She tried not to be envious or discontented , but it was very natural that the young girl should long for pretty things , gay friends , accomplishments , and a happy life . At the Kings ' she daily saw all she wanted , for the children 's older sisters were just out , and Meg caught frequent glimpses of dainty ball dresses and bouquets , heard lively gossip about theaters , concerts , sleighing parties , and merrymakings of all kinds , and saw money lavished on trifles which would have been so precious to her . Poor Meg seldom complained , but a sense of injustice made her feel bitter toward everyone sometimes , for she had not yet learned to know how rich she was in the blessings which alone can make life happy . Jo happened to suit Aunt March , who was lame and needed an active person to wait upon her . The childless old lady had offered to adopt one of the girls when the troubles came , and was much offended because her offer was declined . Other friends told the Marches that they had lost all chance of being remembered in the rich old lady 's will , but the unworldly Marches only said ... `` We ca n't give up our girls for a dozen fortunes . Rich or poor , we will keep together and be happy in one another . '' The old lady would n't speak to them for a time , but happening to meet Jo at a friend 's , something in her comical face and blunt manners struck the old lady 's fancy , and she proposed to take her for a companion . This did not suit Jo at all , but she accepted the place since nothing better appeared and , to every one 's surprise , got on remarkably well with her irascible relative . There was an occasional tempest , and once Jo marched home , declaring she could n't bear it longer , but Aunt March always cleared up quickly , and sent for her to come back again with such urgency that she could not refuse , for in her heart she rather liked the peppery old lady . I suspect that the real attraction was a large library of fine books , which was left to dust and spiders since Uncle March died . Jo remembered the kind old gentleman , who used to let her build railroads and bridges with his big dictionaries , tell her stories about queer pictures in his Latin books , and buy her cards of gingerbread whenever he met her in the street . The dim , dusty room , with the busts staring down from the tall bookcases , the cozy chairs , the globes , and best of all , the wilderness of books in which she could wander where she liked , made the library a region of bliss to her . The moment Aunt March took her nap , or was busy with company , Jo hurried to this quiet place , and curling herself up in the easy chair , devoured poetry , romance , history , travels , and pictures like a regular bookworm . But , like all happiness , it did not last long , for as sure as she had just reached the heart of the story , the sweetest verse of a song , or the most perilous adventure of her traveler , a shrill voice called , `` Josy-phine ! Josy-phine ! '' and she had to leave her paradise to wind yarn , wash the poodle , or read Belsham 's Essays by the hour together . Jo 's ambition was to do something very splendid . What it was , she had no idea as yet , but left it for time to tell her , and meanwhile , found her greatest affliction in the fact that she could n't read , run , and ride as much as she liked . A quick temper , sharp tongue , and restless spirit were always getting her into scrapes , and her life was a series of ups and downs , which were both comic and pathetic .
But the training she received at Aunt March 's was just what she needed , and the thought that she was doing something to support herself made her happy in spite of the perpetual `` XXXXX ! ''
Belsham Essays Josy-phine Kings Meg bookworm daily gingerbread left merrymakings