小妇人 04

4 The house next door

'It's so nice to go to parties and drive home in carriages. 'said Mea, the next morning.

'Other people live like that all the time, and I wish we could. I wish we were rich. '

'Well, we're not, 'said Jo. ' So we must do our work with a smile, the way Mother does. '

Mr March had lost most of his money helping a friend.

When the two older girls discovered this, they wanted to do something to earn some money for the family, and as soon as they were old enough, they found work.

Meg got a job teach ing four small children.

It was hard for her to be poor because she could remember the time when their home had been beautiful, with every thing they wanted.

And every day at Mrs King's house she saw pretty dresses, and heard talk of parties and the theatre-all the things which Meg loved.

Jo went to Aunt March, who needed someone to fetch and carry things, and read to her.