d,
and some thrilling melodramas for the "troupe" in the barn to act.
These were overflowing with villains and heroes, and were lurid enough
to satisfy the most intense of her audience. Later some of them were
collected under the title of "Comic Tragedies"--but at best they only
serve to show how full of imaginative possibilities the girl's nature
was.

Although the Alcotts had their own home in Concord now, it was yet
almost impossible to make ends meet, and with the sturdy independence
which proved to be one of her marked traits, Louisa determined to earn
some money and add to the family income. It was no easy thing to do,
for there were few avenues of work open to girls in that day. But she
could teach, for it was quite a popular resource to open a small
school in some barn, with a select set of pupils. Louisa herself had
been to one of these "barn schools," and now she opened one in Mr.
Emerson's barn, but it paid very poorly, as did everything which the
Alcotts attempted to do. The brave mother was so completely
discouraged, that when one day a friend passing through Concord called
on her, Mrs. Alcott confessed the state of her financial affairs. As a
result of that confession, the family once more migrated to Boston,
leaving the Hawthornes as occupants of "Hillside." In the city Mrs.
Alcott was given a position as visitor to the poor by a benevolent
association, and she also kept an employment agency--a more
respectable occupation than it was in later years. Once more there was
money in the treasury, and with their usual happy optimism the family
cheered up and decided that life was worth living, even under the most
trying circumstances. While his wife was busy in that way, Mr. Alcott
gradually drew a circle of people around him to whom his theories of
life were acceptable, and who paid a small price to attend the
"conversations" he held on subjects which interested him to discuss.
Being appreciated, even by a small audience, was balm to the wounded
spirit of the gentle philosopher, whose "Fruitlands" experiment had
been such a bitter one, and now he was as happy as though he were
earning large amounts by his work, instead of the meager sum paid by
his disciples to hear him talk of his pet theories. But he was
contented, and his happiness was reflected by his adoring family. Mrs.
Alcott, too, was satisfied with the work she was doing, so for a time
all went well with the "Pathetic Family" as Louisa had christened