From Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

While their father is serving in the Civil War, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy help their mother, Marmee, carry on with their daily lives. The family makes do with what little money they have. Then a telegram arrives. Father is ill, and Marmee needs to go to Washington.

1 How still the room was as they listened breathlessly and how suddenly the whole world seemed to change, as the girls gathered about their mother, feeling as if all the happiness and support of their lives was about to be taken from them.
2 Mrs. March read the message over, and stretched out her arms to her daughters, saying, in a tone they never forgot, “I shall go at once, but it may be too late. Oh, children, children, help me to bear it!”

3 For several minutes there was nothing but the sound of sobbing in the room, mingled with broken words of comfort, tender assurances of help, and hopeful whispers that died away in tears. Poor Hannah, their servant, was the first to recover, and with unconscious wisdom she set all the rest a good example . . . .

4 “I won’t waste no time a-cryin’, but git your things ready right away, mum,” she said heartily, as she wiped her face on her apron . . . .
5 “She’s right, there’s no time for tears now. Be calm, girls, and let me think.”

6 They tried to be calm, poor things, as their mother sat up, looking pale but steady, and put away her grief to think and plan for them.

7 “Where’s Laurie?” she asked presently, when she had collected her thoughts and decided on the first duties to be done.
8 “Here, ma’am. Oh, let me do something!” cried the neighbor boy, hurrying from the next room . . . .

9 “Send a telegram saying I will come at once. The next train goes early in the morning. I’ll take that.”

10 “What else? The horses are ready. I can go anywhere, do anything,” he said, looking ready to fly to the ends of the earth.

11 “Leave a note at Aunt March’s. Jo, give me that pen and paper.”

12 Jo drew the table before her mother, well knowing that money for the long, sad journey must be borrowed, and feeling as if she could do anything to add a little to the sum for her father.

13 “Jo, run to the rooms, and tell Mrs. King that I can’t come. On the way get these things I must go
prepared for nursing. Hospital stores are not always good Father shall have the best of everything. Amy,
tell Hannah to get down the black trunk, and Meg, come and help me find my things, for I’m half bewildered.”
The family rush off to help Marmee prepare. Beth runs to ask their neighbor, Mr. Laurence, for help. To the relief of the girls, he also makes plans to have his grandson’s tutor escort Marmee to Washington.

14 Everything was arranged by the time Laurie returned with a note from Aunt March, enclosing the desired sum, and a few lines repeating . . . that she had always told them it was absurd for March to go into the army, always predicted that no good would come of it, and she hoped they would take her advice the next time. Mrs. March put the note in the fire, the money in her purse, and went on with her preparations . . . .

15 Jo came walking in with a very queer expression of countenance, for there was a mixture of fun and fear, satisfaction and regret in it, which puzzled the family as much as did the roll of bills she laid before her mother, saying with a little choke in her voice, “That’s my contribution toward making Father comfortable and bringing him home!”

16 “My dear, where did you get it? Twenty-five dollars! Jo, I hope you haven’t done anything rash?”

17 “No, it’s mine honestly. I didn’t beg, borrow, or steal it. I earned it, and I don’t think you’ll blame me, for I only sold what was my own.”

18 As she spoke, Jo took off her bonnet, and a general outcry arose, for all her abundant hair was cut short.

19 “Your hair! Your beautiful hair!” “Oh, Jo, how could you? Your one beauty.” “My dear girl, there was no need of this.” “She doesn’t look like my Jo any more, but I love her dearly for it!”

20 As everyone exclaimed, and Beth hugged the cropped head tenderly, Jo assumed an indifferent air, which did not deceive anyone a particle, and said, rumpling up the brown bush and trying to look as if she liked it, “It doesn’t affect the fate of the nation, so don’t wail, Beth. It will be good for my vanity, I was getting too proud of my wig. It will do my brains good to have that mop taken off. My head feels deliciously light and cool, and the barber said I could soon have a curly crop, which will be boyish, becoming, and easy to keep in order. I’m satisfied, so please take the money and let’s have supper.”

Question 1 (1 point)
What is an important theme of the story?

a
In times of trouble, family and good friends support each other.
b
Misfortune can overwhelm even the strongest people.
c
Vanity and selfishness are stronger than generosity and kindness.
d
The best way to deal with grief is to distract yourself with other tasks.