Brooke came home ' . I also doubt if any young matron ever began life with so rich a supply of dusters , holders , and piece bags , for Beth made enough to last till the silver wedding came round , and invented three different kinds of dishcloths for the express service of the bridal china . People who hire all these things done for them never know what they lose , for the homeliest tasks get beautified if loving hands do them , and Meg found so many proofs of this that everything in her small nest , from the kitchen roller to the silver vase on her parlor table , was eloquent of home love and tender forethought . What happy times they had planning together , what solemn shopping excursions , what funny mistakes they made , and what shouts of laughter arose over Laurie 's ridiculous bargains . In his love of jokes , this young gentleman , though nearly through college , was a much of a boy as ever . His last whim had been to bring with him on his weekly visits some new , useful , and ingenious article for the young housekeeper . Now a bag of remarkable clothespins , next , a wonderful nutmeg grater which fell to pieces at the first trial , a knife cleaner that spoiled all the knives , or a sweeper that picked the nap neatly off the carpet and left the dirt , labor-saving soap that took the skin off one 's hands , infallible cements which stuck firmly to nothing but the fingers of the deluded buyer , and every kind of tinware , from a toy savings bank for odd pennies , to a wonderful boiler which would wash articles in its own steam with every prospect of exploding in the process . In vain Meg begged him to stop . John laughed at him , and Jo called him ` Mr. Toodles ' . He was possessed with a mania for patronizing Yankee ingenuity , and seeing his friends fitly furnished forth . So each week beheld some fresh absurdity . Everything was done at last , even to Amy 's arranging different colored soaps to match the different colored rooms , and Beth 's setting the table for the first meal . `` Are you satisfied ? Does it seem like home , and do you feel as if you should be happy here ? '' asked Mrs. March , as she and her daughter went through the new kingdom arm in arm , for just then they seemed to cling together more tenderly than ever . `` Yes , Mother , perfectly satisfied , thanks to you all , and so happy that I ca n't talk about it , '' with a look that was far better than words . `` If she only had a servant or two it would be all right , '' said Amy , coming out of the parlor , where she had been trying to decide whether the bronze Mercury looked best on the whatnot or the mantlepiece . `` Mother and I have talked that over , and I have made up my mind to try her way first . There will be so little to do that with Lotty to run my errands and help me here and there , I shall only have enough work to keep me from getting lazy or homesick , '' answered Meg tranquilly . `` Sallie Moffat has four , '' began Amy .
`` If XXXXX had four , the house would n't hold them , and master and missis would have to camp in the garden , '' broke in Jo , who , enveloped in a big blue pinafore , was giving the last polish to the door handles .
Beth Meg Moffat Toodles Yankee cements dishcloths grater proofs right