Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little WomenBeth, feeling now that no service would be hard orirksome, and remembering, with regretful grief, howmany neglected tasks those willing hands had done for her.Laurie haunted the house like a restless ghost, and Mr.Laurence locke the grand piano, because he could not bearto be reminded of the young neighbor who used to makethe twilight pleasant for him. Everyone missed Beth. Themilkman, baker, grocer, and butcher inquired how shedid, poor Mrs. Hummel came to beg pardon for herthoughtlessness and to get a shroud for Minna, theneighbors sent all sorts of comforts and good wishes, andeven those who knew her best were surprised to find howmany friends shy little Beth had made.Meanwhile she lay on her bed with old Joanna at herside, for even in her wanderings she did not forget herforlorn protege. She longed for her cats, but would nothave them brought, lest they should get sick, and in herquiet hours she was full of anxiety about Jo. She sentloving messages to Amy, bade them tell her mother thatshe would write soon, and often begged for pencil andpaper to try to say a word, that Father might not think shehad neglected him. But soon even these intervals ofconsciousness ended, and she lay hour after hour, tossingto and fro, with incoherent words on her lips, or sank into322 of 861