d and W

cture of the Alcott home at Concord, the scene of the girlhood and young womanhood of the Alcott children. Many of Louisa's books were written there; "Little Women" was lived there. In Concord, Anna met John Pratt, and the first love stor

ldhood the two girls had been inseparable companions, and after

h touches upon the change of homes in Concord, the absence of

ri

ther, May being in Boston, Anna at Pratt farm, & for the first time Lizzy absent. I don't miss her as I expected to do, for she see

now is beautiful, so I cannot fear it

May A

photo

e 1

ungest of the Alcott girls into a romance earlier in "Little Women" than it actually occurred in life, doubtless prevented Louisa Alcott f

er copies of Turner are remarkable. In the Kensington Gallery in London students are given them to study in preference

r themselves. May filled the nooks and corners with panels, on which she painted bir

himney piece Ellery Channing wrote an epigram, which May Alcott painted up

ared, the Valleys

Altars vanish

h May Alcott's drawings, many preserved under glass, including a miniatu

Ellen Emerson the fairy stories, "Flower Fables." She was at the time only sixteen. This was her earliest published work, and it was many years b

nurse during the Civil War. "Little Women" is a chronicle of her family. Louisa certainly made good use of the vicissitudes of the Alcotts. She always saw the funny side and was not afraid to make book material of the home experiences, elevating or humiliating. Her books number between twenty-five

ck, gave to Bronson Alcott in his later days fresh opportunity for his favorite study-chil

o Freddie this poem

or littl

third B

in th

he broo

a whit

ittle bl

he grass

the "la

ups" and

about h

es" they s

sun in

little "

ps into

ery gent

r makes

"saps his

r says

s and

nd wound

the nig

bye low"

ce litt

e "moo-m

says "Go

ammie he

ith appropriate accomp

de of the le

song fo

third b

s" of lov

Wee-wee

irthday Grandp

d, Fre

Birt

8

Fre

holar, look among the leaves every day, and see how many words you can tell,-Very soon you will find you can read whole pages, spell the whole book through, and write the stories, w

ves the to

Gra

to be outdo

Fre

abric is made which dresses are formed of-minutes and days-ours. Days and Years

the little

and the Wheels of Use. Grandma will help you with her one dim eye and Grandpa will explain a

8

day Aunt Louisa agai

A

to read a

told of swo

little o

r

s father's w

draw it ou

und white f

r

proud of hi

g slippers

ngs red as

r

pocket keep

house he "m

e paper lik

r

o "boss" it

s gives a na

t heartily

r

o have a bi

ntil he ha

he time is

r

dearest l

or mothe

gay and che

r

uard him wit

e, good and

thou than cr

r

28th

" received in his babyhood days from Aunt Lou

r of bl

ny's whi

ost can't

stockings

tty an

the sma

ever g

straight

y fath

all be

dear li

cond go

Grandma Alcott sent these characterist

Alcott t

day. June

ong, all

e elm or

unshin

littl

on Grandm

and

it

ide pipin

takes

hang-bi

dma's lit

Alcott t

24th.

littl

lant Ca

ches down

y at hi

ts will

only mad

best way

ss for

untered in writing. Her day was filled with other tasks, housework, sewing, teaching, nursing-yet the pen was never idle, the busy brain was never

them grow as they will till I am ready to put them on paper. Then it is quick work, as chapters go down word for word as they stand in my mind,

when "the steam was up." Now, however, I am paying the penalty of twenty years of over work, and can write but

me, hear them talk, and am much interested, surprised and provoked at their actions, for I

sayings and doings of these small actors, poets and martyrs. In the older books, the events are mostly from real life, the strongest the truest, and I ye

nty thousand I believe, and over fifty thousand were soon gone. Since January I know little about the sales. People usually ask "How much have you made?" I am contented with a hund

May A

daguerr

e 1

anuscript, his liking, despite the brilliancy of his conversations, for the written rather than the spoken word, was a wasteful user of paper and a careless dispens

a on my 52

29th,

Fat

table where d

the Graces

request that he

s with blac

s soaring awa

l remember

rds" are fair his c

ing deluge

paper of pen

pa foreve

en such piles tha

calmly on