`` Merry Christmas , Marmee ! Many of them ! Thank you for our books . We read some , and mean to every day , '' they all cried in chorus . `` Merry Christmas , little daughters ! I 'm glad you began at once , and hope you will keep on . But I want to say one word before we sit down . Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby . Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing , for they have no fire . There is nothing to eat over there , and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold . My girls , will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present ? '' They were all unusually hungry , having waited nearly an hour , and for a minute no one spoke , only a minute , for Jo exclaimed impetuously , `` I 'm so glad you came before we began ! '' `` May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children ? '' asked Beth eagerly . `` I shall take the cream and the muffings , '' added Amy , heroically giving up the article she most liked . Meg was already covering the buckwheats , and piling the bread into one big plate . `` I thought you 'd do it , '' said Mrs. March , smiling as if satisfied . `` You shall all go and help me , and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast , and make it up at dinnertime . '' They were soon ready , and the procession set out . Fortunately it was early , and they went through back streets , so few people saw them , and no one laughed at the queer party .
A poor , bare , miserable room it was , with broken windows , no XXXXX , ragged bedclothes , a sick mother , wailing baby , and a group of pale , hungry children cuddled under one old quilt , trying to keep warm .
Amy Beth Jo Meg buckwheats day fire hour minute muffings