I want a flesh-and-blood girl , not a sweet statue in a grey pinafore , who forgets everything but her work . ' As he spoke , two dusty hands came round his neck , and Bess said earnestly , punctuating her words with soft touches of her lips : ' I never forget you , papa ; but I do want to do something beautiful that you may be proud of me by and by . Mamma often tells me to stop ; but when we get in here we forget there is any world outside , we are so busy and so happy . Now I 'll go and run and sing , and be a girl to please you . ' And throwing away the apron , Bess vanished from the room , seeming to take all the light with her . ` I 'm glad you said that . The dear child is too much absorbed in her artistic dreams for one so young . It is my fault ; but I sympathize so deeply in it all , I forget to be wise , ' sighed Amy , carefully covering the baby with a wet towel . ' I think this power of living in our children is one of the sweetest things in the world ; but I try to remember what Marmee once said to Meg -- that fathers should have their share in the education of both girls and boys ; so I leave Ted to his father all I can , and Fritz lends me Rob , whose quiet ways are as restful and good for me as Ted 's tempests are for his father . Now I advise you , Amy , to let Bess drop the mud-pies for a time , and take up music with Laurie ; then she wo n't be one-sided , and he wo n't be jealous . ' ` Hear , hear ! A Daniel -- a very Daniel ! ' cried Laurie , well pleased . ' I thought you 'd lend a hand , Jo , and say a word for me . I am a little jealous of Amy , and want more of a share in my girl . Come , my lady , let me have her this summer , and next year , when we go to Rome , I 'll give her up to you and high art . Is n't that a fair bargain ? ' ' I agree ; but in trying your hobby , nature , with music thrown in , do n't forget that , though only fifteen , our Bess is older than most girls of that age , and can not be treated like a child . She is so very precious to me , I feel as if I wanted to keep her always as pure and beautiful as the marble she loves so well . ' Amy spoke regretfully as she looked about the lovely room where she had spent so many happy hours with this dear child of hers . '
`` Turn and turn about is fair play '' , as we used to say when we all wanted to ride on Ellen Tree or wear the russet boots , ' said XXXXX briskly ; ` so you must share your girl between you , and see who will do the most for her . '
Amy Daniel Fritz Jo Laurie Marmee Rob Rome mud-pies pinafore