ing
cups and feeding the hungry was work he loved.

'Neither, thanks; this child has taken care of me'; and Mr March turned
to Bess, who sat on one arm of his chair, holding a glass of fresh milk.

'Long may she live to do it, sir, and I be here to see this pretty
contradiction of the song that "youth and age cannot live together"!'
answered Laurie, smiling at the pair. '"Crabbed age", papa; that makes
all the difference in the world,' said Bess quickly; for she loved
poetry, and read the best.

'Wouldst thou see fresh roses grow
In a reverend bed of snow?'

quoted Mr March, as Josie came and perched on the other arm, looking
like a very thorny little rose; for she had been having a hot discussion
with Ted, and had got the worst of it.

'Grandpa, must women always obey men and say they are the wisest, just
because they are the strongest?' she cried, looking fiercely at her
cousin, who came stalking up with a provoking smile on the boyish face
that was always very comical atop of that tall figure.

'Well, my dear, that is the old-fashioned belief, and it will take some
time to change it. But I think the woman's hour has struck; and it looks
to me as if the boys must do their best, for the girls are abreast
now, and may reach the goal first,' answered Mr March, surveying with
paternal satisfaction the bright faces of the young women, who were
among the best students in the college.

'The poor little Atalantas are sadly distracted and delayed by the
obstacles thrown in their way--not golden apples, by any means--but
I think they will stand a fair chance when they have learned to run
better,' laughed Uncle Laurie, stroking Josie's breezy hair, which stood
up like the fur of an angry kitten.

'Whole barrels of apples won't stop me when I start, and a dozen Teds
won't trip me up, though they may try. I'll show him that a woman can
act as well, if not better, than a man. It has been done, and will be
again; and I'll never own that my brain isn't as good as his, though it
may be smaller,' cried the excited young person.

'If you shake your head in that violent way you'll addle what brains you
have got; and I'd take care of 'em, if I were you,' began teasing Ted.

'What started this civil war?' asked Grandpapa, with a gentle emphasis
on the adjective, which caused the combatants to calm their ardour a
little.

'Why, we were pegging away at the Iliad and came to where Zeus tells
Juno not to inquire into his