Little Women

by Issam Garrouri

Blank Hospital, Washington.

  How nevertheless the room turned into as they listened breathlessly, how unusually the day darkened out of doors, and the way suddenly the complete world regarded to alternate, as the women gathered approximately their mom, feeling as though all of the happiness and aid in their lives turned into approximately to be taken from them.

  Mrs. March became herself once more at once, study the message over, and stretched out her arms to her daughters, saying, in a tone they by no means forgot, "I shall cross without delay, but it is able to be too late. Oh, children, kids, assist me to bear it!"

  For several mins there has been nothing however the sound of sobbing inside the room, mingled with damaged words of comfort, tender assurances of help, and hopeful whispers that died away in tears. Poor Hannah changed into the first to get better, and with subconscious know-how she set all of the relaxation a very good example, for with her, paintings was panacea for most afflictions.

  "The Lord hold the pricey guy! I may not waste no time a-cryin', however git your things geared up proper away, mum," she said heartily, as she wiped her face on her apron, gave her mistress a warm shake of the hand along with her personal tough one, and went away to work like three women in one.

  "She's right, there may be no time for tears now. Be calm, ladies, and allow me assume."

  They tried to be calm, bad things, as their mom sat up, searching pale however steady, and positioned away her grief to suppose and plan for them.

  "Where's Laurie?" she requested presently, while she had collected her mind and decided on the primary responsibilities to be accomplished.

  "Here, ma'am. Oh, let me do some thing!" cried the boy, hurrying from the next room whither he had withdrawn, feeling that their first sorrow become too sacred for even his friendly eyes to look.

  "Send a telegram announcing I will come right now. The next train goes early within the morning. I'll take that."

  "What else? The horses are equipped. I can move anywhere, do whatever," he stated, looking equipped to fly to the ends of the earth.

  "Leave a word at Aunt March's. Jo, deliver me that pen and paper."

  Tearing off the clean side of certainly one of her newly copied pages, Jo drew the table before her mom, well knowing that cash for the long, sad journey ought to be borrowed, and feeling as if she ought to do something to feature a touch to the sum for her father.

  "Now cross, pricey, but don't kill yourself driving at a desperate pace. There is not any need of that."

  Mrs. March's caution changed into certainly thrown away, for 5 minutes later Laurie tore by way of the window on his very own fleet horse, riding as if for his life.

  "Jo, run to the rooms, and inform Mrs. King that I cannot come. On the manner get these things. I'll placed them down, they will be needed and I ought to go organized for nursing. Hospital shops are not constantly correct. Beth, move and ask Mr. Laurence for more than one bottles of old wine. I'm now not too proud to beg for Father. He shall have the great of the whole thing. Amy, inform Hannah to get down the black trunk, and Meg, come and assist me discover my matters, for I'm 1/2 bewildered."

  Writing, wondering, and directing abruptly would possibly properly bewilder the bad female, and Meg begged her to sit down quietly in her room for a bit whilst, and let them paintings. Everyone scattered like leaves earlier than a gust of wind, and the quiet, happy household was damaged up as all at once as if the paper have been an evil spell.

  Mr. Laurence came hurrying lower back with Beth, bringing each consolation the kind vintage gentleman may want to think of for the invalid, and friendliest promises of safety for the girls for the duration of the mother's absence, which comforted her very a whole lot. There changed into not anything he failed to offer, from his personal dressing gown to himself as escort. But the last become not possible. Mrs. March might now not pay attention of the antique gentleman's task the lengthy journey, yet an expression of alleviation turned into visible when he spoke of it, for anxiety unwell fits one for visiting. He saw the appearance, knit his heavy eyebrows, rubbed his hands, and marched all of sudden away, announcing he'd be lower back at once. No one had time to think about him again until, as Meg ran via the entry, with a pair of rubbers in one hand and a cup of tea in the different, she came abruptly upon Mr. Brooke.

  "I'm very sorry to listen of this, Miss March," he said, within the type, quiet tone which sounded very pleasantly to her perturbed spirit. "I got here to provide myself as escort for your mom. Mr. Laurence has commissions for me in Washington, and it will give me actual delight to be of carrier to her there."

  Down dropped the rubbers, and the tea became very near following, as Meg put out her hand, with a face so complete of gratitude that Mr. Brooke might have felt repaid for a miles greater sacrifice than the trifling one among time and luxury which he changed into approximately to take.

  "How kind you all are! Mother will receive, I'm sure, and it will likely be one of these alleviation to recognise that she has a person to take care of her. Thank you very, very a lot!"

  Meg spoke earnestly, and forgot herself totally until some thing within the brown eyes looking down at her made her remember the cooling tea, and lead the way into the parlor, saying she would name her mom.

  Everything was organized by the time Laurie returned with a notice from Aunt March, enclosing the preferred sum, and a few traces repeating what she had frequently stated earlier than, that she had constantly told them it became absurd for March to go into the army, constantly predicted that no appropriate might come of it, and she hoped they might take her recommendation the next time. Mrs. March positioned the observe in the fire, the cash in her purse, and went on with her preparations, together with her lips folded tightly in a manner which Jo could have understood if she have been there.

  The short afternoon wore away. All other errands had been accomplished, and Meg and her mom busy at a few necessary needlework, at the same time as Beth and Amy got tea, and Hannah finished her ironing with what she referred to as a 'slap and a bang', however nevertheless Jo did now not come. They started to get disturbing, and Laurie went off to discover her, for no one knew what freak Jo might take into her head. He overlooked her, however, and she came walking in with a very queer expression of countenance, for there was a mixture of fun and fear, satisfaction and regret in it, which confused the own family as a whole lot as did the roll of payments she laid earlier than her mother, saying with a touch choke in her voice, "That's my contribution closer to making Father at ease and bringing him home!"

  "My pricey, where did you get it? Twenty-5 dollars! Jo, I desire you have not achieved whatever rash?"

  "No, it's mine definitely. I failed to beg, borrow, or thieve it. I earned it, and I do not think you'll blame me, for I best sold what become my very own."

  As she spoke, Jo took off her bonnet, and a widespread outcry arose, for all her plentiful hair was cut quick.

  "Your hair! Your lovely hair!" "Oh, Jo, how may want to you? Your one splendor." "My pricey girl, there was no want of this." "She does not look like my Jo any extra, however I love her dearly for it!"

  As anybody exclaimed, and Beth hugged the cropped head tenderly, Jo assumed an detached air, which did now not deceive all people a particle, and stated, rumpling up the brown bush and looking to look as if she preferred it, "It doesn't affect the fate of the kingdom, so don't wail, Beth. It will be properly for my vanity, I turned into getting too happy with my wig. It will do my brains top to have that mop taken off. My head feels deliciously light and funky, and the barber said I ought to quickly have a curly crop, on the way to be boyish, turning into, and easy to hold so as. I'm glad, so please take the cash and let's have supper."

  "Tell me all about it, Jo. I am not pretty satisfied, however I can't blame you, for I understand how willingly you sacrificed your arrogance, as you name it, on your love. But, my dear, it was now not necessary, and I'm afraid you may remorse it considered one of these days," stated Mrs. March.

&n
bsp; "No, I won't!" again Jo stoutly, feeling a whole lot relieved that her prank turned into now not completely condemned.

  "What made you do it?" asked Amy, who might as soon have thought of slicing off her head as her quite hair.

  "Well, I was wild to do some thing for Father," answered Jo, as they amassed approximately the desk, for healthful young human beings can eat even within the midst of problem. "I hate to borrow as an awful lot as Mother does, and I knew Aunt March would croak, she constantly does, if you ask for a ninepence. Meg gave all her quarterly income in the direction of the hire, and I only were given some clothes with mine, so I felt depraved, and become certain to have a few money, if I offered the nostril off my face to get it."

  "You need not experience depraved, my toddler! You had no wintry weather matters and got the best together with your personal hard income," said Mrs. March with a glance that warmed Jo's coronary heart.

  "I hadn't the least idea of selling my hair before everything, but as I went along I stored questioning what I should do, and feeling as if I'd like to dive into a number of the wealthy stores and assist myself. In a barber's window I saw tails of hair with the charges marked, and one black tail, no longer so thick as mine, turned into forty dollars. It came to me all of a unexpected that I had one factor to make money out of, and with out preventing to think, I walked in, asked if they sold hair, and what they could deliver for mine."

  "I don't see how you dared to do it," stated Beth in a tone of awe.

  "Oh, he became a touch man who looked as if he simply lived to grease his hair. He rather stared in the beginning, as though he wasn't used to having ladies jump into his save and ask him to buy their hair. He stated he did not care approximately mine, it wasn't the fashionable coloration, and he never paid a whole lot for it inside the first location. The work put into it made it dear, and so forth. It was getting overdue, and I became afraid if it wasn't executed proper away that I shouldn't have it carried out at all, and you realize after I begin to do a factor, I hate to give it up. So I begged him to take it, and instructed him why I turned into in the sort of hurry. It become silly, I dare say, however it changed his thoughts, for I were given alternatively excited, and instructed the tale in my topsy-turvy manner, and his spouse heard, and stated so kindly, 'Take it, Thomas, and oblige the young lady. I'd do as much for our Jimmy any day if I had a spire of hair well worth promoting."

  "Who was Jimmy?" asked Amy, who favored to have things defined as they went along.

  "Her son, she stated, who turned into in the army. How friendly such things make strangers feel, do not they? She talked away all of the time the man clipped, and diverted my thoughts well."

  "Didn't you sense dreadfully when the primary cut got here?" asked Meg, with a shiver.

  "I took a closing take a look at my hair whilst the man got his matters, and that was the give up of it. I by no means snivel over trifles like that. I will confess, although, I felt queer once I saw the expensive vintage hair laid out at the desk, and felt simplest the quick hard ends of my head. It almost appeared as though I'd an arm or leg off. The lady saw me study it, and picked out a protracted lock for me to preserve. I'll supply it to you, Marmee, simply to keep in mind beyond glories by using, for a crop is so comfy I don't think I shall ever have a mane once more."

  Mrs. March folded the wavy chestnut lock, and laid it away with a quick gray one in her table. She handiest said, "Thank you, deary," but something in her face made the girls exchange the subject, and talk as cheerfully as they may about Mr. Brooke's kindness, the possibility of a fine day the next day, and the satisfied times they would have while Father got here domestic to be nursed.

  No one wanted to visit bed while at ten o'clock Mrs. March placed through the closing completed process, and stated, "Come women." Beth went to the piano and played the father's favourite hymn. All began bravely, however broke down one after the other till Beth turned into left on my own, making a song with all her heart, for to her tune become continually a sweet consoler.

  "Go to mattress and do not communicate, for we have to be up early and shall want all the sleep we will get. Good night, my darlings," said Mrs. March, as the hymn ended, for no one cared to strive another.

  They kissed her quietly, and went to mattress as silently as if the expensive invalid lay inside the subsequent room. Beth and Amy quickly fell asleep despite the outstanding trouble, however Meg lay wide awake, questioning the maximum serious mind she had ever recognised in her short life. Jo lay immobile, and her sister fancied that she become asleep, until a stifled sob made her exclaim, as she touched a wet cheek...

  "Jo, expensive, what is it? Are you crying about father?"

  "No, not now."

  "What then?"

  "My... My hair!" burst out negative Jo, attempting vainly to smother her emotion within the pillow.

  It did no longer appear at all comical to Meg, who kissed and caressed the troubled heroine within the tenderest way.

  "I'm now not sorry," protested Jo, with a choke. "I'd do it again the following day, if I ought to. It's simplest the useless part of me that is going and cries in this stupid manner. Don't inform anybody, it is all over now. I notion you have been asleep, so I just made a bit personal moan for my one splendor. How got here you to be wide awake?"

  "I can not sleep, I'm so nerve-racking," stated Meg.

  "Think approximately something first-rate, and you may quickly drop off."

  "I tried it, however felt wider awake than ever."

  "What did you watched of?"

  "Handsome faces—eyes mainly," responded Meg, smiling to herself in the dark.

  "What colour do you want exceptional?"

  "Brown, that is, occasionally. Blue are lovely."

  Jo laughed, and Meg sharply ordered her now not to talk, then amiably promised to make her hair curl, and fell asleep to dream of residing in her castle inside the air.

  The clocks have been putting midnight and the rooms had been very nevertheless as a figure glided quietly from bed to mattress, smoothing a coverlet right here, settling a pillow there, and pausing to look long and tenderly at every subconscious face, to kiss each with lips that mutely blessed, and to wish the fervent prayers which simplest mothers utter. As she lifted the curtain to look out into the dreary night time, the moon broke abruptly from in the back of the clouds and shone upon her like a shiny, benignant face, which appeared to whisper in the silence, "Be comforted, expensive soul! There is constantly mild in the back of the clouds."

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  LETTERS

  In the bloodless gray sunrise the sisters lit their lamp and study their bankruptcy with an earnestness never felt before. For now the shadow of a real problem had come, the little books had been complete of assist and luxury, and as they dressed, they agreed to mention goodbye cheerfully and optimistically, and send their mother on her annoying journey unsaddened by tears or court cases from them. Everything regarded very peculiar after they went down, so dim and still outdoor, so complete of light and bustle within. Breakfast at that early hour appeared abnormal, or even Hannah's acquainted face looked unnatural as she flew approximately her kitchen with her nightcap on. The massive trunk stood ready within the corridor, Mother's cloak and bonnet lay at the sofa, and Mother herself sat seeking to devour, but looking so pale and worn with sleeplessness and tension that the ladies discovered it very difficult to preserve their decision. Meg's eyes kept filling in spite of herself, Jo changed into obliged to hide her face in the kitchen roller greater than as soon as, and the little ladies wore a grave, troubled expression, as if sorrow was a new enjoy to them.

  Nobody talked plenty, but because the time drew very close to and that they sat anticipating the carriage, Mrs. March said to the girls, who had been all busied approximately her, one folding her shawl, another smoothing out the strings of her bonnet, a 3rd setting on her overshoes, and a fourth fastening up her journeying bag...

  "Children, I depart you to Hannah's care and Mr.
Laurence's safety. Hannah is faithfulness itself, and our exact neighbor will shield you as if you were his personal. I haven't any fears for you, but I am hectic that you must take this problem rightly. Don't grieve and agonize after I am long past, or assume that you may be idle and comfort yourselves by being idle and seeking to neglect. Go on along with your paintings as typical, for work is a blessed solace. Hope and preserve busy, and some thing takes place, keep in mind that you in no way can be fatherless."

  "Yes, Mother."

  "Meg, dear, be prudent, watch over your sisters, consult Hannah, and in any perplexity, go to Mr. Laurence. Be affected person, Jo, don't get despondent or do rash things, write to me frequently, and be my brave woman, prepared to help and cheer all. Beth, comfort your self together with your tune, and be devoted to the little domestic responsibilities, and also you, Amy, help all you could, be obedient, and hold happy secure at home."

  "We will, Mother! We will!"

  The rattle of an approaching carriage made them all start and concentrate. That become the tough minute, however the women stood it nicely. No one cried, no one ran away or uttered a lamentation, even though their hearts have been very heavy as they despatched loving messages to Father, remembering, as they spoke that it might be too past due to supply them. They kissed their mom quietly, clung about her tenderly, and tried to wave their palms cheerfully whilst she drove away.