"Glad to find you so merry, my girls," said a cheery voice at the door, and actors and audience turned to
welcome a tall, motherly lady with a "Can I help you" look about her which was truly delightful. She was not
elegantly dressed, but a noble-looking woman, and the girls thought the gray cloak (斗篷) and unfashionable
bonnet (宽檐帽) covered the most splendid mother in the world.
     "Well, dearies, how have you got on today? There was so much to do, getting the boxes ready to go
tomorrow, that I didn"t come home to dinner. Has anyone called, Beth? How is your cold, Meg? Jo, you look
tired to death. Come and kiss me, baby."
     While making these maternal (母性的) inquires, Mrs. March got her wet things off, her warm slippers on,
and sitting down in the easy chair, drew Amy to her lap, preparing to enjoy the happiest hour of her busy day.
The girls flew about, trying to make things comfortable, each in her own way. Meg arranged the tea table.
Jo brought wood and set chairs, dropping, over-turning, and clattering everything she touched. Beth trotted
(小跑) to and fro between parlor (客厅) and kitchen, quiet and busy, while Amy gave directions to everyone,
as she sat with her hands folded.
     As they gathered about the table, Mrs. March said, with a particularly happy face,"I"ve got a treat for you
after supper."
    A quick, bright smile went round like a streak of sunshine. Beth clapped her hands, regardless of the biscuit
she held, and Jo tossed up her napkin, crying, "A letter! A letter! Three cheers for Father!"
     "Yes, a nice long letter. He is well, and thinks he shall get through the cold season better than we feared. He
sends all sorts of loving wishes for Christmas, and an especial message to you girls," said Mrs. March, patting
her pocket as if she had got a treasure there.
     "Hurry and get done! Don"t stop to quirk your little finger and simper (傻笑) over your plate, Amy," cried
Jo, choking on her tea and dropping her bread, butter side down, on the carpet in her haste to get at the treat.
     Beth ate no more, but crept (蹑手蹑足地走) away to sit in her shadowy corner and brood (细想) over the
delight to come, till the others were ready.
     "I think it was so splendid in Father to go as chaplain (牧师) when he was too old to be drafted (被征入
伍), and not strong enough for a soldier," said Meg warmly.
     "Don"t I wish I could go as a drummer? Or a nurse, so I could be near him and help him." exclaimed Jo,
with a groan.
     "It must be very disagreeable to sleep in a tent, and eat all sorts of bad-tasting things, and drink out of a tin
mug," sighed Amy.
     "When will he come home, Marmee?" asked Beth, with a little quiver in her voice.
     "Not for many months, dear, unless he is sick. He will stay and do his work faithfully as long as he can,
and we won"t ask for him back a minute sooner than he can be spared. Now come and hear the letter."
     They all drew to the fire, Mother in the big chair with Beth at her feet, Meg and Amy perched on either arm
of the chair, and Jo leaning on the back, where no one would see any sign of emotion if the letter should
happen to be touching. Very few letters were written in those hard times that were not touching, especially
those which fathers sent home. In this one little was said of the hardships endured, the dangers faced, or the
homesickness conquered. It was a cheerful, hopeful letter, full of lively descriptions of camp life, marches,
and military news, and only at the end did the writer"s heart overflow with fatherly love and longing for the
little girls at home.

     As sixth graders, kids were separating into groups, but I wasn"t sure where I belonged.
     Our teacher gave us a task called "secret friends" for the coming week.We were supposed to do nice
things   1   our friends without letting them know who was doing it.We could leave   2   notes or cards
either on their desks or in their backpacks. Before doing the task, with our eyes closed, from a basket, we
   3   a name of a classmate who we were to secretly befriened over the next five days.
     Soon, the task was turned into a competition of giving   4   instead of notes.Everyone was getting cool
presents except me.My friend followed the teacher"s   5   without a fault.I received nothing but handmade
cards with nice words about me.
     On the last morning, I finally got a package.When I   6   it, the girls around all  7  .It was perfumed
powder, an"old lady" gift.My face went red.
     I tried to forget about the   8   gift, but when the same girls   9   it again during the break in the bathroom,
I joined in,"How stupid! My grandmother wouldn"t  10  want it." The girls laughed at my  11  and left the
bathroom.Washing my hands, I let the water run through my fingers   12   I thought about my words. It
wasn"t  13  like me to say things like that.
     "I"m your secret friend." It was Rochelle. "I" m sorry about the gift," she whispered to me, tears  14  down
her face.
     From a poor family, she was a  15  at school for those with rich parents.Yet she just took all the  16   and
the horrible treatment silently.
     I was sick to my stomach as my  17  words ran through my mind.She had heard everything.How could I
have been so cruel?
     Later I learned she had felt bad all week about not being able to leave me any cool present and her mum
had given up her only luxury (奢侈品). 
     And I had  18  everything for her.
     I told her that I had only said those things to try to   19  .
     "We aren"t that different from each other, are we?" She smiled    20  .Her simple words, spoken from her
heart, found their way straight into mine.