Little Men: Life at Plumfield With Jo's Boys
old and young; with polite invitations to “tread the mazy,” as dear Dick
Swiveller has it. The small lads nearly came to blows for the Princess,
but she chose Dick, like a kind, little gentlewoman as she was, and let
him lead her proudly to her place. Mrs. Jo was not allowed to decline;
and Aunt Amy filled Dan with unspeakable delight by refusing Franz and
taking him. Of course Nan and Tommy, Nat and Daisy paired off, while
Uncle Teddy went and got Asia, who was longing to “jig it,” and felt
much elated by the honor done her. Silas and Mary Ann had a private
dance in the hall; and for half-an-hour Plumfield was at its merriest.
The party wound up with a grand promenade of all the young folks, headed
by the pumpkin-coach with the Princess and driver inside, and the rats
in a wildly frisky state.
While the children enjoyed this final frolic, the elders sat in the
parlor looking on as they talked together of the little people with the
interest of parents and friends.
“What are you thinking of, all by yourself, with such a happy face,
sister Jo?” asked Laurie, sitting down beside her on the sofa.
“My summer's work, Teddy, and amusing myself by imagining the future of
my boys,” she answered, smiling as she made room for him.
“They are all to be poets, painters, and statesmen, famous soldiers, or
at least merchant princes, I suppose.”
“No, I am not as aspiring as I once was, and I shall be satisfied if
they are honest men. But I will confess that I do expect a little glory
and a career for some of them. Demi is not a common child, and I think
he will blossom into something good and great in the best sense of the
word. The others will do well, I hope, especially my last two boys, for,
after hearing Nat play to-night, I really think he has genius.”
“Too soon to say; talent he certainly has, and there is no doubt that
the boy can soon earn his bread by the work he loves. Build him up for
another year or so, and then I will take him off your hands, and launch
him properly.”
“That is such a pleasant prospect for poor Nat, who came to me six
months ago so friendless and forlorn. Dan's future is already plain
to me. Mr. Hyde will want him soon, and I mean to give him a brave and
faithful little servant. Dan is one who can serve well if the wages are
love and confidence, and he has the energy to carve out his own future
in his own way. Yes, I am very happy over our success with these boys
one so weak, and one so wild; both so much better now, and so full of
promise.”
“What magic did you use, Jo?”
“I only loved them, and let them see it. Fritz did the rest.”
“Dear soul! you look as if 'only loving' had been rather hard work
sometimes,” said Laurie, stroking her thin cheek with a look of more
tender admiration than he had ever given her as a girl.
“I'm a faded old woman, but I'm a very happy one; so don't pity me,
Teddy;” and she glanced about the room with eyes full of a sincere
content.
“Yes, your plan seems to work better and better every year,” he said,
with an emphatic nod of approval toward the cheery scene before him.
“How can it fail to work well when I have so much help from you all?”
answered Mrs. Jo, looking gratefully at her most generous patron.
“It is the best joke of the family, this school of yours and its
success. So unlike the future we planned for you, and yet so suited to
you after all. It was a regular inspiration, Jo,” said Laurie, dodging
her thanks as usual.
“Ah! but you laughed at it in the beginning, and still make all manner
of fun of me and my inspirations. Didn't you predict that having girls
with the boys would be a dead failure? Now see how well it works;” and
she pointed to the happy group of lads and lassies dancing, singing, and
chattering together with every sign of kindly good fellowship.
“I give in, and when my Goldilocks is old enough I'll send her to you.
Can I say more than that?”
“I shall be so proud to have your little treasure trusted to me. But
really, Teddy, the effect of these girls has been excellent. I know you
will laugh at me, but I don't mind, I'm used to it; so I'll tell you
that one of my favorite fancies is to look at my family as a small
world, to watch the progress of my little men, and, lately, to see how
well the influence of my little women works upon them. Daisy is the
domestic element, and they all feel the charm of her quiet, womanly
ways. Nan is the restless, energetic, strong-minded one; they admire her
courage, and give her a fair chance to work out her will, seeing that
she has sympathy as well as strength, and the power to do much in their
small world. Your Bess is the lady, full of natural refinement, grace,
and beauty. She polishes them unconsciously, and fills her place as any
lovely woman may, using her gentle influence to lift and hold them above
the coarse, rough things of life, and keep them gentlemen in the best
sense of the fine old word.”
“It is not always the ladies who do that best, Jo. It is sometimes the
strong brave woman who stirs up the boy and makes a man of him;” and
Laurie bowed to her with a significant laugh.
“No; I think the graceful woman, whom the boy you allude to married, has
done more for him than the wild Nan of his youth; or, better still, the
wise, motherly woman who watched over him, as Daisy watches over Demi,
did more to make him what he is;” and Jo turned toward her mother, who
sat a little apart with Meg, looking so full of the sweet dignity and
beauty of old age, that Laurie gave her a glance of filial respect and
love as he replied, in serious earnest,
“All three did much for him, and I can understand how well these little
girls will help your lads.”
“Not more than the lads help them; it is mutual, I assure you. Nat does
much for Daisy with his music; Dan can manage Nan better than any of
us; and Demi teaches your Goldilocks so easily and well that Fritz calls
them Roger Ascham and Lady Jane Grey. Dear me! if men and women would
only trust, understand, and help one another as my children do, what a
capital place the world would be!” and Mrs. Jo's eyes grew absent, as if
she was looking at a new and charming state of society in which people
lived as happily and innocently as her flock at Plumfield.
“You are doing your best to help on the good time, my dear. Continue
to believe in it, to work for it, and to prove its possibility by the
success of her small experiment,” said Mr. March, pausing as he passed
to say an encouraging word, for the good man never lost his faith in
humanity, and still hoped to see peace, good-will, and happiness reign
upon the earth.
“I am not so ambitious as that, father. I only want to give these
children a home in which they can be taught a few simple things which
will help to make life less hard to them when they go out to fight their
battles in the world. Honesty, courage, industry, faith in God, their
fellow-creatures, and themselves; that is all I try for.”
“That is every thing. Give them these helps, then let them go to work
out their life as men and women; and whatever their success or failure
is, I think they will remember and bless your efforts, my good son and
daughter.”
The Professor had joined them, and as Mr. March spoke he gave a hand
to each, and left them with a look that was a blessing. As Jo and her
husband stood together for a moment talking quietly, and feeling that
their summer work had been well done if father approved, Mr. Laurie
slipped into the hall, said a word to the children, and all of a sudden
the whole flock pranced into the room, joined hands and danced about
Father and Mother Bhaer, singing blithely,
“Summer days are over,
Summer work is done;
Harvests have been gathered
Gayly one by one.
Now the feast is eaten,
Finished is the play;
But one rite remains for
Our Thanksgiving-day.
“Best of all the harvest
In the dear God's sight,
Are the happy children
In the home to-night;
And we come to offer
Thanks where thanks are due,
With grateful hearts and voices,
Father, mother, unto you.”
With the last words the circle narrowed till the good Professor and his
wife were taken prisoner by many arms, and half hidden by the bouquet of
laughing young faces which surrounded them, proving that one plant had
taken root and blossomed beautifully in all the little gardens. For love
is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted
by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year,
and blessing those who give and those who receive.