`` Ask Hannah for some nice little mess , and take it round , Beth , the air will do you good , '' said Jo , adding apologetically , `` I 'd go but I want to finish my writing . '' `` My head aches and I 'm tired , so I thought maybe some of you would go , '' said Beth . `` Amy will be in presently , and she will run down for us , '' suggested Meg . So Beth lay down on the sofa , the others returned to their work , and the Hummels were forgotten . An hour passed . Amy did not come , Meg went to her room to try on a new dress , Jo was absorbed in her story , and Hannah was sound asleep before the kitchen fire , when Beth quietly put on her hood , filled her basket with odds and ends for the poor children , and went out into the chilly air with a heavy head and a grieved look in her patient eyes . It was late when she came back , and no one saw her creep upstairs and shut herself into her mother 's room . Half an hour after , Jo went to ` Mother 's closet ' for something , and there found little Beth sitting on the medicine chest , looking very grave , with red eyes and a camphor bottle in her hand . `` Christopher Columbus ! What 's the matter ? '' cried Jo , as Beth put out her hand as if to warn her off , and asked quickly ... `` You 've had the scarlet fever , have n't you ? '' `` Years ago , when Meg did . Why ? '' `` Then I 'll tell you . Oh , Jo , the baby 's dead ! '' `` What baby ? '' `` Mrs. Hummel 's . It died in my lap before she got home , '' cried Beth with a sob . `` My poor dear , how dreadful for you ! I ought to have gone , '' said Jo , taking her sister in her arms as she sat down in her mother 's big chair , with a remorseful face .
`` It was n't dreadful , XXXXX , only so sad !
Beth Columbus Hannah Hummel Hummels Jo Meg Mother fire hour