They all drew to the fire , Mother in the big chair with Beth at her feet , Meg and Amy perched on either arm of the chair , and Jo leaning on the back , where no one would see any sign of emotion if the letter should happen to be touching . Very few letters were written in those hard times that were not touching , especially those which fathers sent home . In this one little was said of the hardships endured , the dangers faced , or the homesickness conquered . It was a cheerful , hopeful letter , full of lively descriptions of camp life , marches , and military news , and only at the end did the writer 's heart over-flow with fatherly love and longing for the little girls at home . `` Give them all of my dear love and a kiss . Tell them I think of them by day , pray for them by night , and find my best comfort in their affection at all times . A year seems very long to wait before I see them , but remind them that while we wait we may all work , so that these hard days need not be wasted . I know they will remember all I said to them , that they will be loving children to you , will do their duty faithfully , fight their bosom enemies bravely , and conquer themselves so beautifully that when I come back to them I may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women . '' Everybody sniffed when they came to that part . Jo was n't ashamed of the great tear that dropped off the end of her nose , and Amy never minded the rumpling of her curls as she hid her face on her mother 's shoulder and sobbed out , `` I am a selfish girl ! But I 'll truly try to be better , so he may n't be disappointed in me by-and-by . '' `` We all will , '' cried Meg . `` I think too much of my looks and hate to work , but wo n't any more , if I can help it . '' `` I 'll try and be what he loves to call me , ' a little woman ' and not be rough and wild , but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else , '' said Jo , thinking that keeping her temper at home was a much harder task than facing a rebel or two down South . Beth said nothing , but wiped away her tears with the blue army sock and began to knit with all her might , losing no time in doing the duty that lay nearest her , while she resolved in her quiet little soul to be all that Father hoped to find her when the year brought round the happy coming home . Mrs. March broke the silence that followed Jo 's words , by saying in her cheery voice , `` Do you remember how you used to play Pilgrims Progress when you were little things ? Nothing delighted you more than to have me tie my piece bags on your backs for burdens , give you hats and sticks and rolls of paper , and let you travel through the house from the cellar , which was the City of Destruction , up , up , to the housetop , where you had all the lovely things you could collect to make a Celestial City . '' `` What fun it was , especially going by the lions , fighting Apollyon , and passing through the valley where the hob-goblins were , '' said Jo . `` I liked the place where the bundles fell off and tumbled downstairs , '' said Meg . `` I do n't remember much about it , except that I was afraid of the cellar and the dark entry , and always liked the cake and milk we had up at the top .
If I was n't too old for such things , I 'd rather like to play it over again , '' said XXXXX , who began to talk of renouncing childish things at the mature age of twelve .
Amy Beth Jo Meg Mother fire hob-goblins night rumpling year