12.07.2015 Views

Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>Little</strong> <strong>Women</strong>wild oats, and women must not expect miracles.’ I daresay you don’t, Mrs. Grundy, but it’s true nevertheless.<strong>Women</strong> work a good many miracles, and I have apersuasion that they may perform even that of raising thestandard of manhood by refusing to echo such sayings. Letthe boys be boys, the longer the better, and let the youngmen sow their wild oats if they must. But mothers, sisters,and friends may help to make the crop a small one, andkeep many tares from spoiling the harvest, by believing,and showing that they believe, in the possibility of loyaltyto the virtues which make men manliest in good women’seyes. If it is a feminine delusion, leave us to enjoy it whilewe may, for without it half the beauty and the romance oflife is lost, and sorrowful forebodings would embitter allour hopes of the brave, tenderhearted little lads, who stilllove their mothers better than themselves and are notashamed to own it.Laurie thought that the task of forgetting his love for Jowould absorb all his powers for years, but to his greatsurprise he discovered it grew easier every day. He refusedto believe it at first, got angry with himself, and couldn’tunderstand it, but these hearts of ours are curious andcontrary things, and time and nature work their will inspite of us. Laurie’s heart wouldn’t ache. The wound742 of 861

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!