Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date),comes a dazzling new series: Classic Starts. The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. Classic Starts treats the world's beloved tales (and children) with the respect they deserve--all at an incomparable price. | Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Prepared and Published by Ebd CHAPTER ONE Christmas won t be Christmas without any presents grumbled Jo lying on the rug. It s so dreadful to be poor sighed Meg looking down at her old dress. I don t think it s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things and other girls nothing at all added little Amy with an injured sniff. We ve got Father and Mother and each other said Beth contentedly from her corner. The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words but darkened again as Jo said sadly We haven t got Father and shall not have him for a long time. She didn t say perhaps never but each silently added it thinking of Father far away where the fighting was. Nobody spoke for a minute then Meg said in an altered tone You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in the army. We can t do much but we can make our little sacrifices and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don t. And Meg shook her head as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted. But I don t think the little we should spend would do any good. We ve each got a dollar and the army wouldn t be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from Mother or you but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself. I ve wanted it so long said Jo who was a bookworm. I planned to spend mine in new music said Beth with a little sigh which no one heard but the hearth brush and kettle holder. I shall get a nice box of Faber s drawing pencils. I really need them said Amy decidedly. Mother didn t say anything about our money and she won t wish us to give up everything. Let s each buy what we want and have a little fun. I m sure we work hard enough to earn it cried Jo examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly .
