I could n't seem to imagine myself anything but stupid little Beth , trotting about at home , of no use anywhere but there . I never wanted to go away , and the hard part now is the leaving you all . I 'm not afraid , but it seems as if I should be homesick for you even in heaven . '' Jo could not speak , and for several minutes there was no sound but the sigh of the wind and the lapping of the tide . A white-winged gull flew by , with the flash of sunshine on its silvery breast . Beth watched it till it vanished , and her eyes were full of sadness . A little gray-coated sand bird came tripping over the beach ` peeping ' softly to itself , as if enjoying the sun and sea . It came quite close to Beth , and looked at her with a friendly eye and sat upon a warm stone , dressing its wet feathers , quite at home . Beth smiled and felt comforted , for the tiny thing seemed to offer its small friendship and remind her that a pleasant world was still to be enjoyed . `` Dear little bird ! See , Jo , how tame it is . I like peeps better than the gulls . They are not so wild and handsome , but they seem happy , confiding little things . I used to call them my birds last summer , and Mother said they reminded her of me -- busy , quaker-colored creatures , always near the shore , and always chirping that contented little song of theirs . You are the gull , Jo , strong and wild , fond of the storm and the wind , flying far out to sea , and happy all alone . Meg is the turtledove , and Amy is like the lark she writes about , trying to get up among the clouds , but always dropping down into its nest again . Dear little girl ! She 's so ambitious , but her heart is good and tender , and no matter how high she flies , she never will forget home . I hope I shall see her again , but she seems so far away . '' `` She is coming in the spring , and I mean that you shall be all ready to see and enjoy her .
I 'm going to have you well and rosy by that time , '' began XXXXX , feeling that of all the changes in Beth , the talking change was the greatest , for it seemed to cost no effort now , and she thought aloud in a way quite unlike bashful Beth .
Amy Beth Jo Meg Mother gulls minutes peeps storm turtledove