“Annie Moffat has blue and pink bows on her nightcaps; would you put some on mine?” she asked, as Beth brought up a pile of snowy muslins, fresh from Hannah’s hands.
“No, I wouldn’t; for the smart caps won’t match the plain gowns, without any trimming on them. Poor folks shouldn’t rig,” said Jo decidedly.
“I wonder if I shall ever be happy enough to have real lace on my clothes, and bows on my caps?” said Meg impatiently.
“You said the other day that you’d be perfectly happy if you could only go to Annie Moffat’s,” observed Beth, in her quiet way.
“So I did! Well, I am happy, and I won’t fret; but it does seem as if the more one gets the more one wants, doesn’t it? There, now, the trays are ready, and everything in but my ball-dress, which I shall leave for mother to pack,” said Meg, cheering up, as she glanced from the half-filled trunk to the many-times pressed and mended white tarlatan, which she called her “ball-dress,” with an important air.
The next day was fine, and Meg departed, in style, for a fortnight of novelty and pleasure. Mrs. March had consented to the visit rather reluctantly, fearing that Margaret would come back more discontented than she went. But she had begged so hard, and Sallie had promised to take good care of her, and a little pleasure seemed so delightful after a winter of irksome work, that the mother yielded, and the daughter went to take her first taste of fashionable life.
The Moffats were very fashionable, and simple Meg was rather daunted, at first, by the splendor of the house and the elegance of its occupants. But they were kindly people, in spite of the frivolous life they led, and soon put their guest at her ease. Perhaps Meg felt, without understanding why, that they were not particularly cultivated or