Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little Womenwhat would have been defects to other eyes wereornaments to Grandma’s—for the children’s gifts were alltheir own. Every stitch Daisy’s patient little fingers had putinto the handkerchiefs she hemmed was better thanembroidery to Mrs. March. Demi’s miracle of mechanicalskill, though the cover wouldn’t shut, Rob’s footstool hada wiggle in its uneven legs that she declared was soothing,and no page of the costly book Amy’s child gave her wasso fair as that on which appeared in tipsy capitals, thewords— ‘To dear Grandma, from her little Beth.’During the ceremony the boys had mysteriouslydisappeared, and when Mrs. March had tried to thank herchildren, and broken down, while Teddy wiped her eyeson his pinafore, the Professor suddenly began to sing.Then, from above him, voice after voice took up thewords, and from tree to tree echoed the music of theunseen choir, as the boys sang with all their hearts the littlesong that Jo had written, Laurie set to music, and theProfessor trained his lads to give with the best effect. Thiswas something altogether new, and it proved a grandsuccess, for Mrs. March couldn’t get over her surprise, andinsisted on shaking hands with every one of the featherlessbirds, from tall Franz and Emil to the little quadroon, whohad the sweetest voice of all.857 of 861