`` But Mr. Allen says , ` Leave out the explanations , make it brief and dramatic , and let the characters tell the story ' , '' interrupted Jo , turning to the publisher 's note . `` Do as he tells you . He knows what will sell , and we do n't . Make a good , popular book , and get as much money as you can . By-and-by , when you 've got a name , you can afford to digress , and have philosophical and metaphysical people in your novels , '' said Amy , who took a strictly practical view of the subject . `` Well , '' said Jo , laughing , `` if my people are ` philosophical and metaphysical ' , it is n't my fault , for I know nothing about such things , except what I hear father say , sometimes . If I 've got some of his wise ideas jumbled up with my romance , so much the better for me . Now , Beth , what do you say ? '' `` I should so like to see it printed soon , '' was all Beth said , and smiled in saying it . But there was an unconscious emphasis on the last word , and a wistful look in the eyes that never lost their childlike candor , which chilled Jo 's heart for a minute with a forboding fear , and decided her to make her little venture ` soon ' . So , with Spartan firmness , the young authoress laid her first-born on her table , and chopped it up as ruthlessly as any ogre . In the hope of pleasing everyone , she took everyone 's advice , and like the old man and his donkey in the fable suited nobody . Her father liked the metaphysical streak which had unconsciously got into it , so that was allowed to remain though she had her doubts about it . Her mother thought that there was a trifle too much description . Out , therefore it came , and with it many necessary links in the story . Meg admired the tragedy , so Jo piled up the agony to suit her , while Amy objected to the fun , and , with the best intentions in life , Jo quenched the spritly scenes which relieved the somber character of the story . Then , to complicate the ruin , she cut it down one third , and confidingly sent the poor little romance , like a picked robin , out into the big , busy world to try its fate . Well , it was printed , and she got three hundred dollars for it , likewise plenty of praise and blame , both so much greater than she expected that she was thrown into a state of bewilderment from which it took her some time to recover . `` You said , Mother , that criticism would help me . But how can it , when it 's so contradictory that I do n't know whether I 've written a promising book or broken all the ten commandments ? ''
cried poor XXXXX , turning over a heap of notices , the perusal of which filled her with pride and joy one minute , wrath and dismay the next .
Allen Beth Jo Meg authoress confidingly forboding minute ogre third