And away he went , rumbling out the words with his strong voice and a relish which was good to see as well as hear . Fortunately the story was The Constant Tin Soldier , which is droll , you know , so I could laugh , and I did , though I did n't understand half he read , for I could n't help it , he was so earnest , I so excited , and the whole thing so comical . After that we got on better , and now I read my lessons pretty well , for this way of studying suits me , and I can see that the grammar gets tucked into the tales and poetry as one gives pills in jelly . I like it very much , and he does n't seem tired of it yet , which is very good of him , is n't it ? I mean to give him something on Christmas , for I dare not offer money . Tell me something nice , Marmee . I 'm glad Laurie seems so happy and busy , that he has given up smoking and lets his hair grow . You see Beth manages him better than I did . I 'm not jealous , dear , do your best , only do n't make a saint of him . I 'm afraid I could n't like him without a spice of human naughtiness . Read him bits of my letters . I have n't time to write much , and that will do just as well . Thank Heaven Beth continues so comfortable . JANUARY A Happy New Year to you all , my dearest family , which of course includes Mr. L. and a young man by the name of Teddy . I ca n't tell you how much I enjoyed your Christmas bundle , for I did n't get it till night and had given up hoping . Your letter came in the morning , but you said nothing about a parcel , meaning it for a surprise , so I was disappointed , for I 'd had a ` kind of feeling ' that you would n't forget me . I felt a little low in my mind as I sat up in my room after tea , and when the big , muddy , battered-looking bundle was brought to me , I just hugged it and pranced . It was so homey and refreshing that I sat down on the floor and read and looked and ate and laughed and cried , in my usual absurd way . The things were just what I wanted , and all the better for being made instead of bought . Beth 's new ` ink bib ' was capital , and Hannah 's box of hard gingerbread will be a treasure .
I 'll be sure and wear the nice flannels you sent , XXXXX , and read carefully the books Father has marked .
Beth Hannah L. Laurie Marmee Soldier gingerbread morning naughtiness smoking