Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain. She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty, but it was usually bundled into a net, to be out of her way. Amy, though the youngest, was a most important person, in her own opinion at least. A regular snow maiden, with blue eyes, and yellow hair curling on her shoulders, pale and slender, and always carrying herself like a young lady mindful of her manners. What the characters of the four sisters were we will leave to be found out. Marmee must have a new pair. What will we get? Hagar, the witch, chanted an awful incantation over her kettleful of simmering toads, with weird effect. I always wanted to do the killing part. She was not elegantly dressed, but a noblelooking woman, and the girls thought the gray cloak and unfashionable bonnet covered the most splendid mother in the world. Jo, you look tired to death. Come and kiss me, baby. The girls flew about, trying to make things comfortable, each in her own way. He is well, and thinks he shall get through the cold season better than we feared. March, patting her pocket as if she had got a treasure there. Beth ate no more, but crept away to sit in her shadowy corner and brood over the delight to come, till the others were ready. Now come and hear the letter. Very few letters were written in those hard times that were not touching, especially those which fathers sent home.