Page 163 - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

"Handsome faces—eyes particularly," answered Meg, smiling to herself in the dark. "What color do you like best?" "Brown, that is, sometimes. Blue are lovely." Jo laughed, and Meg sharply ordered her not to talk, then ami- ably promised to make her hair curl, and fell asleep to dream of living in her castle in the air. The clocks were striking midnight and the rooms were very still as a figure glided quietly from bed to bed, smoothing a coverlet here, settling a pillow there, and pausing to look long and ten- derly at each unconscious face, to kiss each with lips that mutely blessed, and to pray the fervent prayers which only mothers ut- ter. As she lifted the curtain to look out into the dreary night, the moon broke suddenly from behind the clouds and shone upon her like a bright, benignant face, which seemed to whisper in the silence, "Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds." 161 LOUISA MAY ALCOTT