ever your loving daughter,

LOUY.

Recompense enough, that note, for all a loving mother's sacrifices and
attempts to give her daughter understanding sympathy and love--and it
is small wonder if that Christmas gift always remained one of her most
precious possessions.

Six hundred copies of the little "Flower Fables" were published, and
the book sold very well, although their author only received the sum
of $32 for them, which was in sharp contrast, she says in her journal,
"to the receipts of six months only in 1886, being _eight thousand
dollars_ for the sale of books and no new one; but" she adds, "I was
prouder over the thirty-two dollars than the eight thousand."

Louisa Alcott was now headed toward her destiny, although she was
still a long way from the shining goal of literary success, and had
many weary hills yet to climb.

As soon as _Flower Fables_ was published, she began to plan for a new
volume of fairy tales, and as she was invited to spend the next summer
in the lovely New Hampshire village of Walpole, she thankfully
accepted the invitation, and decided to write the new book there in
the bracing air of the hill town. In Walpole, she met delightful
people, who were all attracted to the versatile, amusing young woman,
and she was in great demand when there was any entertainment on foot.
One evening she gave a burlesque lecture on "Woman, and Her Position,
by Oronthy Bluggage," which created such a gale of merriment that she
was asked to repeat it for money, which she did; and so there was
added to her store of accomplishments another, from which she was to
reap some rewards in coming years.

Her enjoyment of Walpole was so great that her family decided to try
its fine air, as they were tired of city life and needed a change of
scene. A friend offered them a house there, rent free, and in their
usual impromptu way they left Boston and arrived in the country
village, bag and baggage. Mr. Alcott was overjoyed to have a garden in
which to work, and Mrs. Alcott was glad to be near her niece, whose
guest Louisa had been up to that time.

Louisa's comment on their arrival in her diary was:

"Busy and happy times as we settle in the little house in the lane,
near by my dear ravine--plays, picnics, pleasant people and good
neighbors." Despite the good times, it is evident that she was not
idle, for she says, "Finished fairy book in September.... Better than
_Flower F