not a

sound, but the dash of fountains or the rustle of

orange groves sleeping in the moonlight, broke the

hush, as Count de Adelon spoke thus:

"My lords and ladies, pardon the ruse by which

I have gathered you here to witness the marriage of

my daughter. Father, we wait your services."

All eyes turned toward the bridal party, and a

murmur of amazement went through the throng, for

neither bride nor groom removed their masks. Curiosity

and wonder possessed all hearts, but respect restrained

all tongues till the holy rite was over. Then the

eager spectators gathered round the count, demanding

an explanation.

"Gladly would I give it if I could, but I only

know that it was the whim of my timid Viola, and I

yielded to it. Now, my children, let the play end.

Unmask and receive my blessing."

But neither bent the knee, for the young bridegroom

replied in a tone that startled all listeners

as the mask fell, disclosing the noble face of Ferdinand

Devereux, the artist lover, and leaning on the

breast where now flashed the star of an English earl

was the lovely Viola, radiant with joy and beauty.

"My lord, you scornfully bade me claim your

daughter when I could boast as high a name and vast a

fortune as the Count Antonio. I can do more, for even

your ambitious soul cannot refuse the Earl of Devereux

and De Vere, when he gives his ancient name and boundless

wealth in return for the beloved hand of this fair lady,

now my wife."

The count stood like one changed to stone, and

turning to the bewildered crowd, Ferdinand added, with

a gay smile of triumph, "To you, my gallant friends, I

can only wish that your wooing may prosper as mine has

done, and that you may all win as fair a bride as I have

by this masked marriage."

S. PICKWICK